58 pages • 1 hour read
Jacqueline DaviesThe Bell Bandit
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Explain why the New Year’s Eve bell ringing is important to Jessie and Evan. How do traditions help people build a sense of belonging and community? What traditions do you participate in that help you to feel connected to those around you?
What do puzzles symbolize in the text? How are puzzles used throughout the text to illustrate how the characters navigate challenges?
How are Evan’s and Jessie’s understandings of and approaches to their grandmother’s memory loss different? How do their experiences shape their understanding of her memory loss, and how do they grow throughout the text?
What does the New Year’s Eve bell symbolize to Jessie and Evan? In what ways does it mean different things to each of them, especially after it goes missing?
How does Jessie change throughout the text, especially her understanding of those around her, such as Grandma and Maxwell?
What strengths do Evan and Jessie each have to help them find Grandma? How do their unique skills work together to help bring Grandma home safely?
How does Evan use empathy and understanding to navigate challenges? How does his empathy shape how he helps people around him, such as Pete, Jessie, and Grandma?
What does Jessie learn about Maxwell? How does this information shape her understanding of her friend and how she approaches him? How does this help you to better understand Maxwell’s actions throughout the text?
As Evan rings the New Year’s Eve bell, he decides it sounds “different but the same” (173). What do you think he means, and how does this idea of “different but the same” apply to other aspects of the text?
The Bell Bandit is the third book in a series. How do you think Jessie and Evan may change and evolve in future stories, especially after the events of this text and their plan to bring Grandma back home with them?
Related Titles
By Jacqueline Davies
