Clementine

As the novel progresses, Clementine talks more and more about her cat Polka Dottie who died. What does Clementine’s increased openness reveal about her character development? What does the novel show about how younger children process grief?

Names are a very important part of Clementine’s life—her own name, her brother’s name, names of adults, and getting to name things. How do names function in the novel and reflect their subjects? What does Clementine’s zeal for naming things reveal about her character?

As a child who has a hard time paying attention in school, Clementine has a lot of negative experiences with her principal and teacher. Explore Clementine’s understanding of and relationship with education. What can readers learn through her example?

There are many drawings throughout Clementine that show both what she would draw as well as scenes in a more adult style. Choose several drawings that contribute significantly to the meaning of the text and analyze how the drawings change or enhance the plot.

The apartment building where Clementine lives is a big part of her life. Analyze how Pennypacker describes the building. What do key elements of the building, such as the lobby, roof, or elevators, represent?

The novel presents the idea of easy kids versus hard kids. Why does Pennypacker present this dichotomy? How does the idea of easy versus hard kids create tension in the text?

Clementine is narrated in the first-person. In what ways does the point-of-view influence how readers understand Clementine as a character? How would we understand her differently if the novel were written in third person? Use specific scenes from the text to make your points.

At the end of the novel, Clementine is surprised when her parents celebrate her solving the pigeon problem. What might the pigeons represent for Clementine? In what ways does the pigeon problem mirror other conflicts in the text?