The Someday Birds

Explore how Charlie’s family life influences how he sees himself. How do his relationships with his family members change over time? What does Charlie learn about his role in his family?

Charlie’s dad’s injury creates exceptional change in Charlie’s life. How does Pla use Charlie’s emotional response to change to convey the experience of a person with autism?

Explore how Charlie’s cross-country trip inspires his personal growth. What are some of his specific fears, and how does he overcome them along the way? What people, settings, or objects inspire most inspire him to overcome them? Use textual evidence to support your claims.

Analyze Charlie’s relationship with Dr. Tiberius Shaw’s writings and studies. Why does Charlie admire Shaw? How and why does he rely on Shaw’s journal to guide him throughout his road trip? Select a specific passage from the journal that appears in the book and explain how it relates to Charlie’s character development.

Explore Ludmila’s evolving role in Charlie’s family life. In what ways does her character initially create conflict? Why do the siblings eventually trust Ludmila, and what does her story teach Charlie about his own life?

Explore the ways in which Charlie overcomes adversity throughout the novel. What challenges, sorrows, and disappointments does he face? How does he find the courage to deal with these issues? Does he have guides along the way?

Analyze the role that the natural world plays in Charlie’s personal growth and acceptance journey. What experiences help him appreciate the natural world and wild animals in new ways?

How does Charlie’s Someday Birds List lead him throughout the narrative? Consider why he and Dad made the list and Charlie’s devotion to finding the birds on the list throughout his journey.