ABSOLUTELy NORMAL CHAOS - Sharon Creech
ABSOLUTELy NORMAL CHAOS - Sharon Creech
ABSOLUTELy NORMAL CHAOS - Sharon Creech
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absoLUTeLy norMaL chaos<br />
Setting the Scene<br />
1. Describe Mary Lou’s relationship with Alex Cheevey. What is<br />
their relationship like at the start of the novel? How does it<br />
change? Why? What do you imagine their relationship is like<br />
after the book ends?<br />
2. When Mary Lou is lamenting the end of the school year, she<br />
writes, “Isn’t that just typical? You wait and wait and wait for<br />
something, and then when it happens, you feel sad” (p. 8). Are<br />
there other examples of this in the novel? What are they?<br />
3. Mary Lou refers to an unexpected sad event as a “snapper”<br />
(p. 161). Why does she call it that? What events in the book<br />
are “snappers”? Why?<br />
4. Throughout her journals, Mary Lou takes notes about the<br />
Odyssey, a book she’s reading for school. Are any of the<br />
characters in the Odyssey like people in Mary Lou’s life? What<br />
does Carl Ray mean when he says the Odyssey is a metaphor? A<br />
metaphor for what?<br />
Mary Lou Finney is less than excited about her assignment to keep a journal over the<br />
summer. But then cousin Carl Ray comes to stay with her family, and what starts out as the<br />
dull dog days of summer quickly turns into the wildest roller coaster ride of all time. How<br />
was Mary Lou supposed to know what would happen with Carl Ray and the ring? Or with<br />
her boy-crazy best friend, Beth Ann? Or with the permanently pink Alex Cheevey? Suddenly,<br />
a boring school project becomes a record of the most incredible, unbelievable summer of<br />
Mary Lou’s life.<br />
Before Reading<br />
Absolutely Normal Chaos begins with a letter from Mary Lou to her teacher, Mr. Birkway,<br />
begging him not to read her summer journals. Ask the class if they have ever kept a journal.<br />
Would they like their teacher reading it? Why or why not?<br />
Discussion Questions<br />
5. Near the end of the summer Mary Lou writes, “I don’t even<br />
recognize myself when I read back over these pages” (p. 228).<br />
In what ways has Mary Lou changed over the course of the<br />
novel? Is she more mature? Why? Provide examples from the<br />
book.<br />
6. When Mary Lou describes the idea of the “wheel of fortune,”<br />
she writes, “Already, I’m worrying that I’m too happy, and I’m<br />
either going to have to pay for this or it’s all going to end real<br />
soon” (p. 114). What does Mary Lou mean by this? Are there<br />
instances in the book that verify this theory?<br />
7. In what ways does Mary Lou grow as a writer over the course<br />
of the summer? What different types of writing elements does<br />
she use in her journals?<br />
8. How does Mary Lou feel when she visits Carl Ray’s family?<br />
How is his family like the Finneys? How are they different?<br />
Why doesn’t Mary Lou tell her brother what it’s like at Carl<br />
Ray’s before he goes to visit?<br />
Art © 2012 by Zdenko Basic
nobody tells a story like newbery medalist<br />
SHARON CREECH<br />
The Great Unexpected<br />
Tr 978-0-06-189232-5 • $16.99<br />
Lb 978-0-06-189233-2 • $17.89<br />
Pleasing the Ghost<br />
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Heartbeat<br />
Tr 978-0-06-054022-7 • $15.99<br />
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Newbery<br />
Medal<br />
Winner<br />
Walk Two Moons<br />
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Chasing Redbird<br />
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Replay<br />
Pb 978-0-06-054021-0 • $5.99<br />
A Selected Bibliography<br />
www.sharoncreech.com<br />
Newbery<br />
Honor<br />
Book<br />
The Wanderer<br />
Pb 978-0-06-441032-8 • $6.99<br />
Bloomability<br />
Pb 978-0-06-440823-3 • $6.99<br />
The Castle Corona<br />
Tr 978-0-06-084621-3 • $18.99<br />
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Carnegie<br />
Medal<br />
Winner<br />
Ruby Holler<br />
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Love That Dog<br />
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Hate That Cat<br />
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To order, please contact your HarperCollins sales representative, call 1-800-C-HARPER, or fax your order to 1-800-822-4090.<br />
For exclusive information on your favorite authors and artists, visit www.authortracker.com. Art copyright © 2012 by Zdenko Basic<br />
Absolutely Normal Chaos<br />
Pb 978-0-06-440632-1 • $6.99<br />
Granny Torrelli<br />
Makes Soup<br />
Pb 978-0-06-440960-5 • $5.99<br />
The Unfinished Angel<br />
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Pb 978-0-06-143097-8 • $5.99<br />
www.harpercollinschildrens.com<br />
ISBN: 978-0-06-221666-3
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