How does literature empower Gabi? Select one of the poems she mentions in the novel and discuss its effect on her decisions. Consider the following questions as you compare your response from the Personal Connection Prompt with Gabi’s response to poetry: Does literature empower you in the same way it empowers Gabi? Why or why not? How does Gabi’s empowerment from literature speak to the larger theme of Happiness Comes From Being Comfortable With Yourself?

Teaching Suggestion: For students who struggle to make the necessary connections, you may consider encouraging them to consider how Gabi initially withholds her opinions for fear of hurting others, choosing instead to write privately about them, asking students about their own experiences with conflict, communication, and relationships with others. For students who do not connect to literature, consider allowing them to discuss other media or products that inspire or empower them (music, art, theater, etc.).