107 pages 3 hours read

Ken Liu

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories

Fiction | Short Story Collection | Adult | Published in 2016

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Story 1: “The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species”

Reading Check

1. What material is a Quatzoli made of?

Short Answer

2. Why did the Quatzoli delegation leave the mind of their ancestor in possession of the Caru’ee?

Paired Resource

The History of Bookbinding

  • A brief overview of the way human bookmaking practices have evolved over time, presented mainly in two 4-5 minute videos
  • What do the advances of bookbinding suggest about Storytelling as a Universal Constant?

Story 2: “State Change”

Reading Check

3. What form did Joan of Arc’s soul take?

Short Answer

4. What does the title “State Change” refer to?

Story 3: “The Perfect Match”

Reading Check

5. At the story’s close, what song does Sai ask to wake up to the next morning?

Short Answer

6. What impact did Centillion have on racial segregation?

Paired Resource

Dating in the Age of AI: Would You Let an Algorithm Choose Your Partner?

  • This 2021 article explores the pros and cons of trusting an AI algorithm with one’s love life.
  • What trajectory might the use of AI in matchmaking apps take in the future?

Story 4: “Good Hunting”

Reading Check

7. What is the name of Liang’s father’s sword?