Did you figure out the relationship between the screechers and hummingbears before Willodeen did? If so, what clues helped you reach that conclusion? If not, could Applegate have made the relationship clearer earlier, or did she intentionally make it unclear? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Willodeen chooses to spend more time in nature than in school. What might she be able to learn from nature that she couldn’t learn in school? Is Willodeen’s nature-backed education more or less important than a school education? Does education, like nature, benefit from a balance? If so, what might be a good balance of school and nature for a well-rounded education?

Based on how Willodeen works out the relationship between the hummingbears and screechers, what is the novel’s message about the process of scientific discovery? Do you see the parts of the scientific method (hypothesis, research, testing, conclusion-making) in Willodeen’s actions? Why or why not? Do you think science is an evolving discipline, rather than a finite one? Support your answer with evidence from the text.