1. Write a paper discussing the window imagery in this novel and other children's literature.

2. Research the steps involved in making a table.

3. Prepare an answer to the question for the win-the-house contest.

4. Describe various forms of communal living. How does JP's home compare to other types of communes?

5. Analyze the religious imagery in this novel. What might the nativity, wise men, and the name Mary symbolize?

6. Write a paper about the role of nature in this novel.

7. Research and compare Philadelphia and New Hope, Pennsylvania, and Switzerland. What is appealing about each place and why would you want to visit or live there? Where do you wish you could visit or live? Why?

8. Analyze tolerance as depicted in this novel. How does intolerance shape characters?

9. Study psychological patterns of grief and outline how JP and his parents each respond to...