1. Compare and contrast the plot and characters of Lyddie with Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. Why does Dickens's book capture Lyddie Worthen's imagination?

2. Read the brief section in Charles Dickens's American Notes for General Circulation which describes Dickens's visit to a factory in Lowell. Compare Dickens's view of the factories with those presented in Lyddie. You might also research one of the books listed in the sources at the end of Lyddie, such as David Macaulay's Mill or Lucy Larcom's A New England Girlhood, and discuss how Paterson makes use of it.

3. Katherine Paterson's novels are generally realistic books, but often share similarities with folktales or myths. For example, Park's Quest retells Arthurian legends and Jacob Have I Loved makes use of the Biblical tale of Jacob and Esau. Discuss a folktale or myth which seems similar to Lyddie.

Does Lyddie...