1. This novel is unusual among Wersba's young adult works in that it utilizes the omniscient perspective. Why do you think Wersba made the decision to use that perspective? Would the book have been substantially different if the story had been related in the first person by Noli? What if it were narrated by TJ?

2. Barbara Wersba has stated that book titles are important to her—often selected before she even knows the story she is about to tell. What do the words "whistle me home" mean in the context of the story? Is it a good title?

3. No one dies during the course of the story, yet the novel includes numerous references to death. Can you cite examples and explain why they were used?

4. Is Noli a sympathetic character? Is TJ? Is it important to a novel to feature sympathetic characters?

5. Noli and...