Dairy Queen is a coming-of-age novel. Discuss which character(s) is/are coming-of-age throughout the novel and in what ways. What type of growth does s/he experience? How does s/he change? What inspires and encourages those changes? Does the character realize that she is maturing?

D.J. makes it pretty clear to readers that her family has it's issues. Discuss what has caused the break-down of relationships within the Schwenk family and how they begin to be rebuilt toward the end of the novel.

How does D.J. and Brian's relationship evolve throughout the novel, and what contributes to the change?

D.J. and Brian have more to learn from one another than they realize. Discuss what each character learns from the other.

What techniques does the author use to make the narration of the novel authentic? How quickly can you tell...