1. What is your interpretation of the saying in Aunt Jessie's kitchen? "Life is a bowl of spaghetti . . . every now and then you get a meatball."

2. What other sayings have you heard people use to describe life? What saying can you create to describe life?

3. In chapter four we meet Jake Boone.

The chapter title is "One-Day Special"; explain why the day is special. What is your impression of Jake?

4. Zinny has felt guilty about the death of Rose since she was four, and now she is adding guilt for her Aunt Jessie's death.

She believes she is responsible for both.

In chapter ten she decides she cannot tell anyone about it. She keeps the secret to herself and thinks of herself as, "Zinnia Taylor: killer." Why does she think she is responsible? What advice would you give her?

5. Chapter ten tells us how different...