1. Robin Brancato used experiences from her life in creating the situations in her fiction. Write a short story which deals with an experience or problem in your life.

2. Teen-age drinking is a problem in contemporary society, and many schools have clubs or organizations to help students overcome alcohol dependence. Prepare a report about your school's or community's response to teen-age drinking.

3. Compare and contrast two or three characters in Facing Up. Which characters do you consider positive influences on Dave, and which characters are negative influences?

4. Accepting responsibility is part of growing up. Dave blames himself for what happened to Jep. What is the difference between accepting responsibility for one's actions and blaming oneself?

5. Authors often have a difficult time choosing a title for their books. Explain the meaning of the title, Facing Up and tell why it is or...