1. Clari seems to be healthy and energetic so why can't she take the longer route home and avoid annoying Mrs. Murphy?

2. Many of Anilu Bernardo's readers live in areas where hurricanes are rare or never appear. What would "Hurricane Friends" teach them about hurricanes and how to survive them?

3. How realistic is Clari? Does she behave like a thirteen-year-old girl?

How does Bernardo make her seem realistic?

4. Papi is working hard at learning English. How important is it for immigrants such as he to learn English?

What advantages does speaking English provide?

5. Clari and Mrs. Murphy seem to share a love for cats. Can a shared affection such as this bring antagonists to an understanding of each other? Can it even generate affection between two people?

6. If Mrs. Murphy is, as Papi says, "too stubborn to ask her neighbors for help," should she be...