Book Club Guide: Please Don't Tell by Laura Tims
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. At the beginning of the novel Joy says, “Silence is the worst thing someone can give you. Your mind fills it with every possible bad thing.” What does she mean? What are some of the secrets between Joy and her twin sister, Grace? 2. The author manipulates time by alternating between the events of fall and summer. How does this add suspense? How does telling the events from two different perspectives give the story more depth? 3. Joy believes that parents really “have no idea how little they know about the people they gave life to.” Explain why you agree or disagree with her. How do her parents view each of their twin daughters? What are they missing? Joy feels her parents have made them “each other’s responsibility so we wouldn’t have to be theirs.” Explain her feelings. 4. Levi tells Joy that, as twins, maybe she and Grace are “too used to being in the context of each other.” What does he mean? What is the difference between Joy’s Grace and Grace’s Grace? How different is Grace’s Joy from Joy’s Joy? 5. Consider the secrets kept by Grace, Joy, November, and Cassius and discuss if staying silent was more harmful than revealing the truth. What might the author be saying about keeping secrets? 6. Why was putting on excessive makeup so important to Grace? What was she trying to cover up? 7. Why was it important for November to publish her editorial about Adam in the school newspaper? Should she feel guilty about what happened to Grace? What do you think about Vice Principal Matthew’s decision to ban November from writing for the paper? 8. Joy considers Preston her best friend and says, “There’s something so special and strange about being loved by somebody who isn’t related to you, someone who has no obligation.” Explain what she means. 9. Cassius says that people wouldn’t see him if he was on his own, so he attaches himself to Adam, who has a bigger personality. Explain how this is similar to the way Grace feels about Joy. 10. What do you think of Joy’s decision to reveal the truth about Principal Eastman and Officer Roseby? Would you have done the same so that Grace’s rape remained a secret? Why or why not? 11. Joy says people are wrong to expect twins to have a “private window” into each other’s minds. How did she misjudge Grace’s feelings? Why does Joy tell Grace she needs professional help? 12. Both November and Grace tell Joy she puts people on a pedestal. Explain how she looks at people like they are “better versions of themselves.” 13. When confronted by Joy at his birthday party, Adam dismisses her rape accusation and accuses her of stirring up drama. He says he was just being “nice” to Grace and “doing her a favor,” and that she is a “prude” and a “repressed freak.” How do you view him and his actions? 14. Grace is told that when you love and hate someone at the same time, you know they’re your family. Explain how Grace’s love and hate for Joy motivated her. Does she deserve Joy’s forgiveness? Why does Joy ask for Grace’s forgiveness? 15. What does the future of the Morris family look like, individually and as a unit. If you could follow one of the twins after the story’s conclusion, which one would you choose and why? ABOUT THE BOOK Joy Morris wants to draw her twin sister, Grace, out of her shell. But the promise of a summer of harmless misdeeds ends with misfortune when Grace is date- raped by Adam Gordon. Joy agrees to keep Grace’s secret, in addition to keeping a secret of her own. When someone starts blackmailing her, she realizes she wasn’t alone with Adam at the quarry the night of his eighteenth birthday party and his death. Forced to make some difficult choices, Joy must uncover the blackmailer’s identity before disaster strikes again. Join the community at www.epicreads.com
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Download the free discussion guide for the young adult novel, PLEASE DON'T TELL by Laura Tims. ABOUT THE BOOK: Joy killed Adam Gordon for what he did to her sister, Grace. At least, that’s what she thinks happened. Now Adam can’t hurt anyone ever again, and her sister can be free from the boy who harmed her. But someone else knows what Joy did, and they’re going to out her as a cold-blooded killer if she doesn’t expose the scandalous secrets bubbling just below the surface of her mundane town.
Transcript of Book Club Guide: Please Don't Tell by Laura Tims
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. At the beginning of the novel Joy says, “Silence is the worst thing
someone can give you. Your mind fills it with every possible bad thing.” What does she mean? What are some of the secrets between Joy and her twin sister, Grace?
2. The author manipulates time by alternating between the events of fall and summer. How does this add suspense? How does telling the events from two different perspectives give the story more depth?
3. Joy believes that parents really “have no idea how little they know about the people they gave life to.” Explain why you agree or disagree with her. How do her parents view each of their twin daughters? What are they missing? Joy feels her parents have made them “each other’s responsibility so we wouldn’t have to be theirs.” Explain her feelings.
4. Levi tells Joy that, as twins, maybe she and Grace are “too used to being in the context of each other.” What does he mean? What is the difference between Joy’s Grace and Grace’s Grace? How different is Grace’s Joy from Joy’s Joy?
5. Consider the secrets kept by Grace, Joy, November, and Cassius and discuss if staying silent was more harmful than revealing the truth. What might the author be saying about keeping secrets?
6. Why was putting on excessive makeup so important to Grace? What was she trying to cover up?
7. Why was it important for November to publish her editorial about Adam in the school newspaper? Should she feel guilty about what happened to Grace? What do you think about Vice Principal Matthew’s decision to ban November from writing for the paper?
8. Joy considers Preston her best friend and says, “There’s something so special and strange about being loved by somebody who isn’t related to you, someone who has no obligation.” Explain what she means.
9. Cassius says that people wouldn’t see him if he was on his own, so he attaches himself to Adam, who has a bigger personality. Explain how this is similar to the way Grace feels about Joy.
10. What do you think of Joy’s decision to reveal the truth about Principal Eastman and Officer Roseby? Would you have done the same so that Grace’s rape remained a secret? Why or why not?
11. Joy says people are wrong to expect twins to have a “private window” into each other’s minds. How did she misjudge Grace’s feelings? Why does Joy tell Grace she needs professional help?
12. Both November and Grace tell Joy she puts people on a pedestal. Explain how she looks at people like they are “better versions of themselves.”
13. When confronted by Joy at his birthday party, Adam dismisses her rape accusation and accuses her of stirring up drama. He says he was just being “nice” to Grace and “doing her a favor,” and that she is a “prude” and a “repressed freak.” How do you view him and his actions?
14. Grace is told that when you love and hate someone at the same time, you know they’re your family. Explain how Grace’s love and hate for Joy motivated her. Does she deserve Joy’s forgiveness? Why does Joy ask for Grace’s forgiveness?
15. What does the future of the Morris family look like, individually and as a unit. If you could follow one of the twins after the story’s conclusion, which one would you choose and why?
ABOUT THE BOOK Joy Morris wants to draw her twin sister, Grace, out of her shell. But the promise of a summer of harmless misdeeds ends with misfortune when Grace is date-raped by Adam Gordon. Joy agrees to keep Grace’s secret, in addition to keeping a secret of her own. When someone starts blackmailing her, she realizes she wasn’t alone with Adam at the quarry the night of his eighteenth birthday party and his death. Forced to make some difficult choices, Joy must uncover the blackmailer’s identity before disaster strikes again.
Join the community at www.epicreads.com
