88 pages • 2 hours read
Ann BradenA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.
Short Answer
What causes dysfunctional families? Why might perfectionism be considered dysfunctional? What role do finances play in dysfunctional families? What is the impact of chaotic households on children? What are ways to prevent chaos in the home?
Teaching Suggestion: With sensitivity in mind for varying circumstances, discussing the potential definitions and causes of the term “dysfunctional” may be beneficial before having students address the prompt. Zoey, the protagonist, is part of a chaotic, dysfunctional household. Lenny is her mother Kara’s live-in partner; he is a perfectionist with unrealistic expectations for Zoey’s mother and is emotionally abusive. To cope with her circumstances, Kara leans heavily on Zoey to fulfill the role of caretaker for her siblings, as Kara works a menial job making very little money.
Short Activity
In The Benefits of Being an Octopus, Zoey, the protagonist, gains confidence by learning to debate.
Books on Justice & Injustice
View Collection
Books that Teach Empathy
View Collection
Family
View Collection
Fear
View Collection
Fiction with Strong Female Protagonists
View Collection
Friendship
View Collection
Guilt
View Collection
Juvenile Literature
View Collection
Popular Study Guides
View Collection
Poverty & Homelessness
View Collection
Pride & Shame
View Collection
Realistic Fiction (Middle Grade)
View Collection
School Book List Titles
View Collection
Sexual Harassment & Violence
View Collection
Teams & Gangs
View Collection