My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich

Read one of Zoboi’s other books—whether it’s Star Child, American Street, or another title—and compare it to Ebony-Grace’s story. What do the characters and settings have in common? How do the themes match up?

Read another story by another author that highlights girls of color—like Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming (2014)—and compare that book to Ebony-Grace’s story. In the “acknowledgments” to My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich, Zoboi shouts out Rita Williams-Garcia’s novel One Crazy Summer (2010), where a trio of sisters have to spend a summer with a distant parent and an unfamiliar place.

The book features many cultural references. There’s the constant Star Trek presence, but the story also notes musical artists, TV shows, and movies. Listen to a few of the musical artists, or watch one of the movies and TV shows and link it back to Ebony-Grace’s story.

The story references the death of Michael Stewart. Research what happened and how people reacted, and connect the response to the theme of community and togetherness.

Focus on the relationship between Ebony-Grace and Bianca. Why do they fight so much? What is the source of their tension? What do their quarrels say about the nature of friendship?

How does the story present girls? What makes them empowering? How do the girls, regardless of their interests, continually stand up for themselves and their beliefs?

Pretend that you’re Ebony-Grace’s friend. How would you deal with her unrelenting imagination? How would you help her stay more grounded in reality?

Discuss Ebony-Grace’s character. What kind of person is she? What do her interests say about her? How does Zoboi subvert stereotypes by not using terms like “dork” and “nerd”?