Taking Sides

What is the significance of the “Egypt” section of Lincoln’s geography book? Why does Soto return to the image so many times?

Lincoln’s mother is relatively absent from the novel’s events. What is the effect of this? What does her absence contribute to the novel’s meaning?

Choose a character from the text and write an internal monologue that could be running through that character’s head during a particular scene. Then, write 2-3 paragraphs about what context clues in the text support the monologue you have written.