Jennifer Chan is Not Alone Discussion Questions and review written by the Hobbit on July 6th, 2022. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Read
Book: Jennifer Chan is Not Alone
Author: Tae Keller
Genre: Young adult, mystery, science fiction
Length: 281 pages
Age suggested: 9+
Release Date: Apr 26, 2022
Themes: Racism, bullying, friendship
Warnings: Mentions of bullying, parent’s death. Nothing graphic.
Quick Jennifer Chan is Not Alone Summary
Mallory Moss is a middle school student in Norwell, FL. During the summer, a new family moves in across the street. Upon meeting her new neighbor she learns that the girls is her age and her name is Jennifer Chan. Although they are friendly during the summer, this ceases quickly as school starts. Mallory is one of the members of the popular/mean girls. But then Jennifer goes missing, and Mallory’s world changes drastically.
Jennifer Chan is Not Alone Review: (Some Spoilers)
The story is told in two alternating time lines. One is the present (Now); the other several months prior (Then). The big topic discussed in this book is bullying. This is mostly seen in the context of middle school girls. It is told from the perspective of one of the girls who does the bullying, Mallory. It shows how she became a part of the “popular” group and how one event causes her to realize the effects of this.
Middle school can be an emotional roller coaster, as kids try to learn who they are and where they belong. This is illuminated as we go inside Mallory’s narrative Mallory and Jennifer both have Asian roots, and racism is also touched upon.
Why Read Jennifer Chan is Not Alone–
Keller suffered though a similar incident in middle school (as seen in the author’s note at the end of the book). But the book is not directly about the person being bullied; it goes inside the head of one of the girls doing it. Keller contacted several of the people who, many years ago, had bullied her and this is, in a way, her telling us what she found out. Mallory is not a bad person; she makes some bad choices that have repercussions.
Families are definitely highlighted and are important and supportive – but we also see that middle school tension of being close and pulling away. Overall, this book tells a story that is not only applicable, but very important in today’s culture.
Favorite Jennifer Chan is Not Alone Quotes
“Adventures are good for making our worlds bigger… And our hearts, too.”
“Every ‘and’ is a beginning”
“After all, four heads are better than just one, right? Except when they’re not.”
“We are all born at a crossroads, with many paths before us. And always there is a choice. We can choose to kneel down, or stand. We can choose to hide, or fight.”
Jennifer Chan is Not Alone Discussion Questions
Themes to Discuss: Peer pressure, compassion
- How does Mallory change from the beginning to the end of the story?
- Do you think the writing style of the book was effective? “Now” covering the present, and “then: covering the past.
- Jennifer’s belief in aliens and their goodness displays an optimism about human nature. Do you think her optimism is justified? Does it change during the story?
- What are ways you or your friends have been pressured to conform to others?
- What does this story say about how family situations can affect kids both positively and negatively?
Thanks for reading our Jennifer Chan is Not Alone Discussion Questions and Review. Before you go, check out these other posts:
–When You Trap A Tiger Discussion and Review
–American Born Chinese Review
–New Kid and Class Act reviews with Discussion Questions
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