by John Shors
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Had you heard of “wish trees” before? If not, did you enjoy being introduced to them? Is there anything similar in your country?
2. If you were Ian, would you take Mattie on the trip? Where do you draw the line between offering your child new experiences and providing for her/his safety?
3. Would you like to travel like Ian and Mattie do? Which country did you enjoy the most, and what about it appeals to you?
4. What did you think of Kate’s character, and her letters? Did you find Ian’s and Mattie’s reactions to her death believable and moving? Are they similar to your own experiences of loss?
5. Did everything ring true within the relationship of Ian and Mattie?
6. Who was your favorite character and why?
7. What do you think of Rupee, and how did he contribute to the story?
8. What do you think will happen to the young sex worker, Jaidee, when she returns home? Was Ian right to try to help her?
9. What was the most memorable moment of the book for you?
10. Ian and Mattie feel compelled to help the needy people they meet during their travels. Do you think people in wealthy countries have a moral obligation to assist the poor and suffering elsewhere in the world? To what extent? What sacrifices are you willing and not willing to make?
11. At the end of the novel, Ian and Mattie choose to settle in Hong Kong. How do you feel about their decision?
12. John Shors is supporting street children in Vietnam through his previous novel, Dragon House, and in conjunction with The Wishing Trees he is donating some of the funds generated by the book to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees. Do you think it’s important for writers to take on such causes?
13. What do you think are the key messages of The Wishing Trees?
14. Which of John Shors’s novels have you enjoyed most?
