Major Theme:

This is a powerful story of love and death.  It is about finding the strength to go on living after a loved one has died.  While the topic is mature, the style is light and very humorous, as is so much of what Cynthia Rylant writes. Wonderful language, great dialogue, humorous characters.

Summary:

Summer was six years old when she came to live with her Aunt May and Uncle Ob.  When Summer is twelve, Aunt May dies.  Aunt May was the glue that held this unusual Appalachian hill family together and Summer worries that something might happen to Uncle Ob because he's so filled with grief he doesn't want to go on.  Cletus Underwood is a strange boy in Summer's class, and he read in the newspaper that a medium could help them contact May.  This creates a series of events in which Ob, Summer and Cletus set off on a search seeking some sign from May.  They only know they need something to ease their sorrow and give them strength to go on living -always knowing they will never stop missing May.

Question #1

Question #2

Question #3

In the first chapter, we learn that Summer is an orphan who is passed from relative to relative.  Yet, she never became hateful or mean that nobody cared about making her their own little girl until May and Ob come along.  What had happened  early in Summer's life to make her so full of love and enable her not to become bitter because of her situation?

Of the many gifts that Aunt May and Uncle Ob gave May, what gifts, in your opinion,  made Summer think she was living in "paradise?"

 Cletus is a strange boy who saves photographs in an old suitcase.  Some people think this makes Cletus "weird." Compare Summer and Ob's opinions of Cletus Underwood.

Question #4

May was a very wise woman. What did she mean when she told Summer she didn't have to give up if this life doesn't give her everything she wants.  There's always another one.

Question #5

The author, Cynthia Rylant, uses humor to lighten a book about death.  Give some examples of humor in this book and tell what made them so funny?

Question #6

Question #7

Question #8

Question #9

How would you describe May's character from the way Ob and Summer remember her?

What are the outstanding qualities that make Cletus so special?

One day in class the kids write descriptions of their classmates.  Why did the description of Summer cause her such humiliation?

Aunt May and Uncle Ob created a safe haven for Summer.  Describe what they did to make Summer feel safe?
 

Question #10

One morning Ob oversleeps.  He had never overslept in his life.   What conclusion did Summer draw from Ob oversleeping?

Question #11

Question #12

Question #13

When you meet Cletus' parents, you learn why he doesn't need to act crazy at home the way he does at school and around others.   What did you notice about Cletus parents and how they treat Cletus?

After Summer meets Cletus's parents, she learns why he had never brought her home to meet them.  Tell why you think Cletus never introduced Summer to his parents before.

The author, Cynthia Rylant, uses a play on words to describe Reverend Miriam B. Young, the Spiritualist.  Ms Rylant calls the spiritualist the Small Medium at Large.  What do you think this means?

Question #14

 Summer thinks Ob is "done for" when he learns that the Reverend Miriam B. Young is dead.  Summer was preparing herself for the worst. But something happened to make Ob long for living again.   What do you think happened to Ob to make him "turn the buggy around"  and take Cletus and Summer to visit the capitol in Charleston, West Virginia?

Question #15

Question #16

Question #17

Question #18

Extension #1

Extension #2

Extension #3

In this story we learn alot about Summer and Cletus.  We learn that Cletus "believes in things"  He trusts the future. But Summer is afraid to hope for things.  Why do you think they approach life so differently?

When Ob, Cletus and Summer arrive home after visiting the capitol, they get out of the car and an owl flies over Summer's head.  It startles her and she begins to cry uncontrollably.   She remembers May, her own mama, and May's mommy and daddy,  But she doesn't  dwell on them with pain or fear.  What suddenly caused May to be at peace about their deaths?
 

This is a story about love.  Give some examples from the story about love.

Who is the hero in this story?  Tell why you think so.

Write an epitaph or obituary  for May

 Draw a newspaper ad, advertising Reverend Miriam B. Young, Small Medium at Large.

Paint a picture of the whirligigs:  Dreams, Thunderstorms and Fire.

Extension #4

Write an Dear Abby advice column, giving advice to console someone who is grieving.

Extension #5

Write an acrostic poem for either:  May, Ob, Summer, or Cletus.