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The Cuckoo's Child by Suzanne Freeman

Summary

Mia's dearest wish is to live the way other American kids live. It is 1962, and because of her father's work the family is living in Beirut, Lebanon, where to Mia even the air tastes foreign. Then her wish comes true, but not in the way she had intended. Her parents disappear while sailing off the coast of Greece, and Mia is sent back to the United States to stay with an aunt she's never met. During a painful summer of longing for her parents' return and adjusting to her new surroundings, Mia learns some important truths about herself-and about families in general.

249 pages, 5th grade and up

Discussion questions

Spoiler alert! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. Why is this book called The Cuckoo's Child? Why does Mia dislike the cuckoo bird?
  2. Why is Mia drawn to high places, both in Beirut and in Tennessee?
  3. Have you ever spent a long period of time away from home? Did you experience homesickness in the way that Mia does?
  4. Mia longs for the "sameness" of the United States. What do you think she meant by this? Do you think she has a realistic picture of what it would be like to live here?
  5. What did you think about Mia's half sisters? How were they different from Mia? Why might that be?
  6. What are Mia's mother's views about religion? How are her views different from Mia's feelings about religion?
  7. Mia trys so hard to blend in with the popular girls at vacation Bible school. Why does she do this? Is she successful?
  8. Sinclair thinks that Mia is a saint. How would you describe Sinclair? What is her family life like?
  9. Why does Mia have to go through so many rituals like touching the clock or forcing herself not to eat cookies? Have you ever done anything like that? Did it help you in any way?
  10. How are Mia and Aunt Kit alike? Why do they have such problems getting along?
  11. What did you think about Aunt Kit's boyfriend?
  12. How are Dan Flarety and Morse different? What are their attitudes towards dirt/soil? What does that tell you about them?
  13. At the end of this novel, we still don't know what happened to Mia's parents. Were you satisfied with this ending or did you want to know? What do you think about novels that leave you hanging? What are some reasons that authors may do that?
  14. What do you think the title means?

Activities

Make a list of all the things you would miss if you moved to another country. Locate a map and find Beirut.

Snack ideas: try Middle Eastern snacks that Mia might have tried in Beirut: hummus, pita bread, figs, and cucumbers.

Created in part with funds granted by the Oregon State Library under the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library. Send feedback to Katie O'Dell, Reading Promotions Coordinator