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Readers > Talk it Up! > Discussion guides > Lucie Babbidge's House

Lucie Babbidge's House by Sylvia Cassedy

Summary

At school, Lucie is tormented by her classmates and teacher. Picked on, singled out, and made fun of, it takes all of Lucie's strength to survive. But after school, Lucie lives an idyllic life with her family in an elegant home. She has loving parents, a young brother and a new baby at home. She even has an interesting English pen-pal. But is this the true story? Readers soon learn that Lucie has a rich fantasy life that helps her cope with reality.

243 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. Describe what Lucie's school is like.
  2. What kind of teacher is Miss Pimm? How does she treat Lucie?
  3. When the class plants beans, Lucie's is the only that doesn't bloom. What do you think that symbolizes?
  4. Is Lucie's pen pal Delia a real personage? What clues do we get that tells us otherwise?
  5. What are some of the memories that Lucie has of her parents?
  6. At what point in the book did you realize the "secret" of this story?
  7. How do the stories of The Adventures of the Pendletons, Delia, Lucie's real life, and the life of her parents fit together?
  8. At one point in the story, Lucie intentionally breaks Olives arm. (pg. 140). Why does she do this?
  9. Why does Lucie get so sick?
  10. How is Lucie able to say goodbye to the dollhouse?
  11. Is there any hope for Lucie by the end of the book? How do you know?

Snacks: ginger cookies and milk

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