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No Safe Place on Earth by Richard Peck

Summary

Walden Woods looks like the perfect place to be a 10th grader-especially from Todd's house on Tranquility Lane. He's even found the perfect girl, the mysterious Laurel. But when something frightens his little sister so that she has nightmares, and a parent group tries to remove "evil" books from the school libraries, Todd begins to wonder what dark forces are at work in his "quality community."

161 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. At the censorship meeting at Ridpath Junior High, the principal Dr. Ericson says "only readers have futures" and that he wants his students "to read broadly and deeply" (page 122). What are some differences between a person who reads on a regular basis and a person who can't read or doesn't want to read? Are you a reader, a non-reader, or somewhere in-between?
  2. Laurel believed it was her place to teach Marnie about evil and the devil. Marnie's family didn't agree. Who do you think was right? Why?
  3. Todd's high school hosted an AIDS awareness program after school; attendance was voluntary but no students showed up. Would you and your friends have gone to the AIDS awareness program? Why? Now think of an educational program at school that you had to attend. Was it worth your time? Why?
  4. Diana is not afraid to speak her mind, whether it's confronting Laurel, the school newspaper editor, or writing an article for the town newspaper. What does it take for a person to take a stand and not care what other people think?
  5. The members of the Children's Rights Forum wanted to ban the books "The Chocolate War" and Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" because those books did not agree with their moral values. Can you think of something you read that didn't quite match the way you live your life? Is it ever OK to read a book or article that doesn't match your values? Why or why not?
  6. Todd was first attracted to Laurel because she was "this perfect girl." At the same time, he didn't know his best friend C.E. was having problems at home. Without naming names, do you know people whose lives are not what they seem to be? Why do people choose to hide facts about themselves?
  7. The story takes place on Tranquility Lane, in a suburb called Walden Woods. Could it have taken place in New York City or Los Angeles? Portland?

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