Book Club Discussion Questions for Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Blind Runners and our BookBrowse Review of Not If I See You First.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. As the novel is told from the perspective of a blind narrator, the characters are not introduced with the usual physical descriptions that authors often rely upon. What are some unconventional descriptors that Eric Lindstrom uses?
2. How do people intentionally and unintentionally break Parker's Rules? How does Parker's reliance on her Rules change over the course of the novel??
3. Rule #11 is: "Don't be weird." Why is this Rule important to Parker, and why might it be a challenging one for the people in Parker's life?
4. Parker claims that she "tells it like it is" and practices tough love, but sometimes her opinions come across as abrasive or mean. How do you differentiate between being honest and being kind?
5. What factors contribute to the tension in Parker's relationship with Aunt Celia? What might Celia's perspective be on their situation?
6. Why does Parker wear blindfolds? What do you think the blindfolds symbolize?
7. Once Parker learns the truth about Scott's middle school "prank," she second-guesses her initial reaction to the incident. Do you believe the depth of Parker's anger was justified at the time? Should she have forgiven Scott sooner, or did she make the right decision?
8. Even after Parker has forgiven Scott, he doesn't want to be friends with her. Do you believe his reasoning is justified?
9. What insights did you get from the novel about the life of someone navigating the world as a blind person? What insights did you get about navigating the world as a typical teenager?
10. The title on the book jacket is Not if I See You First , but the Braille says something different. Decipher the Braille. Now that you've read Parker Grant's story, what does this second message mean to you?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.