Book Club Discussion Questions for The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Cats in Japanese Culture and our BookBrowse Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The Travelling Cat Chronicles exemplifies the idea that life isn't about the destination; it's about the journey. How do both Satoru and Nana show us that life is what we make of it?
2. Friendships come and go, as we all know. Yet friendships are everlasting in this book, despite the years that go by without any contact. Do you think this is true in real life? Aided by social media and how fast communication is now—via e-mail, chat programs, and text messages—have you reached out to someone you were close to many years ago but were no longer in touch with? Did this book make you want to reach out to someone?
3. The idea of being saved is a theme in this book—whether it's Nana literally being saved from homelessness and hunger by Satoru, or Satoru feeling saved by Nana as Nana brought love into his life. Is there someone in your life, a furry friend or a person, who has saved you?
4. Japanese culture is predominant in the book. Were there aspects of the culture you found particularly fascinating, especially in regard to how Japanese people love their cats? Do you find that the same is true in America?
5. Both Nana and Satoru hold strong memories of enjoying nature together during their travels. Why was it important for Satoru to share these experiences with Nana? What did Nana learn from them?

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