DON THE BULLY
Discussion Questions
Before Don arrived, what happened when someone did something wrong or if they were rude?
Do you think it’s okay to hurt someone and then tell them to be “more tough” when they get upset? Why?
Some kids try to report Don’s bad behaviour to the teachers and Don just says, “they’re worse than us”. Do you think that it’s okay to do something bad if someone else is doing something worse?
Why did Don build a wall in the story? What does Don’s wall represent?
After Don arrived, everyone spends their time shouting at each other instead of listening. What does Jacob do to try to make things better at school?
Why does Jacob call the Monday that Don walked away his ‘independence day’? What does he mean?
When Don leaves, the kids still don’t always get along. Why is school better for Jacob and the others?
Additional Discussion Questions: Values
What changed about school when Don the Bully arrived?
Why is it important to say sorry when we’re wrong?
After Don arrived, what did kids do instead of playing games?
What is the first thing that Don does when he arrives at Jacob’s school?
What is Don like around other kids? Is he kind or is he mean? How is he kind or mean?
What does Don take from one of Jacob’s friends? Why did Jacob say his friend needed it?
Do you think it is important to be kind and thoughtful when you want something? Why?
At the end of the story, do you think Don’s gang learned a lesson? What was it?
How would you describe Don’s personality? How about Jacob’s?
Which character would you rather be? Why?
Why doesn’t Jacob join Don’s gang when Don invites him?
What does Jacob mean when he says that Don has “made a warzone of our school”?
Jacob says that ““We shout and hardly talk at all….How is it ever any fun,
If no-one talks to anyone?” Have you ever seen adults behaving like that? When?Does everyone shouting at each other and no one listening remind you of anything going on in the world?
How does Jacob show the gang that school was better before Don arrived?
What did Don think would happen to the school after he left? What really happened? How did things get better?
How does this book make you feel?
Additional Discussion Questions: General
If you could be a character in the book for one day, who would you want to be? Why?
Do you think the story should have a different ending? What would it be?
If you had to describe this book in one word, what word would you choose?
Was there one big lesson you took away from this book?
What was the most important part of the story for you? Why?
If you could give the book another title, what would it be?
Which characters would you like to meet in real life?
Would the book make a cool movie? Video game? TV show? Why? How?
What do you think the author wants readers to remember most from this book?
Share a favorite quote from the book. Why did this quote stand out?
What do you think the author’s purpose was in writing this book? What ideas was he or she trying to get across?