Book Review

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Liar & Spy, by the author of the Newbery Medal-winning When You Reach Me, is a true-to-life novel about an "uncool" kid named Georges who's having a tough time at school and at home. Georges is bullied -- enough to be disturbing, but he's never in serious danger. He's also struggling to face some harsh family realities. There's a little bit of name calling, intimidation, and teasing, and minor violence at the hands of a couple of bullies (a boy holds Georges down with a foot on the prone boy's chest; a pair of boys pushes Georges and holds him against a store display). But Georges' internal emotional struggles are the most painful parts of the book. Rebecca Stead writes with age-appropriate realism and humor, however, so the book never gets too heavy for its readers. The novel also offers a particularly heartwarming, positive father-son relationship between Georges and his dad.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/liar-spy

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Discussion Questions

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1. On FAMILY—Describe Georges’ family. Georges’ mom calls Safer’s family “bohemian,” but his dad calls them “progressive.” Discuss the difference. Why is Georges intrigued with Safer’s family? Georges’ mom is a nurse, and he refers to her working double shifts. What is the first clue that she is an actual patient in the hospital? Explain why Georges’ dad needs him. Why is Georges uncomfortable with their conversations?

2. On FRIENDSHIP—How might Georges define friendship? Explain what happened to the friendship between Georges and Jason. Georges feels like a loser when Jason betrays him for the “cool” kids. How is Georges really the winner? Debate whether Safer understands the meaning of friendship. Describe the relationship between Georges and Bob English Who Draws. Discuss whether Georges’ idea of friendship changes by the  end of the novel.

3. On BELONGING—Georges certainly doesn’t belong to the “cool” group at school. Then his dad loses his job and the family has to move from their house to an apartment. What does Georges miss about his old neighborhood? Contrast Georges and Safer’s need to belong. How does Safer  need Georges more than Georges needs Safer? What prompts Mr. Landau to ask Georges if he’s doing okay.

4. On BULLYING—Define bullying and talk about the difference between teasing and bullying. How does teasing lead to bullying? Dallas Llewellyn is the leader of the bullies that torment Georges. Discuss how Georges solves his problem with Dallas and his gang.

5. On SELF-DISCOVERY—Georges makes an important journey in the novel. What does he learn about himself? How does learning the truth about Safer’s fears help him mastermind a plot to improve his image at school? Georges and Safer deal with identity issues because of their names. How  is “Safer” both a label and a name? When does Georges begin to see “the big picture”? How does this change his view of himself?

http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/15-young-adult-fiction/8995-liar-a-spy-stead