Are you reading The Dime Box with the Amnesty International Book Club? Download the March/April 2021 Book Club Discussion Guide.

Thank you for choosing The Dime Box for your next read. I’m a huge fan of book clubs — there’s nothing better than the combination of carbs, friends, books and beverages of a sociable nature! I’m humbled you’re reading The Dime Box with your book club. Though your perspectives inspire discussions about the themes, characters or moral dilemmas in The Dime Box, here are a few questions you may choose to consider. I’m also happy to connect with readers through email or to host virtual meet-and-greets to share ideas, answer questions and engage with you in the love of reading.

1. “Inside every person you know, is a person you don’t.” Discuss the ways Emily, Ian, Colleen and Greta live with secrets.  Have you ever been in a situation where someone’s secret had a significant impact on your understanding of their life? 

2. What connections might you imagine between a person’s resilience and their search for identity? 

3. Through the novel, we see Greta from age four to eighteen. By the end of the novel, how well do you know her?

4. What do you think motivated Colleen to do what she did? Do you think she has regrets?

5. What do you think of Greta’s choice to run away? Has there ever been a time when you were tempted to run away?

6. As a victim of domestic abuse, why does Emily stay with Ian? How does her story affect your view of domestic abuse? What would you do if you were in Emily’s shoes?

7. Did you anticipate the ending? After you’ve read the ending, discuss the clues that were left for the reader along the way.

8. Running, like all sports, is used in the novel as a way to release stress. How do you cope with stress? 

9. Set in Ontario, Canada, the novel shares a wide range of diverse characters. How does diversity in society bring us together?

10. In your view, what defines a family? Is it love? Blood? Traditional or non-traditional structures? 

11. What are the challenges of being a teenager today? Are they the same or different from when you were a teenager? 

12. Greta’s story is one of triumph and resilience. Will her next steps mitigate her grief? Why or why not?