Embrace What Makes You Different, and Don't Be Afraid to Show It to the World

Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry

Hello, Readers!

This week 5th grade book club kids are discussing Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry. The story is told from two points of view (Callie and Jinsong) an d in two different formats (free verse and prose) over the course of a school year. Ellie Terry captures the true personalities of middle school students in her well-developed, realistic characters. Especially significant in this book is the incorporation of a character with Tourette syndrome and the message that we should "embrace what makes you different, and don't be afraid to show it to the world."

It would be nice

to stay in one place

long enough to make a best friend . . .

Astronomy-loving Calliope June has Tourette syndrome, so she sometimes makes faces or noises that she doesn't mean to make. When she and her mother move yet again, she tries to hide her TS. But it isn't long before the kids at her new school realize she's different. Only Calli's neighbor, who is also the popular student body president, sees her as she truly is--an interesting person and a good friend. But is he brave enough to take their friendship public?

As Calli navigates school, she must also face her mother’s new relationship and the fact that they might be moving—again—just as she starts to make friends and finally accept her differences.

Source: book flap; book design by Anna Booth; cover art by Oana Befort

Possible Discussion Questions:

1. What is Tourette syndrome? What symptoms of TS does Calli have? What advice does Calli's doctor (and mom) give her?
2. Describe Calli's background experiences and relationship with her family members.
3. What does Jinsong think of Calli? Does his thinking change? Why is he struggling with being Calli's friend?
4. Why does Calli's mom cut her hair, and how does Calli feel about it?
5. What role does Beatriz play in this story? Why does Calli consider Beatriz to be a beast? Why do you think Beatriz is so mean to Calli?
6. Where do you think Jinsong goes wrong in this story?
7. What surprised you as you read this story?
8. Author Ellie Terry has TS. How do you think that impacted this story?
9. What message do you take away from this book?

Curriculum Connections:

• Life Skills (problem solving, communication)
• Science (rocks and minerals, the moon, flowers)
• Neurological Disorders (Tourette syndrome)
• Writing (multiple points of view, text structure, free verse poetry)

What 5th Grade Book Club Members Thought:

• Our rating: 4.94 out of 5.0
• "One question I wondered was why did her mom come back from Vegas with a new HUSBAND?!" --Alexa
• "Did Calli know that Jinsong liked her." --Katie
• "I want to talk about Tourette syndrome." --Aditi
• "One question I wondered was why does Calli use poetry so much?" --Alex
• "I want to talk about how Beatriz was referred to as a beast." --Alex
• "One question I wondered was what other books the author writes." --Jordyn
• "I want to talk about how her mom cut her hair." --Katie
• "The message I took away from this book was: We all have differences, and that's okay." --Aditi
• "I would rate this book 777 out of 5." --Alex
• "I wondered why does Jinsong like Calli?" --Sophie
• "I would rate this book 200,000,000 out of 5." --Katie
• "The message I took away from this book was: Be yourself." --Alexa

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