The Strangers

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the opening chapters of The Strangers establish your expectations for the story? In what ways did the revelation of parallel universes change your initial assumptions about where the plot was heading? Have you read other works that employ parallel worlds (e.g., Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time)?

2. What emotions did you experience as you followed the Greystone children's journey from ordinary life into an increasingly complex and dangerous situation? How effectively did Haddix balance the story's darker elements with moments of hope?

3. Which character's perspective (Chess, Emma, or Finn) did you find most compelling, and why? How did the alternating viewpoints affect your understanding of the story?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Each Greystone child processes their mother's disappearance differently. Which character's coping mechanism most closely resembles how you handle unexpected changes or challenges?

2. Emma relies heavily on logic and mathematics to make sense of her world. What tools or strategies do you use to deal with difficult situations?

3. The story explores the relationship between siblings in crisis.