Tears of a Tiger

The questions inside

One per chapter, across all 40 chapters — every question is editable before you print.

1. What important facts do you learn from the news report about the car crash, and what questions do you still have?
2. How do the boys’ words and actions before the accident show that they feel grown-up, excited, or careless?
3. Why is Rob’s death especially hard for Andy to understand and accept?
4. How do students and adults at school show their grief in different ways?
5. What does Andy say about the crash, and what do his words reveal about how he sees himself?
6. How does B.J.’s choice not to drink affect the way he thinks about the accident afterward?
7. What do Tyrone’s comments help you understand about friendship, fear, and guilt?
8. At Rob’s funeral or memorial, what details show that Rob mattered to many people?
9. How does Keisha try to help Andy, and what does this show about her character?
10. Why might talking to Dr. Carrothers be hard for Andy at first?
11. What does Andy’s writing or letter reveal that he may not be able to say out loud?
12. How do Andy’s parents react to him, and what does Andy seem to need from them?
13. What words or phrases in this chapter show that Andy feels responsible for what happened?
14. What do you predict Andy will need in order to begin healing? Explain your thinking.
15. How can joking with friends help the characters, and how can it also keep them from talking about serious feelings?
16. Compare the ways Andy, B.J., and Tyrone are coping with Rob’s death. How are they alike and different?
17. How does Hazelwood High influence what the characters do, say, or hide?
18. In this chapter, what does the word “guilt” mean, and how is it different from being legally at fault?
19. How does Keisha change as she deals with Andy’s sadness and her own feelings?
20. What lesson about drinking and driving is becoming clear in the story?
21. Why is Andy’s basketball talent no longer enough to make him feel happy or proud?
22. How do teachers, counselors, or other adults notice Andy’s pain, and how might they miss it?
23. What signs show that Andy’s sadness is getting more serious?
24. If you were Andy’s friend, what would you say or do to help him in this chapter?
25. How does Andy’s talk with a coach, teacher, or adult show the pressure he feels?
26. What does Andy seem to wish adults understood about him?
27. How do Rob’s parents and friends keep Rob’s memory alive?
28. What image or symbol stands out in this chapter, and what do you think it means?
29. How does Sharon Draper’s format, such as letters, articles, and dialogue, change the way you understand the characters?
30. Why is Keisha’s decision to set limits important, even though she cares about Andy?
31. What do you think Andy means when he says he is tired or cannot go on, and how should listeners respond?
32. How do phone calls, messages, or missed connections in this part create worry or suspense?
33. What choices do Andy’s friends make when they sense danger, and what else could they do?
34. Why is it important to take talk about self-harm seriously, even if someone says it in a quiet or joking way?
35. How does Andy’s death affect the people around him?
36. What feelings do the characters show after Andy’s death, and how do they show them?
37. How do the letters, poems, or memories from classmates show different kinds of grief?
38. What theme about asking for help can readers learn from this story?
39. Which character do you think changes the most by the end of the book, and what events cause that change?
40. After finishing the book, what message do you think Sharon Draper wants young readers to remember?

Example answers

Printed at the front of the booklet, so your reader can see what a strong answer looks like.

What do Tyrone’s comments help you understand about friendship, fear, and guilt?

I think Tyrone’s comments show that friends can be scared even when they try to act tough. He cares about Andy and Rob, but he does not always know the right words to say. His guilt seems heavy because he was part of that night, even though he did not mean for anyone to get hurt. This helps me see that guilt can stay with people after a bad choice.

If you were Andy’s friend, what would you say or do to help him in this chapter?

If I were Andy’s friend, I would tell him that he does not have to handle everything alone. I would sit with him and listen instead of making jokes or changing the subject. I would also tell a trusted adult, like a counselor or teacher, because Andy needs more help than a friend can give by himself. I think helping someone means taking their pain seriously.

What theme about asking for help can readers learn from this story?

I think the story teaches that asking for help is brave, not weak. Andy keeps a lot of pain inside, and it becomes too much for him. Readers can learn that talking to a trusted adult, counselor, friend, or family member can be very important. The book reminds me that serious sadness should not be ignored.