READERS GUIDE

Reader’s Guide
Songs of Summer by Jane L. Rosen
Discussion Questions:

1. Thirteen-year-old Maggie writes a letter detailing her hopes for her adult life and reads that letter when she turns thirty. When you were thirteen years old, how did you think your adult life would turn out? Has it turned out like you expected? 

2. Maggie’s adoptive parents waited until she was in second grade to tell her that she was adopted, which Maggie believes made her become self-reliant and slow to trust others. How do you think her life would have been different if her parents had told her about the adoption from the beginning? Do you think she would have approached the events in the book differently?

3. How do you feel Bea’s mother Caroline handled Bea’s pregnancy and the adoption? Do you think Shep may have handled it differently? How does the novel portray the emotional complexity of adoption for both the mother and the child? 

4. With the increasing accessibility of DNA testing, more people are discovering unexpected family connections. How do you think Songs of Summer reflects the real-life complexities and consequences of this modern phenomenon? Would you consider taking a DNA test after reading the novel?

5. Beatrix and Veronica were very close as children but have been mostly estranged for thirty years. Would you have forgiven Veronica for what she did to Beatrix? Do you think Veronica was totally at fault? Do you have a contentious family relationship you wish you could repair?

6. Maggie and Matt take a day trip to New York City and Matt gives her a personalized tour of the city in which he grew up. What would your
perfect day in New York City (or your hometown) look like? 

7. Maggie is torn between her growing feelings for Matt and her longtime love for Jason. Do you agree with her choice? What would you have
done in her position?   

8. If you have read On Fire Island, you were probably rooting for Matt and Dylan to end up together. How do you feel about how it all turned out? Did you have an if we’re not married by thirty or forty person growing up?

9. Letting go of anger and fear in order to move forward is a big theme in this novel. Do you think the risk was worth the reward for Maggie? How about for Beatrix and Veronica? How do you envision their relationships in the future?  

10. Music is as powerful a medium as words in conveying emotion. How does the author use music to describe a character or a situation? Did you listen along? Did you discover any new artists or songs from the selection?