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According to congressional research on WND’s website at http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=39748#ixzz1S0ljnepX, an “estimated five million
students have been sexually assaulted by teachers”. It’s an alarming issue that should be discussed
by students and teachers, as well as professionals, such as counselors and reporters. Natalie, Diary
of a Senior Year focuses on the relationship between a high school female student and a small town doctor.
It is a coming-of-age novel written in chapter and diary format that deals with real life issues. The
protagonist is Tallie, Natalie’s cousin, who unravels the mystery of her cousin’s tragic and untimely death.
It also contains other topics middle school and high school students encounter on a daily basis, such as abortion,
drug abuse, mental abuse, and peer pressure.
Book Club Discussion Guide
Chapter One
1. Should Tallie have taken the key to Natalie’s room?
2. How would
you react if someone read your diary?
3. How did Tallie and other family members perceive Natalie?
Chapter
Two
1. What is important about senior year?
2. What goals do you think Natalie set for her senior
year?
Chapter Three
1. Why did Tallie keep the diary a secret
from Angela?
Chapter Four
1. Make a prediction on the cause
of Natalie’s death.
Chapter Five
1. How does it feel to have a girlfriend/boyfriend
break up with you?
How did you react?
2. Discuss the relationship between Natalie and Dr. Simmons. Is it ethical?
Chapter Six 1.
Generate two questions that you believe Tallie will ask of Dr. Simmons.
Chapter Seven
1.
How would you handle Natalie’s situation with Dr. Simmons?
2. Do you believe Reba murdered Natalie?
Chapter
Eight
1. Tallie’s pet peeve is arriving late for events/appointments. Discuss your pet peeve(s).
Chapter Nine 1.
Did Dr. Simmons force Natalie into having an affair with him?
Chapter Ten
1. Should Natalie
have trusted medical advice from Dr. Simmons?
2. Generate a newspaper headline for the article on Natalie’s death.
3. Discuss a eulogy for Natalie. What would you include/not include?
Chapter Eleven
1. Stereotype Aleisha Cortwell.
2. Did Aleisha tell Tallie the truth about Natalie?
Chapter
Twelve
1. Did Dr. Simmon’s prescriptions of narcotics help him gain
control of Natalie’s life?
Chapter Thirteen
1. Why did Tallie’s dad object to
the use of the Ouija board?
2. Were there any steps Tallie could have taken to save Natalie’s life?
Chapter
Fourteen
1. Dr. Simmons took an oath to save lives. Could he have intentionally murdered Natalie?
Chapter Fifteen
1. Discuss HIV/AIDS related deaths.
2. Why did the items Natalie
obtain from Dr. Simmons go un-noticed by Aunt Lenora?
Chapter Sixteen
1. Have you ever had
a “twinkie?”
2. Recall an incident in which you were torn between being a kid or an adult.
Chapter Seventeen
1. If you were Tallie’s best friend, would you help her with
the hospital scheme?
Chapter Eighteen
1. Have you ever made
a pact with a friend then broken the promise?
Chapter Nineteen
1. What secrets would the
locket reveal if it could speak?
2. Have you ever lied to your parents about your whereabouts?
3. How would you
handle teen pregnancy?
4. Discuss Natalie’s options for her pregnancy.
Chapter
Twenty
1. How did Natalie change from the beginning of senior year to her death?
2. How important is family
in making the right decisions in life?
3. What role could you play in your family and your community to help others?
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