Additional Resources

Continue the Conversation: after you've finished the book, use these discussion questions to kick off a good discussion.

• Dexter uses t-shirt slogans for his secret codes. Describe your favorite t-shirt.

• What are some of the differences between the residents at The Pines and Dex's classmates at school? What do they have in common?

• Dex's classmates are surprised to learn that they enjoy spending time at The Pines. Why might it be good to spend time with people much older or younger than you? What might make it challenging?

• Dex thinks Teagan, Gianna, Jackson, and Ronny are all his friends. Are they good friends? Why or why not?

• When Dex first goes to middle school, he looks and talks different than most other kids. Have you ever felt like you don't fit in? What does it feel like?

• Why is it important to be nice to others, even if you find them odd?

Creative Writing Prompts: Try out one or more of these creative writing prompts.

• Make a code like Dex does! You can switch all the letters in the alphabet for different ones, or come up with a more complicated way to make your code. Then write a coded message and ask a family member or friend to solve it. If they're not an expert code-breaker like Leo, you may need to give some hints!

• Write your own story set in a retirement home. Make up a character or two and give them a problem to solve. Include details about what daily life is like for your characters.

• Pretend you're a journalist for your school's newspaper, and it's your job to write about the school drinking fountain being fixed. Find a way to make that boring topic sound interesting. Think of a creative way to describe the drinking fountain and some details you can include about the person fixing it.