While John Harvey brags that he is a skillful fisher, Macon insists that fishing is largely a matter of luck. Yet, Cat evolves from never having fished to winning second place in a fishing contest. To what might you attribute Cat’s success? What factors are instrumental in her win?

Not only Cat and Henry’s nicknames, “Caterpillar” and “Chicken” are the title characters in Mom’s children’s book series. What connotations does each animal carry with it? In what ways are these traits representative (or not) of the real Cat and Chicken? What animal would best represent you and why?

How is the setting of Gingerbread Island important to the novel’s conflict? How would the novel be different if things had gone as planned and Cat and Chicken spent three weeks with Rishi’s family in Atlanta?