Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What character attributes define heroism? What is the difference between a hero and an unlikely hero?

Teaching Suggestion: Bob, the protagonist of the novel, finds it difficult to forgive or trust the humans in his life because he was abandoned by his owner as a small puppy. Bob is later adopted by a family and worries his tough streetwise persona is slipping until unforeseen circumstances force him to become an unlikely hero. Consider exploring the novel’s theme The Unlikely Hero by first addressing the questions and exploring the resources below.  

• This article from verywellmind.com defines the characteristics of heroism.
• This MasterClass article explores common hero archetypes in literature, including the “everyman hero.”

Short Activity

Create a T-chart to explore the novel’s theme Humans’ Capacity to Hurt or Help. Consider the questions below as you develop your chart.

• In what ways might humans help or hurt the environment or ecosystem?
• How might humans intentionally or unintentionally hurt animals?
• What are some possible long-term consequences of human actions as a species?
• How might human behavior, both good and bad, have an impact on the behavior of others?