1. Describe each member of the Austin family. Why do these different personalities work together as a family?

2. How does Vicky react to her Uncle Hal's death? What worries and confuses her the most?

3. Why can't Vicky feel any empathy for Maggy at first? Does Suzy feel empathy for Maggy?

4. What problems must Maggy cope with besides her parents' deaths? How do those problems affect her behavior?

5. Before Vicky's accident, she blames her brothers and sisters for everything that goes wrong that afternoon. Afterwards, while she is in the hospital, she blames herself. Why does she change her mind? What does her acceptance of the responsibility for her misbehavior show about her?

6. The Austins' practical joke on Uncle Douglas and Sally Hough "boomerangs," as Mrs. Austin says, in a number of ways. Describe the various unexpected results it has.

7. Why is Vicky glad when she...