1. Should Charlotte have disguised her gender? Is it realistic to believe that only a few people detected that she was female? Is a person's gender important to their communication with animals?

2. How does the novel's literary style enhance readers' awareness of adventure and suspense?

3. Discuss how characters' names provide clues about their personalities.

4. Do the historical facts that the author includes seem intrusive, or do they enhance the story?

5. Is Charley a role model? Do you think her contemporaries would have respected her abilities if they had known she was a woman?

6. Are any of the human and animal characters similar? If so, do you think the author created this parallel on purpose?

7. Compare descriptions of Charley's homes in New England and California. How has the author used language and tone to depict loneliness, despair, freedom, and hope?

8. Why is voting symbolic to conclude...