1. Michael believes his sister will live as long as he can feel her heart beating with his. Do you believe love is strong enough to influence a person's desire to live or die? How?

2. Mina is homeschooled. Should parents have the right to homeschool their children, or should all children be forced to attend public schools? Why or why not? Do homeschooled children learn more, or better, than their public school counterparts?

3. Do Michael's parents love him even though their attention is focused on his newborn sister? Does Michael resent the baby for stealing their attention, or does he understand why they are not paying as much attention to him? Should he resent the baby?

4. Michael and Mina watch the owls feeding baby birds and mice to the owlets.

Is nature inherently beautiful or cruel since species prey on each other for survival? Why...