What Momma Left Me

More about the Book

What Momma Left Me Reading Guide.pdf

WHAT MOMMA LEFT ME

BY RENÉE WATSON
READING GROUP GUIDE

1. The color red appears several times in What Momma Left Me; Serenity’s face often turns red when she is embarrassed or around Jay, the air hockey puck at the church retreat is red, and at the end of the story, Serenity bakes her Momma’s Red Velvet Cake. Can you think of other examples in the book where the color red appears? What are some things or feelings that are often associated with the color red or that you, personally, associate with the color red? Why do you think Renée Watson chose this particular color to appear so many times in this story and what do you think it means?

2. In the chapter “Thy Kingdom Come,” Grandma recites her favorite stanza from Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” and says, “Seems like Maya wrote that one about me.” Grandpa says, “I’m sure everyone feels that way.” Has there ever been a poem or story that you felt like was written for you or that maybe just made you feel better? What was it? What about it made you feel that way?

3. Secrets and lies can both be found throughout What Momma Left Me. Serenity, in particular, keeps a lot of secrets and tells some lies; often she has to lie in order to keep the secrets. Can you think of some of the major secrets Serenity keeps and lies she tells? What conclusions does Serenity reach about secrets and lies at the end of the book? What do you think the author is trying to say about secrets and lies?

4. Even though we never meet Serenity and Danny’s father, he has a lot of influence over not only Serenity and Danny’s lives, but also the way that they view and react to the world. For example, in the chapter “As It Is,” when Danny and Grandpa have a loud argument because Danny wants new shoes and Grandpa wants him to be happy with what he has, Danny winds up flinching and putting his hands out to protect his face. When Grandpa asks Danny why he did that, Danny says, “I thought you were going to hit me” because that’s what Danny’s father used to do when he got angry. What are some other scenes from the book that show how Serenity and Danny’s father changed their lives or influenced the way they view or react to things?

5. How do Serenity’s feelings about Jay change throughout the story as she discovers new things about him? How do you feel about Jay at the end of the book? Do you like him or dislike him? Do you think he will ever change?

6. What is your favorite scene in the book? Why is it your favorite? What was your least favorite part of the book and why didn’t you like it?

7. Several of the characters in the story have dreams – Momma wants to open her own restaurant, Grandma wants to write a cookbook, and Maria wants to be a singer. What are the dreams that other characters in the book have? What are some of the obstacles that stand in the way of the characters reaching their dreams? What are some things that other characters in the book do to help them achieve their dreams?

8. Who is your favorite character in the book? Least favorite? Why? If your school was to put on a play of the book, what character would you want to play and why?

9. Serenity, her family, and her friends go through a lot of changes throughout the course of the book. Serenity also thinks and writes a lot about change. How do you feel about change at the end of the story? Which characters do you think changed the most in the story? The least?