How does Cummins develop the theme of the transition from childhood to adulthood? How does she depict the disruption of this transition in the lives of the Cummins children? Provide specific examples to support your response.

Find a true-crime story in the news. Quantify how much attention is placed on the murderers versus the victims and their families. Analyze how the media represents this story, and compare it to how the book represents the murder of the Kerry sisters.

Cummins narrates the actions, thoughts, and motives of the four men who murdered Julie and Robin Kerry. What do you think of this approach? Is it fair or ethical? Why or why not?