Discuss the motif of water in Starfish. Where does it appear in the novel? How does Ellie use figurative language related to water and aquatic life to illustrate her emotional landscape?

Analyze Fipps’s choice of the novel-in-verse genre. Why do you think she chose to write Ellie’s story in verse rather than prose? What does verse contribute to the reader’s experience of Ellie and her story?

The order of Ellie’s poems often intersperses memories and reflections with moments of action. How does this order reflect the connections between Ellie’s past experiences and her present conflicts?