Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of animal cruelty and emotional abuse.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did your perception of Ivan change from the beginning to the end of the novel? What moment marked the biggest shift in how you viewed this character?

2. The novel has been compared to E. B. White’s Charlotte's Web in its exploration of unlikely animal friendships and the power of words. How do these two classic children’s novels approach similar themes differently?

3. What effect does Applegate’s choice to tell the story through short, poetic vignettes have on your reading experience? How might the story feel different if told through traditional chapters?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Ivan learns to see his cage as a prison rather than a domain. Have you ever experienced a shift in perspective that changed how you viewed a familiar situation? What prompted that change?

2. The novel explores the transformational power of friendship. Which relationship in the story most resonated with you the most, and why? What friendships from your past transformed you in some way?