Conversation Starters!
Each book in the NORMAN THE INTERESTED CAT series was written to promote discussion between adults and the children they love. On this page, author Cheryl Cage provides notes on why she wrote each book and then offers some suggestions for questions to ask your child after reading each book. As always, if you have comments or ideas for topics you would like to see in the NORMAN THE INTERESTED CAT series please! send your thoughts to cheryl@NormanTheInterestedCat.com.
Cheryl’s Notes & Questions
Cheryl’s Notes: I want kids to recognize that there are SO many hobbies and interests that a person can enjoy. So, when they are feeling down, bored, and listless…perhaps they’ll think ‘
Hmmm, perhaps it’s time for something new?
Wonder what Norman would do?!”
But, I also wanted to introduce that although it’s good to focused on YOUR likes…it is also important to show interest in what other people like to do. And, even though someone might like to do something that you think might be ‘weird’ to them it seems perfectly normal.
Questions:
How many different activities does Norman enjoy?
Which of Norman’s activities do you think YOU would like?
What do YOU like to do?
Can you tell me what some of your friends like to do?
Has a friend ever taught you how to do something new?
What activity would you like to learn how to do?
Cheryl’s Notes & Questions
Cheryl’s Notes: This book came out of (not surprising) the fact that so many people were resistant to wearing a mask. The mask issue felt, to me, like a bigger conversation was needed. What is our responsibility to ensure we don’t harm others in our community? Masks seemed to be a great way to discuss ‘collective responsibility’: what is a personal responsibility we must offer in order to ensure we don’t harm others in our community?
Questions:
Why is Jake mad?
How did Norman react to Jake’s being grumpy (did he react the same way? Or did Norman just remain calm and understanding?)
How did Norman convince Jake it was important to wear a mask (did he just say IT’S IMPORTANT! Do it! Or Did Norman present facts with kindness and patience?)
What types of things make you grumpy when you have to do them?
Do you think there are rules we should all follow even if we don’t like to do them? (like wearing a mask, being polite to others, helping with chores?)
Cheryl’s Notes & Questions
Cheryl’s Notes: Oh dear, I was always picked last for a game of anything. It felt very big and awful at the time because I really didn’t have the language to be able to say how much it hurt. Luckily for me, I had adults in my life who sensed my sadness and helped me understand why I wasn’t being picked and that this type of situation happened to everyone sometime in their lives. It made all the difference in the world and allowed me to not carry a failure into another interest (Yup, lousy at sports…but a GREAT book report writer!)
Questions:
Why is Audie sad?
What did Norman do when he first realized Audie was sad? (He listened to her)
How did Norman offer to help Audie (point out that Norman ASKED Audie if she wanted advice)
What were the steps that Norman suggested Audie take in order to sooth her hurt feelings?
Do you think Audie’s friends were trying to be mean? Why do you think Audie was not chosen for the game? (this is a great way to talk about how sometimes you just don’t get everything you wish you could have, or sometimes it’s just not your turn. Not being selected happens to everyone sometime!)
Have your feelings ever been hurt? What happened?
Have you ever had a friend whose feelings were hurt? What happened? Did you try to make them feel better? (why or why not?)
After reading Norman’s recipe for hurt feelings, what steps would you take to help yourself work through hurt feelings? What would you do to help a friend who had their feelings hurt?
Perhaps there will be a opportunity to share a story about a time when your feelings were hurt and how you handled it.
Cheryl’s Notes & Questions
Cheryl’s Notes: I was fortunate to have fit easily into the body to which I was born. I loved Barbies, dress-up, make-up and boys.
Now, as an adult, I realize I had childhood friends who were gay, transgender, or were just viewed as ‘different’ for a myriad of reasons. I realize, now, I how different their childhoods must have been.
The theme behind this story is fairly clear: you are a whole individual with incredible value no matter what you like to wear, who you want to love, or how you present yourself to this complicated world. And, to me, it seemed one of the simplest ways to discuss this of ‘otherness’ is through the subject of clothes.
My greatest hope is this book could play a small part in allowing a child to express excitement (and perhaps concern) about what types of clothes they like. A young boy might share that he enjoys dressing up in sparkles. This is an opening to discuss likes/dislikes and how he sees other people react when he wears sparkles (boys don’t wear clothes like that, why don’t you wear a t-shirt??) A young girl might explain that she detests wearing dresses and frills and she wants to wear jeans and old t-shirts. This is a great way to find out what people say to her when she wears these clothes (oh, you’re too pretty to wear overalls. Don’t you like dresses?)
Questions:
How many types of clothes does Norman have in his closet?
Which of Norman’s clothes do you like the best?
Do you have friends who like to wear clothes that you think are ‘different’ (you can use the word funny or silly). Do you think they seem ‘different’, ‘silly’, or ‘funny’ to the person that wears them?
What is your very favorite outfit to wear?
What is your favorite color?
Has anyone ever made fun of something you wore?
Norman the Interested Cat: SWEET DREAMS
Coming November 2021