E d u c a t o r s G u i d e

The Question of Miracles

by Elana K. Arnold

About the Book

Sixth-grader Iris Abernathy hates life in Corvallis,
Oregon, where her family just moved. Its always raining, and everything is so wet. Besides, nothing has felt
right since Iriss best friend, Sarah, died.
When Iris meets Boris, an awkward mouth breather
with a know-it-all personality, shes not looking to
make a new friend, but it beats eating lunch alone.
Then she learns that Boriss very existence is a medical mystery, maybe even a miracle, and Iris starts to
wonder why some people get miracles and others
dont. And if one miracle is possible, can another one
be too? Can she possibly communicate with Sarah
again?
About the Author
Elana K. Arnold, the author of several young adult
novels, earned her MA in creative writing at the University of California, Davis. She lives in Huntington
Beach, California, with her husband, two children, and
a menagerie of animals. The Question of Miracles is
her middle grade debut. www.elanakarnold.com

Discussion Questions
1. The Question of Miracles explores many sets of
friends. How many can you name? What do some
of the friendships have in common? How are some
of them different? In your opinion, what defines
friendship, and how can someone be a good
friend?
2. One of Iriss main concerns is the questions she
has about miracles: What is a miracle? Who gets
one? Do miracles even exist? What do you think
are miracles possible?
3. Boris is a little obsessed with the game Magic.
How does he describe the game to Iris? Why do
you think Magic is so important to him?
4. Iriss dad, Frank, is excited to make the Homestead
as self-sustaining as possible. What do you think is
appealing for him about this idea? How do Iris and
her mom feel about his plans? What do you make
of their reactions?
5. Iris tracks how she feels about aspects of her life
by keeping score according to the rules of tennis.
Why do you think she uses this technique?
6. The question of loveboth as a score in tennis and
the pain that can come along with loving someoneis raised several times, and Iris discusses
this with Dr. Shannon. Look at the ways love is
defined. What do you think about the risks and
rewards of love?
7. Charles the cat is miserable and out of place in
Corvallis, Oregon, but over time, he adapts. How
does Charless adaptation function as a symbol for
Iriss acceptance of both her grief and the rain?
8. What do you thinkdoes Sarah exist as a ghost
under the stairs? Why or why not?
9. Frank admits that he wrestles with the question
of whether or not people have souls, as does Iris.
What do you thinkare we our bodies? Our
minds? Something else?
10. Iris consults several experts as she examines the
question of miraclesDr. Shannon, Claude the
psychic, long-dead scientists, the Internet. How
might you conduct research of your own to search
for answers to a question that you have?

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt www.hmhbooks.com