Discussion Questions:
1.Which character’s story on the flight list did you enjoy the most? Who did you relate to the most?
2.Why did people write letters to Edward? What purpose does it have for the people left behind? Which letter did you like the most?
3. Edward said that he would not commit suicide. He said that he would not do that to the people he loves because he knows what it feels to be left behind. This part was emotionally charged and moving. What part in the book affected you strongly?
4. What do you think about Edward’s idea to do something with the money that was given to him? What motivated him to do that? Was it a way for him to recover?
5. Shay and Edward’s relationship got stronger as the book progressed. From the moment they met Shay was Edward’s friend. How did Shay help Edward get better? Why did Shay become Edward’s friend?
6. Edward spent a lot of time in Shay’s room and was very close to her. He slept in her room until she becomes a woman (has her period). Do you think that it was inevitable that Edward falls in love with Shay?
7. What is Edward’s relationship like with his aunt Lacey at the beginning of the book and how did it change by the end of the book?
8. How is Edward’s relationship with his uncle John?
9. What do you think about the payout in damages by the airline? Edward gets $5 million as the sole survivor of the crash and the surviving families get $1 million. How do you put a price on a life?
10. Do you think Shay was envious of Edward’s money? She mentions it a lot.
11. When Edward turns 15 years old, he decides he will do things like his dead brother Jordan. He wears Jordan’s clothes and becomes a vegan. How does this help him get better and recover?
12. Are you surprised that Edward wants to become a teacher?
13. This book has many diverse characters. How do you feel about the portrayal of the numerous characters? Were there to many to follow?
14. What message did you take away from reading the book?
15. After reading Dear Edward, who would you recommend it to?
Enhance Your Book Club:
Check out Summary of Dear Edward a companion to the book, for an in-depth look at the characters, setting and analysis on themes and symbols.
Check out Dear Edward book review.
Check out this video with Ann Napolitano who discusses the backstory of her novel Dear Edward: