The Landry News

Do you agree with the outcome of the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court case discussed in Chapter 13? Do you think The Landry News indicates a clear position on this? Why or why not?

Choose five chapter titles and assess how they both reflect and summarize the contents of their chapters. Why did Clements choose these titles?

Compare and contrast Cara and Mr. Larson in terms of how The Landry News influences their character arcs. Does the book’s ending satisfy both of their arcs? Why or why not? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Drawing from the discussion about positive, negative, and neutral words in Chapter 12, consider the line between fact and opinion. Choose an event in the novel and write two news reports on it: one framing it negatively and one positively. How does this inform your understanding of journalistic neutrality?

Throughout the novel, Mr. Larson and Dr. Barnes disagree on educative practices. Drawing on direct evidence from the novel, analyze whether either or both men are good teachers.

Why did Clements include the television reporter in Chapter 19? What does her presence bring to the chapter and the story as a whole?

How does The Landry News portray the concept of truth? Is it fixed or flexible in the novel? Is there always a right and a wrong?

Consider The Landry News before and after Cara opens it up as a shared project. What does the evolution of the newspaper have to say about social values such as consensus, respect, and collaboration?