Kick Her Again; She's Irish (O'Reiley) - Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions
1. How would you describe Marie’s raising of her children?

2.In today’s world, Sean, Colin and Katie would very possibly be under child protection. Do you feel Sean, Colin and Katie were better off living with their Mother or child protection?

3.Since the author did not live this experience, do you think having each sibling tell his or her story was an effective way to tell the story?

4.What did you think of the children’s different reactions to the same event?

5.Describe the different rituals the children developed to cope with their situation.

6.Katie wrote that Marie made their life fun. How do you think that helped the children cope later in life?

7.How did you react to Sean’s statement about using their Cuban renters’ electric power when he said, “They had a lot more money so they could afford it”?

8.Despite her craziness, the children were glad to have their mother home after two months with Nana. What does that say about Marie’s relationship with her children?
(Questions courtesy of the authors and the Amesbury Book Club.)

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