Resources
Discussion Guide for
Jimmy: Toughest Times Ever
- How does Jimmy feel right after Arrow’s death?
- How do Jimmy’s feelings change? Does anything help Jimmy feel less sad?
- Have you ever felt like Jimmy? Talk a little about that time.
- What does the story mean by Arrow’s qualities? What quality does Jimmy treasure the most about Arrow? What quality do you treasure the most about someone you love?
- How do things change around you, where you live — with animals, with plants, with the people around you, with big things like the sun or the moon or the stars or the ocean?
- How is Gus different from Arrow?
- What happens to help Jimmy want to be friends with Gus?
- Do you feel Jimmy changes in the story? If you do, talk a little about how he changes.
- What stays the same in Jimmy’s life? Do you think that helps him? Do you have things that stay the same in your life that help you?
- How could you imagine helping a friend who has lost a pet or someone in their family?
Discussion Guide for Jimmy:
Toughest. Dog. Ever.
1. Why doesn’t Jimmy want to be special? What does Lola think about Jimmy’s “specialness?” What does Arrow mean by special at the end of the book?
2. Jimmy wants to be like the other dogs, he wants to play and run, and he wants a home. Which one do you think is most important to him? Why? Which one is the least important to him? Why do you think so?
3. Have you ever felt different in a good way from other people?
4. Have you ever felt different in a bad way from other people?
5. Jimmy can’t talk, so how does he tell Lola he’s afraid? Do you ever communicate with anyone like that?
6. How does Lola let Jimmy know he belongs?
7. How does Stan let Jimmy know he belongs? How are Stan and the man at the rescue shelter different from each other?
8. Why does Arrow not like Jimmy at first? What makes Arrow change his mind about Jimmy? When does that happen?
9. What do you think of when you describe someone as tough? What does Arrow mean by tough? What does Lola mean by tough (when she’s telling Arrow about Jimmy in the hospital)?
10. Do you think falling into the pond made Jimmy tougher?
11. How do you think Jimmy feels when he runs for the first time? Have you
ever felt like that? When?
12. How does Arrow deal with the bully dogs (Tasha and Higgs)? How does Jimmy deal with the bully dogs?
13. Have you ever seen anyone picked on by a bully? Have you ever seen anyone stop someone from bullying? How do you deal with bullies?
14. What do you think would have happened if Stan and Lola had told Arrow to “be nice” to Jimmy? Would that have helped them be friends?
15. What does Jimmy learn in the story?
16. What does Arrow learn in the story?
17. Have you ever known anyone who was different? What do you think that person wants more than anything else in the world?
Writing Workshop
Before writing Jimmy, I taught creative writing in elementary schools. I loved it. Now, I combine the two, and I love it even more. I offer author visits, with or without writing workshops, for grades K through 5. I’m limited to the Albuquerque area. Workshops can run for one hour, or one hour a day, for several days or longer.
With Jimmy as an anchor book, workshops can focus on writing fiction or personal narratives. Or I can tailor a workshop to your needs, whether it’s poetry, essays, or report writing.
A workshop can be for just launching a piece of writing or for the length of time it takes until each child publishes.
I charge $30 an hour. I’ll come for a full school day for $120 (4 presentations). Or I can visit with each classroom in a school, perhaps during their library time, for $600 a week (or five school days). I’m flexible. If you’ve got a proposal for a different scenario, I’m open.
Testimonials from Participants
Dear Ms. Davis,
You helped me write a story and helped me think what to write. You inspired me and told me that I can write everything I wanted. And helped me learn that in the story you need to find something that you want more than anything else in the world. Then you have a problem that is in the way.
Freddie, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
You inspired me. I wrote a story. It was called Zoey and Bone. … My class was excited when you would come here. We had a publishing party. I loved it. We had sparkling cider in the glasses. I felt like a grown up. …
Brianna, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
You helped me write books so I can publish. You helped me fix my mistakes. … Thank you for all the days you stayed and all the things you taught me.
Andrew, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
Thank you for helping me write books. And you inspired me to write books. I am so grateful that you came into our room. You helped me think of a book to write. And I loved your book.
Dallia, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
Thank you for the book you helped me fix. You helped me write books so maybe I can publish it one day. You made me learn. I know how to write a book. If you have time, we could work again sometime. …
Azael, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
… Thank you for teaching my class. … I wish we could write every day…
Onyx, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
You inspired me to write more books at my house. My mom liked them a lot. …
Laia, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
Thank you for helping us publish our stories that we wrote. … And you helped us write our stories perfectly.
Royce, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
I missed you because you were inspiring to me….
Jamari, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
Thank you for everything that you taught me. … I like you and your dog.
Eternity, 2nd grader
Dear Ms. Davis,
Thank you for coming into our classrooms and teaching us the importance of writing a book. … And that author’s party was the best party ever. … Thank you for the ideas for my book. … Now my book is published and now I am gonna be a writer. …”
2nd grader
Ideas on how to use Jimmy as a prompt for writing.
- Write a fiction story about an animal from the animal’s point of view.
- Study a pet in your home. Imagine what he is thinking and feeling. Write dialog for him or her.
- Write a personal narrative or a poem or a song about a time you felt different in a good way, or a bad way, from others.
- Write a personal narrative or a poem or a song about a time you got hurt or were sick or went to the hospital.
- Write a fiction story or a play about how someone deals with a bully.
- Write a personal narrative or a comic strip about a time when you or someone else stopped a bully from teasing or threatening or hurting someone.
- Write about someone who is special to you. How did they become special to you? You might write this as a personal narrative, poem, song, letter, or another genre.
- Write about someone who faces challenges in their life. You might write this as a personal narrative, poem, song, letter, or another genre.
- Write about someone you know who is tough. You might write this as a personal narrative, poem, song, letter, or another genre.
- Write about a time you realized life is hard, but life is good. You might write this as a personal narrative, poem, song, letter, or another genre.
- Research and write a report about snake bites, how to treat snake bites, or animal hospitals.