by David Holt

Questions for Philosophical Discussion
by Rachel Brauser
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Stellaluna has different roles such as daughter, friend, bat, and bird.

1. What kinds of roles do you have?
2. Do you ever feel like something that you wouldn't say you are - for example, a baby, an adult, a servant?
3. How does feeling a certain way affect who you are?
4. Can you become something just by feeling like it?
5. Can you be something but not feel it?
6. Are there things that you are that can't change? Are there things that can?
7. If they change are you still the same person?
8. How do physical appearances affect who you are?
   

Flitter asks Stellaluna, "How can we be so different and feel so much alike?" while Pip asks Stellaluna, "How can we feel so different and be so much alike?

1. Can you and someone else be different and alike at the same time?
2. What makes you different from your friends?
3. What makes you the same as your friends?
4. Do your friends help decide who you are?
5. Do other people help decide who you are?
6. What does it mean to be different?
7. Have you ever done anything just to be different? Why?
   

Stellaluna ate bugs and slept right side up even though she didn't want to.

1. Do you do things to please your family? Why?
2. Do you do things that you don't agree with? How does it make you feel?
3. Can you still feel like yourself and obey rules that you may not want to or agree with?
4. Was there ever a time you acted a certain way because you wanted to be accepted by someone else or a group of people? How did it make you feel?
5. Can you still feel like yourself if you belong to a group?
6. Is it ok to be different in a group? When? When is it not ok?
7. Is it ok to be the same in a group? When? When is it not ok?
   

Stellaluna belongs to many different groups that could be called her family.

1. What is the difference between Mama Bird, Pip, Flitter, and Flap as family to Stellaluna, Mother Bat as family to Stellaluna, and the other bats as family to Stellaluna?
2. Are there things that make one group more of a family to Stellaluna than the others?
3. What are some qualities that make up a human family?
4. What are the similarities and differences of your family or other human families to Stellaluna's?
5. How does your family help make you who you are?
6. Do your friends' families do things differently than yours?
7. Do you act differently when you are with their family? Why?
8. How does this affect who you are?
   

Stellaluna promises Mama Bird that she will not sleep upside down.

1. Who do you make promises to?
2. What kinds of promises do you make?
3. Why do you make promises?
4. Are some promises more important to keep than others? Why?
5. Are there some people that it is more important to keep promises to than others? Who? Why?

Even though Mama Bird is not around when Stellaluna is lost, she keeps her promise that she would not sleep upside down.

1. How do you feel when a promise made to you is kept?
2. How do you feel when a promise is broken?
3. Does it matter who made it?
4. Should a person always act on a promise to someone even if they are not around? Why?
5. Have you ever broken a promise?
6. Why did you break it?Is it ever ok to break a promise?
7. Would you make a promise to someone even if it makes you uncomfortable or you don't agree with it? When?

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