True Colors Book Discussion Worksheets Session 4

True Colors Worksheets Session 4

                This week we read chapters 7-10. (The previous sessions can be found here: www.krystenlindsay.com/reading-guide.html ). In chapter 7, we learn Landry placed in the writing competition. How do Tori and Ericka react when they heard the news? Why do you think they responded that way?

            Landry keeps the fact she’s having issues with Ericka and Tori from her mother. In fact, when her mother asks if they’re getting together, Landry pretends everything is fine. Why do you think she does this? Have you ever been in that situation and if so, why did you choose to keep it to yourself?

            In chapter 9, Landry says to Devon, “I wish I had dark hair and big brown eyes like yours.”  Devon responds saying, “Funny,” she said as she snuggled down into her pillow. “I’ve always wanted blonde hair and blue eyes like yours.”

            Have you ever wanted to look completely different than you do? Why do you think Landry thinks Devon has the perfect looks, while Devon thinks Landry does?

            Landry and Devon go to the next round of competition in this section. The girls have very different experiences at the event. Why do you think Devon reacts the way she does afterward?

            In chapter 10, we learn Landry’s dad is coming back to town. Landry is worried about her Dad still being back in Chicago while she and her mother are living in Grand Rapids. Why do you think she keeps her feelings on this to herself instead of talking about them with a friend or with either of her parents?

            Landry tells Ashanti how the competition went. Write about Ashanti’s response and how it is different from Devon’s.

            Landry gets anxious over going on the field trip and worries she won’t have anyone to hang out with at the museum. She even tries to get her mother to let her stay home. However, things aren’t as bad as she thought once she gets there. She gets to know Peyton better and is included in her group. Write about a time you were anxious about a situation that ended up turning out better than you could have imagined.

Behind the Scenes: Landry deals with wishing she looked more like Devon. Instead of having straight blonde hair and blue eyes, she wishes she had curly dark hair and brown eyes like Devon and Ashanti. I grew up during the time the supermodels were huge and all over TV, magazines, ads—you name it. My friends and I used to buy magazines and watch them on TV and try to imitate how they did their hair and makeup—almost always a losing battle. We all had our favorites. Mine were Christy Turlington, Helena Christensen, Paulina Porizkova, Niki Taylor, and Cindy Crawford.

             We all thought if we could just look like them then our lives would be perfect, but my mother told me to pretend I was my favorite celebrity for a day, but I had to take all the problems they were dealing with as well. She had me make a list of anything we knew they were going through like a bad relationship, health issue, breakups, rumors, work problems, etc. After I made my list, she’d ask if I’d really want to change places with that person. Every single time I realized that even though my life wasn’t easy, it wasn’t as difficult as what the person I had picked was dealing with. It was a good lesson for me to look at the whole picture and not just the flawless (photoshopped) perfect images I saw on the magazine covers.

Here’s an article I wrote about those times in my preteen and teen years. It has a photo of me in the 6th grade that was taken for one of those modeling competitions like the one Landry was trying out for. In the picture you can see that I lightened my very dark hair with some spray in highlights. I do not recommend doing that--haha! But it shows you how I wanted the opposite of what I had:
http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com/guest-post-going-back-to-the-preteen-years-when-writing-by-krysten-lindsay-hager/

                  Have you ever felt the way I described in that article?

Extra activity: Pick a celebrity you’d love to change places with—even for day! Someone who seems to have the perfect life and make a list of all the things you’d now deal with if you were them. Include any rumors, health issues, breakups, mean social media comments, relationship issues, bad reviews and everything else that they face in life. Write about whether or not you’d still want to change places with them after all of that.

Read chapters 11-14 for next time! Once again, feel free to post any comments or questions in the comments section.

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