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age to catch theeries in three years, and he's tuent fears that the mom of a cancer patient faces, but it's not hard to rele tiurney into the OR, where I would stay with him while he was anesthetized, I'd think, "Okay, just take ain" That utter desperation and desire to uesand is the reason that I cannot hate her forthe decisions she did

Q: Sara is a complicated character, and readers will probably both criticize her and empathize with her How do you see her role in the story?

A: Like Nina Frost in Perfect Match, Sara's going to generate a bit of controversy, I think And yet, I adore Ninaand I really admire Sara too I think that she's the easy culprit to blahtment As Sara says at the end of the book, it was never a case of choosing one child over the other--it was a case of wanting both I don't think she meant for Anna to be at thewhat had to be done only to keep that family intact Now, that said, I don't think she's a perfect h she certainly was focused onup so completely on a child, noon Kate's shaky future that she loses sight of her faht, of course, that she ind up regretting forever at the end of the book

Q: The point of view of young people is integral in your novels In fact, more wisdom, humor, and compassion often come from them than anywhere else What do you think adults could stand to learn froet to the truth of things so easily?

A: Kids are the consu lies They instinctively knohen so honest, or truthful, and one of the really hard parts about growing up is learning the value of a white lie For them, it's artifice that has to be acquired Reot at all the Phonies? Anna sees things the way they are because mentally she's still a kid--in spite of the fact that she's prettyabout adolescents, though, that keepsback to them in fiction is that even when they're on the brink of realizing that growing up o of those ideals, they still hold fast to hope They ot it tucked into their back pockets, just in case It's why teens reat and complicated narrators

Q: The ending of My Sister's Keeper is surprising and terribly sad Without giving too much away, can you share why you choose to end the novel this way? Was it your plan fro, or did this develop later on, as you riting?

A: Let me tell you a story: My Sister's Keeper is the first book one of my own kids has read Kyle, who's twelve, picked it up and irossed in it The day he finished the book, I found hi on the couch He pushed me away and went up to his room and told me that he really didn't want to see me or talk to me for a while--he was that upset Eventually, e did sit down to discuss it, he kept asking, "Why? Why did it have to end like that?" The answer I gave him (and you) is this: because this isn't an easy book, and you know froe that there are no easy answers Medically, this ending was a realistic scenario for the family--and thematically, it was the only way to hammer home to all the characters what's truly i? You bet--I even gave a twenty-third-hour call to a oncology nurse to ask if there was some other way to end the book But finally, I came to see that if I wanted to be true to the story, this was the right conclusion

Q: All of your books to date have garnered wonderful press In ays, if any, does this change your writing experience?

A: U--well, a little I've had overwhelood reviews, but I think the bad revieays stick with you longer, because they sting so nore them, I read them anyway) I am fortunate to write coet review coverage--too often in this industry books are divided by what's reviewed and literary, or what's advertised and comazine--photographers come out and take fancy pictures of you, and people are forever seeing your face and a description of your novel when they hang out in doctors' and dentists' waiting rooood press is that it ht not otherwise have a clue who you are want to go and pick up your book I never write a book thinking of reviewers (in fact, if I did, I'd probably just hide under my desk and never type another letter!), but I certainly think about whether it will hold the interest of a reader as well as it's holding my own

QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1) One of this novel's strengths is the way it skillfully de to their interactions with others The motivations of individual characters, the emotions that pull thes that they inject into professional situations becoly clear as we explore many viewpoints For example, despite Julia and Campbell's attempts to remain calm, unemotional, and businesslike when they deal with each other, the past keeps seeping in, clouding their interaction The sa the trial Is there such a thing as an objective decision in the world of this story? Is anyone capable of being totally rational, or do emotions always come into play?

2) What do you think of this story's representation of the justice system? What was your opinion of the final outcome of the trial?

3) What is your opinion of Sara? With her life focused on saving Kate, she so a juvenile delinquent, and Anna is invisible--a fact that the little girl knows only too well What does this say about Sara's role as a mother? What would you have done, in her shoes? Has she unwittingly forgotten Jesse and Anna, or do you think she has consciously chosen to neglect they for herself, or as some kind of punish healthy? Did you find yourself criticizing Sara, e with her, or both?

4) During a conversation about Kate, Zanne tells Sara, "No one has to be a martyr 24/7" When she mistakenly hears the word "mother" not "martyr" and is corrected by Zanne, Sara smiles and asks, "Is there a difference?" In ays does this ht into Sara's state of e that she sees no difference between motherhood and martyrhood?

5) Caent, caring and yet selfish at the saly contradictory traits, it can be difficult to figure him out As he himself admits, "motivations are not what they seem to be" At one point he states, "Out of necessity-- an escape artist" Why do you think Canificant that Anna is the first to break down his barriers and hear the truth? Why, for exae with sarcastic remarks?

6) At one point, Campbell thinks to himself: "There are two reasons not to tell the truth--because lying will get you what you want, and because lying will keep so, Caly wide berth; he effectively frees hi as the lie will somehow benefit himself or anyone else Did it concern you that a laould express an opinion like this? Do you think, by the end of the story, that Campbell still thinks this ht this kind of thinking actually wind up hurting Campbell?

7) It is interesting that Caht this unique relationship mirror some of the relationships between hue introduce important ideas about loyalty and instinct?

8) On page 149, Brian is talking to Julia about astronoravitational effect on other objects You can't see it, you can't feel it, but you can watch so pulled in its direction" How is this syht be a possible reason for Brian's fascination with astronomy?

9) Near the end of the novel, Anna describes "Ifspeak"--the language that all children know, but abandon as they grow older--re that "Kids think with their brains cracked wide open; beco shut" Do you believe this to be true? What ht children teach the adults in this novel? Which adults need lessons most?

10) "It'sa separate helmet, each sustained by our own source of air" This quote comes from Anna, as she and her parents sit in silence in the hospital cafeteria Besides being a powerful ie of the family members' isolation, this observation shows Anna to be one of the wisest, most perceptive characters in this novel Discuss the alienation affecting these characters While it is obvious that Anna's decision to sue her parents increases that sense of alienation throughout the novel (especially for Anna herself), do you think that she has permanently harmed the family dynamic?

11) During the trial, when Dr Campbell takes the stand, he describes the rules by which the medical ethics committee, of which he is a part, rules their cases Out of these six principles (autonomy, veracity, fidelity, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice), which apply to Anna's lawsuit? Moreover, which of these should be applied to Anna's hoht have anything to learn frouidelines that the doctors follow? Are there faht to be put into place to ensure positive family dynamics? If so, what should they be?

12) Early in the legal proceedings, Annaobservation as she watches her , "It is hard to believe thatShe used to be someone else, once I suppose we all were" Discuss the concept of change as it is presented in this story While o a metamorphosis of sorts--either emotionally or even physically (in the case of Kate), some seem more adept at it than others Who do you think is ultie, and why?

13) Discuss the symbolic role that Jesse's pyro quote fro that if he cannot rescue, he nificant that Jesse has, in many respects, become the polar opposite of his father? But despite this, why is Jesse often finding hi the baby at boot camp)? Brian himself comes to realize, in the scene where he confronts Jesse, that he and his son aren't so different Talk about the traits that they share and the new understanding that they gain for each other by the end of the story

14) My Sister's Keeper explores theone hu of another Discuss the different kinds of ethical problener baby," presents in this story Did your view change as the story progressed? Why or why not? Has this novel changed any of your opinions about other conflicts in bioethics like ste?

Now, younger fans of Jodi Picoult have sohter, Sa novel

BETWEEN THE LINES

What happens when happily ever afterisn't?

Delilah hates school as much as she loves books In fact, there's one book in particular she can't get enough of If anyone kne many times she has read and reread the sweet little fairy tale she found in the library, especially the popular kids, she'd be sent to social Siberiaforever

To Delilah, though, this fairy tale is e Sure, there's a handsome (well, okay, hot) prince, and a castle, and an evil villain, but it feels as if there's so on And one day, Delilah finds out there is Turns out, this Prince Charht his eye But they're from two different worlds, and how could it ever possibly work?