About This Book
Sonya Hartnett's "Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf" is a complex and introspective young adult novel set in a declining Tasmanian country town. It follows Satchel O'Rye, a high school dropout burdened by his family's financial struggles and his father's mental health issues, and Chelsea Piper, a young woman ostracized by the community. Their lives intertwine when Satchel spots a creature resembling the supposedly extinct Tasmanian tiger. Their shared quest to find this elusive animal becomes a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and a search for meaning in their challenging lives. The book explores themes of survival, identity, community, and the possibility of hope amidst hardship, making it suitable for thoughtful readers aged 12-18.
In a dying country town lives Satchel O'Rye, a young man fighting the future; Chelsea Piper, a young woman fighting the past; and a long-lost creature that can teach them both the art of survival.
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Discussion Prompts
1
How do Satchel and Chelsea each 'fight' their future and past, respectively? What does that mean for them?
2
What role does the 'dying country town' play in the characters' feelings and actions?
3
Why is the possibility of finding a Tasmanian tiger so important to Satchel and Chelsea? What does it symbolize for them?
4
How do Satchel and Chelsea's relationship evolve throughout the story?
5
What does the book suggest about survival, both for the characters and for the thylacine?
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