Description:

When Pigs Fly by June Rae Wood is a novel about Buddy Richter, an eighth-grade girl whose life changes when her family must leave their comfortable home and move to a run-down farmhouse after her father loses his job. Buddy struggles with the move, school challenges, and the responsibility of caring for her younger sister Reenie, who has Down syndrome. As Buddy faces difficult truths about her family, friendships, and herself, she learns about compassion, acceptance, resilience, and the importance of seeing the strengths in the people around her. 

Discussion Questions:

• How does Buddy’s relationship with Reenie change throughout the book?
• How do Dallas and Jiniwin influence Buddy’s understanding of other people’s problems?
• What are some examples of people being judged because they are different? 
• If you could ask Buddy one question after the story ends, what would you ask?
• What message do you think June Rae Wood wants readers to remember after finishing the book?