MATCH FOUND
Classroom Conversation Guide
A middle grade novel by Paulette Hill
Match Found is about a ten-year-old, a DNA test, and a family that turns out to have more people in it than she knew. Use any of these, in any order.
Warm up
- What was the funniest thing Charlie said or did? Find the line and read it out loud.
- Which character would you most want at your lunch table? Why?
Look closer
- Charlie’s mom wipes counters that are already clean. Her dad sings the wrong words to every song. The book never says Mom is worried or Dad is funny. How do you know anyway?
- Charlie brings a plant she grew from a seed all the way to Charlotte. Why do you think she chose that to bring?
- The word “Charlotte” shows up in this book in more than one way. How many can you find?
- Charlie has a LOT of hair, and it comes up again and again. Why do you think her hair matters so much in this story?
Take a side
- Charlie goes to Charlotte by herself. Can something be a risky idea and still come from a good reason?
- Charlie’s dad says that wanting to find someone isn’t the same as having the right to surprise them. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- What makes Mackenzie a good friend to Charlie?
Big ideas
- Charlie is biracial, and her parents are white. She loves them, and she also wants to know her biological family. Why can both of those be true at the same time?
- Charlie’s dad says, “The table just got longer.” Put that in your own words. Who is at Charlie’s table by the end?
After you finish
These give away the ending, so save them for after the last page.
- Charlie calls Birdie her first “match,” even though they aren’t biologically related. So what is a match, by the end of this book?
- If you could ask Charlie one question after the last page, what would it be?
There are no right answers here. The best conversations about a book can begin with, “What did you think?”
MATCH FOUNDmatchfound.paulettehill.comFree to copy and share for classroom and library use