By the time you finished reading Jump Rope Girl, how much do you feel it is a book about jumping rope? Do you feel Frannie’s desire to be part of the jump rope crowd serves as a metaphor for something else? If so, what? What else might have been a good title for this book? Do you feel that in the end it’s a title that suits Frannie?

Does Frannie’s predicament of being a young girl always moving from town to town resemble the life of anyone you know or have heard about? Can you think of anyone in your circle who feels slightly out of place, like they don’t quite know how to fit in? Have you ever felt uncomfortable in a new group or setting, and if you have, how did you manage to position yourself better?

Frannie explores her French roots. Did you feel that became a help or a hindrance to her reaching certain hopes and dreams she has? Do you know anyone who gains a sense of better self understanding by being in touch with their heritage? Discuss the case of people you may know who strongly identify with a culture or attitudes different from your own - would you be able to make friends with such people, like Frannie made friends with the girls in the lunchroom?

Frannie and some of her friends took great pleasure in building their knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. Sometimes people learn about their ancestral heritage, but sometimes people enjoy learning about cultures unrelated to their own background. Name ways in which taking an interest in other cultures and unfamiliar ways of doing things can be beneficial. Are there ways in which being closed to learning about other cultures (ie, xenophobia) is good or bad in your view?

Did you become frustrated with how long Frannie just waited on the sidelines, never “jumping” in to claim a spot for herself in the crowd she found most intriguing? What might she have done differently and how might that have affected the outcome? Were you happy with the choices she had made by the end of the book?

In times of trouble, Frannie took solace in her dreams and focused on working towards goals. What do you find most diverting when times are tough in your world?

In the scene towards the end of the book, where Frannie nearly forgets or “freezes” instead of standing up for herself, were you shocked by her behavior or did you find you could relate? How might she have felt if she remained silent and just watched as the others carried out activities in which she too truly had hoped to participate? Do you suppose every day people step back rather than step forward? What difference does it make, from your perspective, if people are active or passive about matters important to them?