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- The Foal in the Wire is written in verse. Why do you think Robbie Coburn chose to write this way? How might the book be different if it was written in prose?
- What was your experience of reading a verse novel? Have you read other verse novels before? How are they similar or different to The Foal in the Wire?
- Which narrative and textual elements (for example dialogue or setting) do you think make The Foal in the Wire feel distinctly Australian?
- This novel details how we can form incredibly close connections with animals. Has this ever happened to you? If so, and you feel comfortable sharing, tell the others in the group your own story.
- Consider Sam's friendship with Alex. How has it affected Sam, both positively and negatively?
- Discuss traditional family roles, and how The Foal in the Wire explores these. Topics to consider could include: what are the responsibilities of a parent? How would you expect a parent to behave around their child when they’re upset or angry? What role does trust play in a family?
- How does the novel explore the themes of grief, loss and death? How do Sam and Julia grieve similarly or differently to each-other, and to their parents? Do you think there’s a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do so? Why or why not?
- Consider the chapter titles. Did you notice them? If so, how did they affect your reading experience? Choose one chapter title and consider how it relates to the verse that follows.
- How does Sam change throughout the course of the novel? You could consider how Sam felt about himself and the future when we first met him, his relationship with his parents or his connections with Julia and the foal.
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An astonishingly raw and beautiful verse novel about survival, love and the bonds between humans and animals from an important young Australian poet
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