- Ester has a lot of questions she wants answers to – one day. Were any of Ester’s questions ones you’d especially want to know? Do you have any questions to add to her list?
- Have you read any books by Ashleigh Barton? If so, how are they similar or different to Eighty-Nine Questions for After?
- There are moments throughout the story when Ester feels anxious and overwhelmed. How does she work through it? How could you help a friend that feels like Ester?
- Have you ever been to a circus? If so, what was your favourite part of the experience? If not, what would you be most excited to see?
- Mackenzie and Ester don’t initially seem to have much in common but became great friends! Do you have friends who are very different to you? How might you find things to do together that you’ll both enjoy?
- What do you think the key themes of Eighty-Nine Questions for After are and why?
- Do you think Joan or Winnie was in the wrong over their falling out? Is there a right or wrong in this situation?
- ‘How can you stand it? Ester sobbed. ‘How can you stand working in that place knowing that everyone you meet is going to die?’ ‘Because they remind me how important it is to live,’ Mum said. ‘They make me appreciate every single moment. They remind me to make the most of this one beautiful life we all have’ (page 228). Hospices can be sad places – but there is also a lot of joy and peace. How do we see Ester’s Mum balance the emotions of her job? How does she help Ester with her grief?
- Eighty-Nine Questions for After deals with a lot of big, intense topics and themes. Do you like feeling sad when you read a book? Why or why not? What are some other books you’ve read (or want to read) that might make you feel sad and why?
- How does Ester grow and change because of the friendships she makes at the hospice? What might the future look like for her?
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A wise and beautifully written middle-grade novel about finding answers to the big questions in life, from popular children's author Ashleigh Barton
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