Chances are decent that at some point in growing up, an adult's blown you off or dismissed your understanding of something just because you're younger than them. And if this has irked you to know end, then you've got a bit in common with Tip in The True Meaning of Smekday. The thing is, she does know more than most adults do about the aliens. So maybe everyone should buzz off.
This book asks us to think about some heavy-hitting questions when it comes to youth and adulthood. Are kids just the mini-me versions of the adults they will become, or is something substantial lost—or gained—in the transition to adulthood? Are all adults more knowledgeable than all kids? Why? The answers are pretty open ended, we think, so we'll step aside and let you argue amongst yourselves.
Questions About Youth
- What difference does it make to the novel that it's narrated from a child's perspective? How would the book be different if was told from Tip's mom or Landry's perspective instead?
- How do adults think about kids? What values are thought to be part of youth by the older folks?
- Why does it bug Tip so much that people talk about her as a kid? Is she similar to other kids her age? Why or why not?
Chew on This
In The True Meaning of Smekday, people look down on kids because they are young, but ultimately, they know more than adults.
Even though Tip gets all bent out of shape that people treat her like a kid, she still is a child and has a lot to learn.