Discussion Guide

 O THER
BOOKS IN THE
TRILOGY
# 2 FADE
# 3 G ONE
W AKE
Book
Club
Discussion Guide
Author Information
Lisa McMann is the New York Times bestselling author of
the Wake Trilogy, Cryer’s Cross, Dead to You, the Visions 
series, and the middle grade dystopian fantasy series The
Unwanteds. She lives with her family in the Phoenix area. 
 Previous occupations? I was a blueberry picker,
bindery worker, bookstore clerk and later manager, and a
Realtor.

 What is your favorite job? Writing! And being a mom.
 What high school and/or college did you attend? I
went to Holland Christian High School in Holland,

Michigan, and to Calvin College in Grand Rapids,
Michigan.

 What is the name of your favorite composer or music
artist? My husband, Matt McMann. He proposed to me
with a song. Isn't that romantic?
 How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
Another dorky, Pajama-wearing writer, Spilling angst

around. (hey look, it’s a haiku!)
 What is your motto or maxim? Get over it and ask,
"What's next?"
 What’s your greatest fear? Zombies. And fire.
Zombies on fire would reallly do me in.

 If you could be anywhere in the world right now,
where would you choose to be? I would love to go to
Greece.
 With whom in history do you most identify?

Napoleon. (Dynamite...not Bonaparte)
 Which living person do you most admire? Two
people —-my kids. They are doing a freaking awesome 
job growing into young adults.
 What are your most overused words or phrases? I
shout out, "Bring home the bacon!" way too often.
Who is your favorite fictional hero? Louis, from
Harvest Moon Magical Melody. *sigh*
Who is your favorite fictional villain? Some might
argue that he doesn't qualify as a villain, but I'd have to
go with Severus Snape.
If you could meet any historical character, who would
it be and what would you say to him or her? Jesus
Christ. I'd say, "Sooo...what WOULD you do, actually?"
What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
Promptness, kindness, and a sense of humor.
If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your
days, what would it be? Absolutely, without a doubt,
peanut butter. You've got your carbs, your protein, your
fat, your veggies (the pea part, right?)...it's like the entire
food pyramid in one ever-loving spoonful.
Who are your favorite authors? This is the hardest
question ever! The answer changes all the time,
depending on what I'm in the mood for. I love Chris
Crutcher, Sara Zarr, Lois Lowry, Elizabeth Scott,
Madeleine L'Engle, Gordon Korman, Michelle
Magorian, Heather Bouwman.
What are your 5 favorite books of all time? No, THIS
is the hardest question ever. But here goes: Little
Women, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Poisonwood
Bible, East of Eden, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Is there a book you love to reread? The Poisonwood
Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?.
Learn how to take criticism and keep writing—it takes a
lot of practice.
Other Books by Author




Cryer’s cross
Dead to you
The unwanteds
Island of silence
 Crash
Photo and author information
taken from Lisa McMann’s
website and the Simon &
Schuster website for Lisa
McMann.
What’s it all about?
For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams
is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobodynotices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy
booty to last her a lifetime.
She can't tell anybody about what she does, they'd never believe her, or
worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with
an ability she doesn't want and can’t control.
Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone.
For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted
psyche. She is a participant.
W EBSITES
TO CHECK
OUT
Lisa McMann’s official website:
lisamcmann.com/
Simon & Schuster ‘s Lisa
McMann webpage:
authors.simonandschuster.com/
Lisa-McMann/45103601
Discussion Questions
1) Would you want to have Janie’s gift
of entering other people’s dreams if
you could control it? Why or why
not?
2) Did you guess what Cabel’s double
life was before it was revealed in the
book? Would you be brave enough
to take on a job like his?
3) Did you think that Cabel was really
with Shay? Did you think he’d be
with Janie in the end or not? How
did your feelings for Cabel change as
you read the book?
4) Which of these characters’ dreams
would you want to have access to:
Shay, the Captain, Cabel’s, Janie’s
mom Stu? Which of your friends’ or
family members’ dreams would you
want to enter? Which would you not
want to enter?
5) Do you think Carrie was a good
friend to Janie? Was Janie a good
friend to Carrie? What examples
from the book make you say yes or
no?
6) How would the book be different if
Janie and Cabel had parents who
were loving and present?
7) If you were telling a friend about
Wake, how would you describe it? Is
it fantastical or realistic? Do you
think people like Janie really exist?
8) Name all of the ways Janie’s gift
could be helpful to the police.
9) Do you think having the power to
walk in other people’s dreams is
worth the price?
10) If someone told you that they could
see your dreams what would your
reaction be? Would you want to
know what dreams of yours they’ve
seen? Why or why not?
11) Do you think Janie should have been
given more training before she went
into the party? Were enough precautions taken?
12) Would you recommend this book to
anyone? Why or why not? If you
had to describe this book in 15 words
or less what would you say?
13) Do you think the next book in the
series will be as interesting? Why or
why not?
14) Do you think Wake would make a
good movie? Why or why not? If it
was being made into a movie who
would you cast as the main
characters? Why?
The discussion questions 1-8 came from the Wake Discussion Guide.
Goodreads’ trivia and quizzes
for Wake:
www.goodreads.com/trivia/
work/1656772-wake
Seventeen’s Cosmo Girl
interview with Lisa McMann:
www.seventeen.com/cosmogirl/
author-lisa-mcmann
Excerpt for second book Fade:
www.amazon.com/Fade-WakeSeries-Book-2/dp/1416974482/
ref=sr_1_2?
ie=UTF8&qid=1370379646&sr=
8-2&keywords=fade
United States of YA Image and
list of books came from Epic
Reads:
www.epicreads.com/blog/theunited-states-of-ya/