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This riveting memoir is the story of a 16-year-old girl and her adopted, black, 16-year-old brother in Indiana who are sent to a reform school in the Dominican Republic by their violent father and distant mother more involved with her church's missionaries than her own children.

2. Julia and David have very different attitudes toward the concept of "family." What does it mean to be a family? Is Julia's cynicism about it ever belied by any of her family relationships? Are any of them a source of strength for her? Does David's enduring hope for an accepting, united family harm him? Is his faith in the concept ever justified?

3. Julia has a number of very different sexual encounters in the course of the memoir. How does each of them shape her views about sex? Why do you think she doesn't tell David about Jerome?

4. Julia and David encounter a great deal of talk about faith. What do they have faith in? How does their faith differ from that of the adults around them?

5. What are Julia's attitudes toward race and how do they affect David? Is race ever used as an excuse by characters in the book to justify other issues?

6. Do Julia and David learn anything worthwhile from their time at Escuela Caribe?

7. How do horseplay and humor figure into Julia and David's relationship? What about fantasy?

8. Does the effect Christianity has on the predominant culture differ between Indiana and Escuela Caribe? How is the religion interpreted to enforce the status quo? Does the rigidity of the Christian culture of Escuela Caribe ever make it easier to subvert?

9. Throughout the book, Julia describes and names the music she is hearing. How is music used by Julia, her mother, and the people at Escuela Caribe?

10. Jesus Land is written as a memoir focused around the relationship between Julia and David. How does the form affect your reaction to the story? How would you respond differently if it had been written as a novel based on real events, an expose of Escuela Caribe, a documentary on racism in Indiana, or some other format?

• September 2009 Indie Next List
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