Summary Collin, a child prodigy has an attraction to girls with the name of Katherine. In fact, he has only dated girls named Katherine. When Katherine number nineteen dumps him just after high school graduation, he decides that he must escape his sad reality by embarking on a road trip with his best and only friend Hassan. They stop in Gutshot, Texas to see a cheap tourist attraction and don't get any further. Lindsey Lee Wells, the gas station attendant, and her mother invite the boys to stay for the summer and help her with a project she is working on. Although Collin is too depressed to make a decision, Hassan jumps on the opportunity and they stay. Once Collin and Lindsey stop pretending to be what everybody wants or expects them to be, they realise they have a lot in common. Collin is still trying to come up with a scientific math Theorem to explain why he has been dumped by nineteen girls named Katherine. Hassan discovers that he wants more out of life then his current “rigorous” schedule of watching daytime trash-television and decides to go to college. All three teens have an “AH-HAH” moment and learn a lot about themselves. This book seems shallow and predictable which unfortunately seems to be just what the teenagers would enjoy. The book is centered around self discovery and how that affects relationships. I think high school students would relate to this more than middle school students because like Collin, Hassan, and Lindsey, they are closer to those adult decisions than an eighth grader would be. If you are considering teaching this novel in class, be aware of sexual inuendos and the word “FUGG” in place of where the kids would use the “F” word.     READING ACTIVITIES |During Reading|After Reading|   Before Connections 1.Sachs, Andrea. “The Downside of Being a Child Prodigy.” Time's Sept. 2006 <http:// www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1532087,00.html >. This article would give the students a perspective on another child prodigy and how it is not that wonderful.   2. Terry, Jennifer. “Where Would You Go?” BYU. Sept. 2007. Since the book is centered on a road trip, I ask the students to write a paragraph describing where they would go if they could go anywhere within driving distance. I would ask them to include details such as who they would want to go with, how much money they think they would need, would it be planned or spontaneous, what they want to do while traveling—etc.   3. Terry, Jennifer. “The Name Game.” BYU. Sept. 2007. Write down all of the people you've ever had a crush on or dated. Look at the list and see if you can find a connection or pattern with the names of the people you've liked.   4. Terry, Jennifer. “Expectations.” BYU. Sept. 2007. Write a list of all the things you expect out of a relationship. This activity enables the students to think about their own expectations of a high school relationship. Collin talks a lot about what his encounters with the “Katherines” in his life and this would be a connection the students could make to their own dating experiences.   5. Terry, Jennifer. “Prodigy.” BYU. Sept. 2007. When you hear the word “prodigy” what do you think of? Because Collin is considered a prodigy, this activity helps the students to get their own minds thinking about what they consider a child prodigy to be.   6. Terry, Jennifer. “Plans.” BYU. Sept. 2007. Ask the students to think about the first thing they want to do when they graduate. What are their plans for that first summer? By doing this, the students will better relate to the characters in the book who have just graduated high school and are unsure of their future plans.   7. Terry, Jennifer. “Stereotypes.” BYU. Sept. 2007. Hand out a paper listing the different stereotypes in high school or junior high and have the students write in characteristics that they think go along with the stereotypes. Then have the students reflect on whether or not these hold true in their school. This connects them to the stereotypes used in the book.   8. Terry, Jennifer. “Mapping Your Own Trip.” BYU. Sept. 2007 <http:// www.mapquest.com >. I would have the students use map quest to plan out a detailed hypothetical road trip.   9. Terry, Jennifer. “What's in a name.” BYU. Sept. 2007 < http://www.dictionary.com >. This website would allow students to look up the name used in the title, Katherine and the name of the protagonist, Collin. They could also look up their own names and find out what they mean. Are there any connections?   10. Terry, Jennifer. “Qualities.” BYU. Sept. 2007. Take a few minutes to write a paragraph describing the ideal girlfriend or boyfriend. What types of characteristics or qualities does this person have? What sets them apart? What attracts you to them? Since the text is centered on teenage relationships, this is a good brainstorming activity for the students to know what their own expectations would be in an ideal relationship.   During Connections   1.Terry, Jennifer. “Connecting with Historical Figures.” BYU. Oct 2007. Just as Collin compares himself to the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, have the students pick a figure in history or present day that they have similar characteristics to. This would be a way for them to make connections to historical figures and then evaluate why they are similar and why they are different.   2. Terry, Jennifer. “Music.” BYU. Oct 2007. Make a compilation of popular love songs. Play it for the class and have them write down the feelings that the love songs evoke. This is an activity used in class that connects to the text- Collin is stressing about his adolescent relationship. Many of the students are probably going through similar feelings and anxieties.   3. Terry, Jennifer. “Who are you?” BYU. Oct 2007. Just as Lindsey Lee Wells is concerned about not being true to herself, many of the students reading are probably experiencing their own “teenage image crisis.” This activity asks the students to write a paragraph describing their personality, which they would use for a dating ad. Then have them write a paragraph they knew nobody else would read. Compare the two and explore if they are being true to themselves or putting on a show for the opposite sex.   4. Terry, Jennifer. “Who have you been?” BYU. Oct 2007. This assignment would be done as homework. Have the students go through their photo albums and find pictures of them wearing clothes or fashion trends that represent different phases of their childhood and adolescence. This connects them to Lindsey's photo when she is in her “gothic” phase and she doesn't have any friends. Have the students create a time line with the pictures and also the feelings they felt during those times of fashion.   5. Terry, Jennifer. “Top 10 Teenage romantic comedies.” BYU. Oct 2007. As a class, pick the top ten movies that the students have watched that have stereotypical roles. Depict how the leading man and leading lady act and if it is realistic. This gets the kids connecting to the text because Hassan and Katrina are an unlikely couple who end up dating. Also relates to Lindsey and Collin.   6. Terry, Jennifer. “Being a good friend Questionnaire.” This is composed of different questions relating to being a good friend and what the student would do in certain situations. The connection here is obviously when Collin knows that Lindsey is being cheated on, he questions what a “good friend” would do.   7. Terry, Jennifer. “Gibberish” BYU. Oct 2007. Have the students look up ten words in another language that they could use as code between friends. Have them memorize one of them and teach the word to the class. This connects them to other cultures and languages and also symbolizes the relationship between Hassan and Collin.   8. Terry, Jennifer. “Dingle berries.” BYU. Oct 2007. When is a friend crossing the other line when it comes to business and private things? Is being concerned for your friend taking it too far? Write down when you think it's appropriate to “butt in” to your friends life.   9. Terry, Jennifer. “Would you rather be the Dumper or the Dumpee?” BYU. Oct 2007. Ask the students to write out the pros and cons of both sides and weigh out their argument. Collin was always the dumpee and he was devastated but isn't just as hard to break up with someone you love?   10. Terry, Jennifer. “Interview.” BYU. Oct 2007. Just as Collin, Hassan, and Lindsey were asked to interview all of the people in Gutshot, Tennessee, ask the students to interview three people at least a generation older than them. This allows the students to think about their town heritage or their family heritage and how that might affect them.     After Connections   1.Terry, Jennifer. “Being a Doer.” BYU. Oct 2007. In the text, Hassan discovers that although he is following his religion by not doing certain things, he isn't really “doing” anything to help change the world around him. This activity asks the students to come up with one act that they can “do” to change their home, school, or community environment in a positive way.   2. Terry, Jennifer. “Interviews.” BYU. Oct 2007. The students have the opportunity to interview three people from their family or community who are at least a generation older then them. This connects them to the text because the kids had to do this for their job.   3. Terry, Jennifer. “Our Own Cave.” BYU. Oct 2007. This is a worksheet with a big picture of a cave. The students are asked to identify any “caves” or safe places that they have in their own lives. Then as a class, discuss how their “caves” are similar to the cave that Lindsey uses to retreat from the world.   4. Terry, Jennifer. “Self-Discovery.” BYU. Oct 2007. Because the book's main theme is self-discovery, it is important for the students to use this in their own lives. Have the students write about an experience in which they discovered something about themselves that they did not know earlier. Why does it take big monumental events in our lives to discover who we are?   5. Terry, Jennifer. “Prediction.” BYU. Oct 2007. Lead a classroom discussion and address these questions. Where do you see yourselves in ten years? Where do you see Collin and Lindsey in ten years?   6. Terry, Jennifer. “Eureka!” BYU. Oct 2007. Have you ever had a eureka moment that didn't pan out? Collin had his “eureka” moment after arriving in Gutshot. Then, after working on his theorem for weeks, he discovered it was wrong. How did his Eureka moment and his theorem failing work together? Ask the students to reflect on their own lives—did they have a “eureka” moment?   7. Terry, Jennifer. “Changes.” BYU. Oct 2007. Think about a friend you have known since elementary school. List the changes that you have noticed in your friend over the years of knowing him or her. How did the characters in the novel change from beginning to end?   8. Terry, Jennifer. “Journal Writes.” BYU. Oct 2007. Collin always wrote things in his journal and this helped him discover who he really was. Have the students go over their journal writes that they have been keeping since they started reading the novel. Have them identify any self-discoveries they may have made about themselves since starting the novel.   9. Terry, Jennifer. “Putting on a Façade.” BYU. Oct 2007 Why do the characters in the novel pretend until the end when they are finally true to themselves? Think back to a time when you pretended to be something that you knew deep down you were pretending to be. Why were you doing this? Who were you doing it for?   10. Frost, Robert. “Fire and Ice.” < http://www.blessedwithlove.com/content/view/41/31/ >. Have the students read this poem and compare it to the feelings that any two characters in the novel had for each other. This helps them connect to classic poetry.