The Downstairs Girl Book Club Kit
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee is the official September 2024 pick for the Peanut Blossom Book Club for Recovering Readers.
As we enter the first full month back to school, I can’t help but remember the thrill of being assigned historical fiction books for social studies class back in elementary.
Cuddle up in bed with a book and it counted as my homework?? I was in heaven. I would take that a million times over sitting at my desk with my math notebook and pencil.
Whether you enjoyed those kinds of assignments back in the day or not, you may be surprised how much more fun a historical fiction young adult book can be now that you have the benefit of age and perspective.
If your schedule is keeping you extra busy this time of year, I strongly encourage you to read this month’s book pick as an audiobook. The narration adds so much to the character development and you can listen in the car while you play “taxicab driver” for your kids. BONUS: This is a story that would be great for them to hear, too.
P.S. Just joining us? Don’t miss the full 2024 line-up for our book club picks.
Peanut Blossom Book Club
This book club pick is one of the awesome books from our tenth year of book club.
We’re still going strong! Want to join us?
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What is The Downstairs Girl About?
“By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, “Dear Miss Sweetie.”
When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society’s ills, but she’s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby.
But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta’s most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.”
The Downstairs Girl Discussion Questions
I believe the best book club questions to spark a lively discussion in your group help readers make personal connections to the story.
You can read about how to write the best book club questions on your own here, but hopefully these will get you started!
Question 1:
What was your favorite piece of advice from Miss Sweetie? Review her snippets at the start of the chapters.
Question 2:
As a young Chinese girl in Atlanta in 1890, Jo Kuan experiences privileges as a non-black person and marginalizations as a non-white person. Discuss examples of both from the story. How do you feel about the choice of Jo as the main character?
Question 3:
Other than Jo, which character did you find the most interesting? Which one angered you the most, which one were you rooting for most? Why?
Question 4:
Do you read historical fiction or was this book a first for you? How does it compare to other books you’ve enjoyed?
Question 5:
If you could change one thing about Jo’s story, what would you have written differently?
Question 6:
How are you similar to Jo? What are your biggest differences?
Book Club Party Menu
I think it is so fun to plan your book club dinner menu or dessert list based on the theme of the book.
With a book that takes place in Atlanta, there are several very obvious choices for your book club party menu.
Start with a pan of my amazing Southern peach cobbler with a container of vanilla ice cream for serving on top:
You can make a batch of sweet and spicy peppered glazed pecans for easy nibbles while you chat.
For a more savory snack, you could make a batch of roasted sweet potatoes in honor of Sweet Potato, the horse from the book, and serve them with a cup of my favorite spicy sauce for dipping.
Mix up a pitcher of my rosemary peach lemonade, you can serve it on its own or add a splash of rum for a simple cocktail.
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If you loved The Downstairs Girl you might also like:
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