Sheila Ruble
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Fire Pony
Was Cricket right to go find the horses or should she have stayed home to help her mother protect the house and yard?
What would you have done if you had been in Cricket’s place?
Do you think Cricket should have been punished for sneaking away?
Do you think her parents were secretly proud of what she had done?
Was Cricket heroic or taking a foolish risk with her life and with Snapper’s and Gonna Be’s?
Who would you rather have as a friend, Cricket or Leslie? Why?
Who else besides Cricket was the hero of the story?
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt your life was at risk?
Have you ever owned something that you felt brought you good luck or bad luck?
Would you have agreed to sell Gonna Be or would you have wanted to keep him after all the two of you had experienced together?
Should laws prevent people from building in what is called the urban-wildlands interface?
Should an individual be held financially responsible for firefighting costs if he or she accidentally starts a fire?
If homeowners have built in high-risk areas, do they have the right to demand that firefighters risk their lives to try to protect their property ?
What are some ways to reduce fire danger if you have built in an area at high risk for wildfire?
What part do you think climate change played in this story?