1. Why did the Garcia family leave the Dominican Republic? Why did they decide to remain in the United States?

2. How does Yolanda feel toward Dr. Payne? How do their clinical interactions affect their personal relationship? What does Dr. Payne represent for Yolanda?

3. Why does Laura stop inventing? Why does she defend Yolanda to her husband, and how does this relate to her inventing?

4. Why did Sandra insist on making Mrs. Fanning buy her a flamenco doll? Why does she risk embarrassing her family just to have an extra Barbie?

5. Why did Carla not tell the truth sooner when her mother asked her about the missing toy bank? Why did she wait for Gladys to be questioned before confessing that it had been a gift?

6. Why did her father object to Yolanda's speech for school?

7. Why would Yolanda prefer that her mother not attend her poetry readings?