Betty Smith’s 1943 novel engages reluctant readers because Francie Nolan’s Brooklyn puts adolescents inside real-life questions they already carry. The themes run deep. The dialogue and symbolism give you plenty to work with in class.
Fifty-six chapters across five “books” need a reading schedule that creates accountability without killing momentum. The six-reading format / quiz schedule solves that problem.
Betty Smith packed A Tree Grows in Brooklyn with arguments about poverty and dignity, about the cost of loving a weak person, about what education actually buys, and about whether resilience is a virtue or simply what survival looks like from the outside. The questions below work for book clubs,… Read More »A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN Book Club Questions: 21 Discussion Prompts
Betty Smith finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in 1943 and produced one of the most teachable novels in the American canon. Francie Nolan’s Brooklyn gives students something to argue about on every page: the nature of poverty, the meaning of family loyalty, the cost of a parent’s weakness, and… Read More »A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN Discussion Questions, Reading Quizzes, and Reading Schedule
This A Tree Grows in Brooklyn whole-novel test works for independent reading, summer reading assessment, or as part of a unit evaluation. 51 multiple-choice questions, 2 short-answer prompts, and 1 extended response. Comprehension questions only. Cut and paste questions from the list, or download the free PDF. DOCX format and… Read More »A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN Test / Quiz: Whole-Novel Reading Check
Six reading quizzes. Ten multiple-choice questions each. These A Tree Grows in Brooklyn reading quizzes hold students accountable for every section of Betty Smith’s novel — from Francie’s Brooklyn childhood through her departure for college. Cut and paste any set of questions below, or download the PDF. DOCX format and… Read More »A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN Reading Quizzes (comprehension questions)