While You Read - Guided Reading Questions - answer the following questions:

1. What is a prodigy and why the mother want the main character to become one?
A prodigy is a young kid that is really smart or really talented. The mother of the young girl wants her to be a prodigy because she thought she had the talent to be some one famous. She wants her daughter to be a prodigy.

2. How dose the mother prepare her daughter for fame?
The mother's little girl prepare her by taking her to a "beauty salon" which it was actually not managed by professionals. She was asian with curly hair and it was kind of strange. Her mom prepares her with everything.

3. What talents does the girl have?
She don't know what talents she has yet but she is pretty sure its nothing what her mom propose her.

4. Why does she start the piano lessons and how is the mother going to pay for them?
She starts piano lessons because her mom wants her to be good at piano and she wants her to be on a show where she proves she is good at piano. Her mom will pay the guy with cleaning his house.

5. Describe the piano teacher.
The piano teacher is an old retired guy. He is death but he knows how to play the piano.

6. What do Auntie Lindo and Jing-Mei's mother have in common?
They both want the best for them. For example they like the fame.

7. In your own words, relate the events of the recital.

8. What does the author mean when she says, "I didn't have to do what my mother said anymore... This wasn't China"? page 97
She means that she is free and she could dedicte herself on something that she likes not what her mother likes. In China things were different but she realized that she is in the U.S so she has to fallow her dream not what her mom wants.

9. What words does the author use to describe her mother's disappointment in her?
The author says there was a treatment silent. There was was no screaming no sounds she just left to her room and she was upset. She was sad the same way when her other two children died. I think her mom was upset because she lost hope.
10. Why does Jing-mei come back to play the piano after her mother's death?
She played the piano because her mother always kept it as a trophy. Her mom gave it back to her and told her to keep because it was hers. Jing-mei probably plays the piano because she relized she was good at it and she probably plays it in the memorie of her mother and she says thank you to her on that way.