About a Boy

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-14

Reading Check

1. Who is the single mother Will meets first?

2. What embarrassing thing happens to Marcus sometimes in class?

3. How does Marcus know that Fiona’s depression is getting worse?

4. What does the acronym “SPAT” mean?

5. What does Marcus hope will come of the day with Will and his mother?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What request from his friends does Will deny, and why?

2. Why does Marcus believe he is an “outcast”?

3. What inspires Will to date more single mothers?

4. What do Marcus, Will, and Angie find when they take Marcus back home, and what change does it inspire in both Marcus and Will?

5. How does Will feel after his “date” with Fiona?

Paired Resource

“‘I Never Faked My Love For You’: A Mother Opens Up After Her Suicide Attempt”

• This article from NPR’s “StoryCorps” examines the effects of a mother’s attempted suicide on the relationship with her daughter. (Content Warning: Sensitive topics include suicide and family conflict.)
• This information connects to the novel’s theme, Caring and Indifference, by illuminating the emotional trauma a parent’s suicide attempt can have on a child.
• Marcus seeks healing, just like the parent-child duo in the article. Why do you think Marcus seeks others’ support after his mother’s attempted suicide, and why does Will feel obligated to help him?

“Self-Reliance”

• This excerpt from an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson argues the importance of following one’s own truth, being self-reliant, and taking control over one’s life, mental/emotional state, and overall existence.
• This excerpt relates to the theme of Conformity and Masculinity by offering a detailed perspective on what Will at first deems the only acceptable way to live, particularly as a man.
• Do you agree with Emerson’s and Will Freeman’s perspectives on self-reliance? Why or why not?

Chapters 15-25

Reading Check

1. What does Fiona assume about Will when she finds out Marcus has been visiting him in secret?

2. What is the similarity between Fiona and Will’s father?

3. Why does Marcus depend on Will?

4. Who does Marcus meet at the headmistress’s office?

5. Why does Will want to leave the Christmas party?

Short Answer

1. What does Will try to do to prevent Marcus from being bullied, and what is the result?

2. Why does Fiona insist that Will stay in Marcus’s life?

3. How does Marcus finally break into a group of friends at school?

4. What is Will’s fundamental mistake with Rachel?

5. What is Ellie’s view of Fiona’s suicide attempt?

Paired Resource

“How to Prevent Bullying”

• This in-depth but readable resource breaks down various strategies and approaches to bullying that both victims of and witnesses to bullying can take to prevent and address it.
• This resource connects to Caring and Indifference by exploring the impact of bystander/witness support in preventing bullying.
• Do you think that Will’s methods of helping Marcus avoid being bullied are effective? What approaches have you taken to bullying in the past?

“Involved Fathers Play An Important Role In Children’s Lives”

• This resource details the importance of fathers and father figures in children’s development and overall well-being.
• This connects to the themes of Conformity and Masculinity and Caring and Indifference by exploring the critical role male figures play in helping children feel cared for and secure.
• Why is Marcus’s relationship with Will so important to him, and why does Will also start to value his relationship with Marcus?

Chapters 26-36

Reading Check

1. What does Will ask Marcus to lie about?

2. What news does Ellie find out on the train?

3. Why is Marcus fine without his father in the end?

4. Why is Fiona’s reaction at the police station out of place?

5. Who becomes Marcus’s newest unlikely friend?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Ellie show that she cares about Marcus?

2. How does Rachel react when Will admits the truth?

3. Why does it upset Marcus when Ellie starts talking about Kurt Cobain?

4. What does Fiona admit to Will about her feelings toward motherhood?

5. What do both Will and Marcus decide about the people they are dating?

Recommended Next Reads 

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

• High Fidelity is a novel that centers on protagonist Rob as he copes with his most recent breakup and the ghosts of his past.
• Shared themes include Conformity and Masculinity, Boredom and Manufactured Pain, and Caring and Indifference.
• Shared topics include the English male perspective, 1990s English culture, relationships, resolving inner turmoil, and humor.
• High Fidelity on SuperSummary

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby

• Fever Pitch is a memoir by Nick Hornby that details his love for the sport of football (soccer).
• Shared themes include Conformity and Masculinity.
• Shared topics include the English male perspective, 1990s English culture, and humor.
• Fever Pitch on SuperSummary