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About Bridget's Blog



It’s the first day of summer and soon-to-be sixth grader Bridget Rhodes in already nervous about starting middle school in the fall. She wants so badly to fit in. Growing up in a small town in Iowa, she also can’t wait to visit her fun and stylish role model, Aunt Faith, in fabulous New York City. With her aunt’s help, Bridget plans to do back-to-school shopping and start school with some of the latest fashions trends NYC has to offer. But Bridget discovers something more chic than any accessory in the Big Apple.

Themes
  1. Vanity
  2. Charity
  3. Facing challenges
  4. Wanting to fit in
  5. Joy of sacrifice
 
Discussion Questions
Before Reading
  1. Ask, “Do you know what a ‘blog’ is?” (It is a web log or on-line journal/diary.)
  2. Talk about the meaning of your child’s name (look it up if you are unsure) or share how you chose her name.
  3. Ask, “What is one of the hardest challenges you’ve ever faced?” or “What do you think would be a really difficult challenge for you?”
  4. What do you think it means to be “vain” about your appearance?
While Reading
  1. In chapter one, what makes Bridget uneasy about staring the 6th grade? (She wants the other kids to like her; she is insecure about what to wear and her hairstyle.)
  2. How does Daniel 12:3 help Bridget name her doll? (The Daniel verse fits Bridget’s idea of what the doll looks like and how she imagines the doll could inspire others.)
  3. In Bridget’s blog in chapter 5 she expresses more anxiety about starting 6th grade. Ask your child if she’s ever felt nervous about starting school, etc. . .and why.
  4. Why do you think Bridget is so attached to her hair? (She’s been growing it out for a long time; she thinks it will make her popular; it is a status symbol to her; vanity.)
  5. Discuss Bridget’s reaction when she hears that Aunt Faith cut off all of her hair. Connect these thoughts to the previous question—why hair is so important to Bridget.
  6. In chapter 14 what reasons does Aunt Faith give when Bridget asked her if it was hard to part with her hair? (For the greater reward of blessing another through her personal sacrifice—joy in sacrifice.)
  7. Why does Bridget say that her aunt seems like a whole new person? (Aunt Faith focuses on what is important in life—helping others—and giving of her time and her hair to that cause; she relies on God more than ever, and this show through in her joy and confidence.)
  8. How does Matthew 5:16 and the star necklace help Bridget overcome her fears about entering the 6th grade? (She’s encouraged to shine the light of God in all she does; People will be drawn to her kindness and good deeds more than her clothes or hairstyle.) 
After Reading
  1. How is Aunt Faith’s inner beauty expressed in this story? (She made a personal sacrifice for the children in her charity by cutting her hair and also by visiting them on a regular basis. Also, through being a positive role model for Bridget.)
  2. How does Star’s singing audition parallel Bridget’s public reading challenge? (They both lift a prayer to Heaven before they walk in front of the crowd; even though both are nervous about their challenge, they don’t give up.)
  3. How did Bridget grow as a person by the end of the book? (At first she was very self-focused and outwardly-focused on her appearance; by the end she sacrificed something she loved very much, her hair, for the benefit of others; she becomes other-focused and even encourages the audience to get involved in helping others. In the beginning she wonders if she could ever inspire others but by the end she inspires her community to get involved in charity work; Her sacrifice is what becomes fashionable in the end—both her act of giving and her new hairstyle.)
Advanced Questions:
  1. Discuss the issue of sickness and disease with your child.
  2. Go into further discussion about having ‘joy in sacrifice.’ Share examples from your own life when you found joy in sacrifice, or when your child experienced it.
  3. Discuss the topic of volunteerism. Why is this important in our world? What does God say about helping others?
  4. In our culture, so much emphasis is put on outward appearances that many girls feel pressured to look a certain way. Discuss this with your child and help her to find her true worth on the inside. List her admirable characteristics and praise her for those attributes.
  5. Discuss any issues that your child may have anxiety or fears about. Pray together regarding these issues.
Activities:
  1. Contact your local hospital and volunteer to visit the children’s floor.
  2. Research a list of the charities in your area and get involved in one.
  3. You or your child might consider growing out your hair for the “Locks of Love” organization. Visit their web site for more information. http://www.locksoflove.org/