1. What influence does Monica's decision to stay home and care for her grandparents have on her values and aspirations? How does this choice shape her growth?

2. Discuss the purpose of Monica’s EMBRS project. Would you consider using this technology? If so, how would you?

3. How does Monica's relationship with her grandmother, Yun, evolve throughout the story?

4. What does the phoenix in the title, THE PHOENIX PENCIL COMPANY, symbolize in the novel? Does that symbol resonate with any of these characters? If so, who?

5. The magic in this novel allows Monica and Yun to Reforge memories from the past. What memories would you preserve? And how does this magic relate to the act of keeping a journal or diary? How else do we preserve cherished memories from our past?

6. What sacrifices have Monica and Yun made for each other? Would you say that sacrifice is always an act of love?

7. This novel says a great deal about the influence our families can have on us, across generations. How did Yun and Meng’s upbringings shape them and their choices?

8. Discuss Louise’s actions throughout the book. Does she play a role in shaping Monica and Yun’s relationship? If so, how?

9. Why do you think Allison King decided to braid the structure of the novel with Yun’s memories working at the Phoenix Pencil Company? What impact does this structure have on the storytelling?

10. As the novel progresses, Yun’s memory begins to fade. What impact does this have on the narrative? How do the twin acts of remembering and forgetting relate to the story?