1.The events of the book are set in motion when Billy's father spanks Billy after Billy runs out into a busy road. The spanking comes froma place of fear and love, but is seen quite differently by a stranger. Do you think Billy's father's actions were inappropriate? Is it everjustifiable to spank a child?

2.Everyone in this book'from Billy's parents, to the passerby who reports Billy's father to the authorities, to the social workers, to thedoctor who examines Billy'has Billy's best interests at heart, and yet he is put through a harrowing experience, from the conflict at hometo the climactic scene on the cliffs of Dover with his father. How could this have been avoided, if at all?

3.Were you nervous that Billy would be taken away from his family? At what point did you get nervous? Which parts of the book werethe most tense, for you?

4.Would you have done anything differently as Billy's parents? Did you find yourself judging his father? His mother? Both? Equally?

5.Is Billy a 'normal' six-year-old?

6.Billy's narration is an integral part of this novel. How would this book be different if it were told from an adult'or third person'point ofview?

7.Billy is often unconsciously very funny. Which were some of your favorite lines of his? What part does humor play in the book?

8.Billy's sees the world through the prism of David Attenborough's wildlife documentaries, and likens people to animals. How does this trait affect the action? What animal do you think Billy, himself, would be?

9.Billy says at the beginning of the novel, "Nobody is bad or good here, or rather everyone is a bit bad and a bit good and the bad andthe good molecules get mixed up against each other and produce terrible chemical reactions." Did you put any one character "at fault"for what happened? Or did you feel it was an accidental confluence of events?

10.What roles do you think that Cicely, Lizzy and Grandma Lynne have within the story?

11.How do you think Billy, twenty years from now, will look back on these events of his childhood?

12.Grandma Lynne, talking to Billy's parents, says, 'Things like this. They snowball. You have to react quickly to stop them getting out of hand.' Do you think the social workers react proportionately to the accusations against Jim? What difficulties does the state face in protecting children from abuse?