Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think the Fuller family remained in Africa despite the hardships they faced? What draws the two sisters back after leaving for college?

2. Does Fuller give you a sense of the Africa she experienced in her descriptions? Did you notice anything unique in her writing style?

3. Bobo and Vanessa seem very different personalities. How do the two sisters differ in the ways that they relate to each other and to the adults in their lives?

4. Where do you think the title comes from and why did the author choose it?

5. Nicola, the mother, is a memorable character who faces several challenges. What was her impact on her family and friends/neighbors?

6. What struck you about the racial tensions and cultural differences portrayed in Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, particularly between black Africans and white Africans?

7. Animals are everywhere in this African setting, both domestic and wild. Think of some examples where animals' behavior is compared to human behavior/interaction.

8. What role does superstition play in this book? Look for examples in the behavior and beliefs of both black and white Africans.

9. Over the course of Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, how does the narrator change and grow?

10. By the end of the narrative, how do you think the author feels about Africa? Has the book changed your own perceptions about this part of the world?
 

Random House Reader's Guide - Click here

• Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight 
• The Author  
• Further Reading 
• Discussion Questions