1. Magda's parents and aunts immigrated to the US as young adults for different reasons.  How does their experience compare and contrast to that of  many of the immigrants from various countries today?

2. Magda had very conflicted feelings about Mama.  What were your thoughts about Mama and the influence she had on Magda?

3. Magda's family had strong German cultural influences because of the older generation's immigration and their close connections to the local German-American community.  Are some of traditions that her family observed similar to or different from those of families you know today?

4. How did Magda's relationship with Papa change over the course of the story?

5. Magda had 4 older siblings.  How did they influence her efforts to chart a different course for her life, compared to theirs?

6. What were some of the most important lessons Magda learned from Aunt Minnie and Aunt Tilly--not counting her school lessons.  How did they influence her behavior?

7. Why was Magda so determined to join the Red Cross?  If she hadn't had the opportunity to become a volunteer nurse's aide, what do you think she would have done during the war?

8. How did the Spanish flu compare, in your mind, with the Covid-19 pandemic?  

For an excellent Middle Grade novel (for ages 9-12) set in the same historical period of WWI and the Spanish flu, I highly recommend Pharmacy Girl: The Great War, Spanish influenza, and the Truth about Billy Detwiler, published by Kate Szegda in 2019.