Tuning In

1. List 5 things you ‘know’ or have heard about autism.

2. Write down 3 ‘I wonder…’ questions about autism.

 Chapter One
1. How would you describe a melt-down?

2. How do you feel about change?

3. Explain the key that hangs around Tilly’s neck.

4. Tilly is making a book about sea-creatures. What is

something that you are interested in and would make a book
about?

5. Why do you think the mother is looking so ‘flat’?

 Chapter Two

1. Why do you believe the washing machine helps Oliver to

sleep?

2. Oliver yelled, hit the wall and threw things. What is

making him do this?

3. What makes Oliver ‘excited’?

4. What do you believe keeps Oliver calm and happy?

5. Is there something you do not like the feel, sound or

smell of? Explain your answer.

6. What characters have been introduced to us so far?

Use three words to describe each of their character
traits.
 Chapter Three

1. What food does Oliver not like the smell of? What
foods
do you not like the smell of?

2. Why do you think Oliver doesn’t like his picture being

taken?

3. What is Oliver ‘sensitive’ to?

4. ‘Oliver’s autism means that he, ‘... sees the world very

differently’. What does this mean?

 Chapter Four

1. How would you describe Tilly’s feelings in this

chapter?

2. Do you think Oliver will cope with having to move?

What
makes you say that?

3. If you ‘Stepped Inside’ Tilly, how would you feel and

react?

4. What reaction was Tilly hoping for when she showed

her
mum her drawing and what reaction did she get? Why did
her mum react in this way?

5. What is your prediction for when they move?

 Chapter Five

1. Where are Oliver’s family moving to? Have you ever had
to
move? How did you feel?

2. Why do you think Tilly is worried about the day that the
rubbish is collected in Townsville?

3. What things does Tilly check for in Townsville, to ensure

that
Oliver is going to be ok?

4. What do you know about neon tetras? What do you

wonder
about neon tetras? Research and find the answers to your
wonderings.
 Chapter Six

1. What does Tilly smell of? What smells bother you?

2. How does Tilly describe the bird?

3. How does Oliver feel in his booster seat? What made him
feel
this way? What was it that calmed him down?

4. What three questions would you ask Tilly at this stage of

the
novel?

5. How has the mood changed by the end of this chapter?

 Chapter Seven

1. Draw a hibiscus.

2. Why does Tilly think that the neighbours might not

be friends with her aunty after tonight?

3. What is the importance of having a fence for

Oliver?

4. What is a misconception that people often make about

Oliver?

5. What is the best way to calm Oliver? What makes you

feel calm when you are upset?
 Chapter Eight
1. Do you think the aunt’s house is set up appropriately for
Oliver?
What makes you say that?

2. How do you think the mosquitoes make Oliver feel?

3. Tilly thinks she will feel like a small fish in a big-pond at her
new
school. What does this mean? Do you feel like a small fish in a
big-pond or a big fish in a small-pond? Explain your answer.

4. Tilly slumps her shoulders. What is this showing us and not

telling us?

5. For a moment Tilly wishes she was a bat. Why does she
wish
this? If you were a bat, where would you go?
 Chapter Nine

1. How does Tilly feel about having her own room?

Explain your answer.

2. What things make Oliver feel better? Is this the same for
Tilly?

3. Explain why Oliver’s face is red and swollen.

4. Tilly has her favourite dolphin doona on her bed. What

things in
your bedroom are special to you?

5. Research a nudibranch. Draw one and record three

interesting
facts about them.

6. Tilly wonders if Oliver actually loves her. How do you know

that
you are loved by your family?
 Chapter Ten
1. Why may it be a good thing that the cockatoos make
deafening shrieking noises?

2. Tilly say’s her life has been turned upside-down. Why

does
she say this?

3. Why do you think Tilly’s mum keeps holding off on

organising
swimming?

4. What has happened to Tilly’s relationship with her mother

by
the end of this chapter?

5. What has Tilly done to Oliver and what has caused her to
do
this?
 Chapter Eleven
1. What makes Tilly churn with guilt?

2. A lady frowns and crosses the street. What is this lady

thinking?

3. Who is your favourite character in the book so far and

why?

4. Think of a new title for the book.

5. What three wonderings do you have about the rest of the

book?

6. If Oliver did not have autism, how different would Tilly’s

life
be?
 Chapter Twelve

1. Why does Tilly think her mum is crazy?

2. Were you surprised with Aunt Janine’s reactions to Oliver

and Tilly? What makes you say that?

3. What words would you use to describe Aunt Janine in

this
chapter?

4. What connections are there between the book and your

life?

5. Write an Acrostic poem about Oliver. Make sure it

describes
him.
 Chapter Thirteen
1. What does ‘break a leg’ mean?
2. Why do you think Tilly is worried about leaving Oliver alone
with Aunt Janine? What might happen?
3. How does Aunt Janine’s compliments and attention make
Tilly feel? How do you feel when someone compliments you?
4. Do you think Aunt Janine was prepared for Oliver’s
meltdown? Explain your answer.
5. List three facts about Oliver. Then, list three opinions about
him.
 Chapter Fourteen
1. What did they do to try to calm Oliver down?
2. The rubbish truck comes on Mondays, why may this be an
issue for Oliver?
3. What happened to upset Tilly so much?
4. Do you think Tilly’s behaviour was uncalled for? Or do you
believe it is understandable? Explain your answer?
5. What would you do if you were in Tilly’s shoes?
6. How do you think Oliver is going to react to
his mother’s hair? What makes you say that?
 Chapter Fifteen
1. What does Tilly mean when she asks her aunt if she likes
Oliver?
2. Do you think Tilly is the lucky one? Explain your answer.
3. What does Aunt Janine do for Tilly to make her so happy?
4. What is a Moorish idol? Research it, draw a picture and find

three interesting facts.

5. Complete a ‘Who’s Who? ‘for the story so far. If you had to
introduce a new character at this point in the story
who would you add and why?
 Chapter Sixteen
1. How has Tilly’s behaviour changed in this chapter?
2. Do you think she has a reason to behave this way? Explain
your answer.
3. What do you think Tilly will do if she makes it to the river?
4. If you got the chance to ask the author one question, what
would it be?
5. If you could hear this same story from another character’s
point of view, who would you choose? How would it be
different?
6. Imagine Tilly is writing in her diary that night. What would it
say?
 Chapter Seventeen

1. What mixed emotions is Tilly feeling in this chapter?

2. What advice would you give to Tilly at this point in the
novel?
3. What do you think is happening back at Aunt Janine’s house

while Tilly is at the river?

4. Tilly wonders what it would be like to have a different
brother. What do you wonder about your family?
5. A helicopter can be heard at the end of this chapter. What
do you think is happening?
 Chapter Eighteen

1. In this chapter Tilly’s worrying has turned to guilt.

Tell about a time that you have felt guilty.
2. What is a ‘rubbernecker’? Have you ever been or seen a
rubbernecker?
3. What are the police doing at Aunt Janine’s? What do you
think has happened to Oliver?
4. What do you think Tilly is thinking when she is hugged by
the police officer? Draw this and show her thoughts in a
thought bubble.
 Chapter Nineteen

1. What information do the police have about Oliver? Is there

anything else you think they should know?
2. Design a ‘Missing Person’ poster for Oliver including the
important details.
3. Tilly says that it is all her fault that Oliver has run away. Do
you agree? What makes you say that?
4. The police officer tells them to get some rest and eat. What
do you think of this advice? What would you be doing?
5. Anything could happen next. What is the best-case
scenario and the worst-case scenario?
 Chapter Twenty

1. Read the news report about William, the missing boy in

Australia.
2. What connections can you make about Oliver and William?
3. Complete a Who, What, When about William.
4. Highlight the direct and indirect speech in the news report.
5. Write a news report for the local newspaper in Townsville,
use the same writing style as the Seven News report.
6. Edit and publish your report on the news report template.
 Chapter Twenty-one

1. Summarise chapter twenty-one using SWBST. How do you

feel after reading it? What predictions do you have for
chapter twenty-two?
2. If Oliver is found how might the author describe this
moment? Write your own part to this story.
3. In this chapter the neighbours have come together to help a
member of their community. Make a connection telling about
a time that this has happened in your neighbourhood.
4. By the end of this chapter it is dawn. Make a list of Tilly’s
physical and emotional feelings at this point in the story.
 Chapter Twenty-two

1. Read the news report about William after he was found.

2. What connections can you make about Oliver and William?
3. Highlight the direct and indirect speech in the news report.
4. Write a news report for the local newspaper in Townsville,
using the same writing style as the Seven News report.
5. Edit and publish your report on the news report template.
 Chapter Twenty-three

1. Explain how everything has ‘fallen in to place’ for Tilly and

her family in this chapter.
2. Tilly says ‘If you think positive, everything will turn out fine’.
Do you agree with this? Explain your answer.
3. Find and highlight the two similes on page 123. Write a simile
for each character in this book.
4. Do you remember learning to swim? Can you make any
connections to Tilly and her first swimming lesson?
5. Chapter 24 is the final chapter. Before reading it, write
your own final chapter. How would you like to see
this story end?
 Chapter Twenty-four

1. Draw the photo of Tilly and Ollie.

2. How would the book be different if Aunt Janine did not
exist?
3. What do you wonder about Oliver’s future?
4. What did you enjoy most about this story?
5. Write a book review for this story and publish it online.
6. Work with a partner and create a book trailer for ‘The Thing
About Oliver’.