Bad Order is a mid-grade novel.

About writing Bad Order

Bad Order

1)  Best friends, Mary and Brit realized that social media was bumming them out.  But they found that when they didn’t compare themselves to others, “it made their lame fun seem funner.” What are some of your favorite lame activities?  (Brit and Mary painted all their nails different colors and made snow angels).  What would you do for cheap and nearby fun?

 

2)  Albert could send Mary telepathic messages that combined various senses.  Find an example of one of his memos and draw a picture of it.

 

3)  The SMHR units were traveling in space via a space warp.  Research theoretical space travel and write about it.

 

4)  Draw what you think the SMHR units looked like.

 

5)  Draw the negative forces that seeped into the world by using just shapes and colors—no recognizable things.  Make the viewer feel the creepiness!

 

6)  When Albert was trying to send good thoughts to the half constant, he recalled things that made him happy—like math, Mary, and Mom.  What good thoughts would you send if your life depended on it?

 

7)  The SMHR units said that Albert was the key, but Mary was compassionate, Brit was smart, and Lars was brave.  What are you?  Draw your essence into a memo.

 

8)  Mary and Brit were avoiding social media for all of Christmas break.  Could you do it for a day—a week—longer?  Do it and write about it.

 

9)  Lars’s band was called “Gut Me.”  What would you call your band?  Create an album cover to sell it.

 

10) The brothers and sisters in this story got along pretty well.  What do you like best about your sibling or best friend?  (Just focus on the good stuff).


Sterling Children’s Publishing

Cover illustration by Shane Rebenschied.

Background art for this page is "Moon over Adeline" by B.B. Ullman.

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