1. By Candy Gourlay
Tall Story
A D I S C U S S I O N G U I D E B Y T H E A U T H O R

2. Characters

3. Bernardo
grewupinthePhilippines.

4. Bernardo
grewupinthePhilippines.
Hewisheshecouldbewith
hissisterinLondon.

5. Bernardo
HesuffersfromGIGANTISM.
grewupinthePhilippines.
Hewisheshecouldbewith
hissisterinLondon.

6. GIGANTISM
Is a growth disease.

7. GIGANTISM
Is a growth disease.
You can get this tall.

8. Andi

9. Andiis short …

10. Andiis short …
but she’s
AMAZING
at basketball!

11. Andiis short …
but she’s
AMAZING
at basketball!
She’s not sure about
her long lost brother
from the Philippines.

12. Think

13. Think
Bernardo is a Giant.
What do you think it’s like to be
different like Bernardo

14. Think
What would you do if you were
different like Bernardo?

15. Think
How do people react when they
meet someone who’s different
like Bernardo? Why?

16. Think
How would you react if you met
someone like Bernardo?
Why?

17. Setting

18. Think
Bernardo and Andi grew up in
different cultures.

19. CULTURE
refers to traditions, style
social habits, beliefs,
language, religion, food.

20. CULTURE
refers to traditions, style
social habits, beliefs,
language, religion, food.
Filipino Culture!

21. CULTURE
refers to traditions, style
social habits, beliefs,
language, religion, food.
Filipino Culture!

22. CULTURE
refers to traditions, style
social habits, beliefs,
language, religion, food.
English Culture!Filipino Culture!

23. CULTURE
refers to traditions, style
social habits, beliefs,
language, religion, food.
English Culture!Filipino Culture!
Yeoman
image
by
Andrew
Ga1

24. Think

25. Think
What do you think are some of the
cultural differences between the
Bernardo and Andi?

26. Think
Do you know anyone who’s
culturally different from you? How?

27. Think
How do the cultural differences
affect the relationship
of Bernardo and Andi?

28. Think
Bernardo and Andi grew up in
different environments.

29. Bernardo grew up in
the Philippines.

30. Andi grew up in
London.

31. Think

32. Think
Which setting is most like
your own? Why?

33. Think
How does his environment
influence Bernardo’s character?

34. Think
How does her environment
influence Andi’s personality?

35. Think
How does her environment
influence Andi’s personality?

36. Think
How has your environment
influenced you?

37. Story

38. Think
The story alternates between
Bernardo and Andi’s voice.
Why is the story told this way?

39. Think
Both Andi and Bernardo have very
strong desires. What do each of
them want and how does the story
show this?

40. Think
Filipino legends are woven into
Bernardo’s side of the story. What
do the legends explain?

41. Think
There are magical elements in the
story. Bernardo’s wish comes true
and so does Andi’s. Do you think
it’s because of the magic? Why?

42. More Reading

43. Cosmic
by Frank Cottrell Boyce
He’s so tall he manages to
fool a dealer into letting
him test drive a car. But is
signing up for a trip to
outer space a step too far?
Wonder
by RJ Palacio
He’s funny, smart and brave –
but he’s got no face and now
he’s got to attend real school.
How is he going to cope?
The Absolutely True Diary
of a Part-time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
Native American boy dares to
leave the reservation to become
the only Indian in school.
Hilarious and sad.

44. I hope you enjoyed
this discussion guide.
A good book should
make you think and
I hope Tall Story has
done just that.
Thank you for reading
my book!
Candy Gourlay

45. candygourlay.com
With thanks to Sarah McIntyre for the Tall Story cartoon
jabberworks.livejournal.com