Girl in Pieces
Written by Kathleen Glasgow

Publisher’s Summary:
Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people do in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you. Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

Primary Source Pairing:
Charlie’s short life has been filled with great sorrow. She has coped but in dangerous ways. Meanwhile, music has been a constant for Charlie from when she was a little girl with her dad on the porch to her tumultuous time with Riley to her hopes for her momentous future. For this primary source pairing, use a Spotify playlist created by author Kathleen Glasgow for the book. Listen to the songs, consider the lyrics, and discuss the impact music had on Charlie.

Questions for Discussion:

• Describe what you hear.
• What do you notice first?
• When you hear any voices, can you understand what is being sung or said?
• Does it sound like an interview or a conversation?
• Do you know the song, or do you recognize any instruments?
• What other details can you hear?
• How do the lyrics of the story relate to Charlie’s story?

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0SAo3cUFr2tZOCT1NUg6cW