December Book Club

Book Club Discussion Questions for Huckleberry Hearts

 

1. Why has Doctor Reynolds lost his faith? How can we use traumatic events in our lives to strengthen our faith instead of tear it down?

 

2. Anna and Felty are accepting and supportive of Cassie’s choice not to join the church. What should we do when loved ones make choices we don’t agree with?

3. Cassie rejects Zach because of her experiences with him in the past. Why do we sometimes put people “in a box” and not allow them to change?

 

4. Zach makes a connection with a little boy because of a soccer scarf, then Zach wonders if the encounter is a coincidence or part of some greater plan. What do you think? How can we learn to recognize the little miracles in our lives?

 

5. Zach feels like Cassie’s mother and brother bully Cassie, but Cassie does not like conflict and tries to be a peacemaker. Do you agree with the way Cassie deals with her mother and brother? Do you agree with the way Zach deals with them? What do you think motivates Norman and Esther to treat Cassie the way they do?

 

6. Why do you think Zach decides not to sleep with Blair? What has he learned about himself and the nature of love?

 

7. Zach realizes that his faith has been nothing but a misguided hope that God will be his own personal genie who exists only to grant his wishes. When God does not do what Zach wants, he stops believing. What does Zach come to learn about faith?

 

8. In the hospital chapel, Felty tells Zach, “Jesus said, ‘Thy will be done.’ Can you say that and mean it?” What is Felty trying to teach Zach?

 

Huckleberry Hearts book club Amish menu:

 

Fruit Plate

Homemade Wheat Bread

White American Cheese Spread (served on bread at Amish church dinners)

Peanut Butter Spread (served on bread at Amish church dinners)

Amish Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

 

Recipes:

White American Cheese Spread

Heat 7 cups of milk to almost boiling. Add a 5-pound block of sliced American cheese. Stir constantly on low heat for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cool. Spread on homemade bread. Delicious when topped with Peanut Butter Spread (below).

 

Peanut Butter Spread

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

¾ cup white sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup (Karo)

1 cup water

 

Mix above ingredients together and boil for 5 minutes. Cool. Mix in approximately 2 18-ounce jars of peanut butter (until it’s the right consistency for spreading).

 

Amish Apple Cake—Easy and delicious

2 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups apples, peeled and chopped

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Mix eggs, sugar, and oil. Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. Add apples and vanilla. (Batter will look more like cookie dough than cake batter.) Pour into greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with Caramel Sauce.

 

Caramel Sauce

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar

8 oz. evaporated milk

 

Combine above ingredients and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla and a dash of nutmeg.