Discussion Questions/Talking Points• Graphic novels typically contain some or all of the following: panels, word balloons, sound effects, motion lines, narration, and

background colors. Find examples of as many of these elements as possible in this book.• How do you read a graphic novel? Panel by panel? Pictures first and then text? Text first and then pictures? There is no single

“right” way. Compare your approach with a classmate’s.• Look at pages 18–19. What do you learn from just the text on these pages? What do you learn from just the images? What

word would you use to describe Jimmy’s emotion in each panel?• Color and art are integral to the storytelling process within a graphic novel. Jimmy has been

sick for weeks; he’s finding it hard to get motivated at school and his grades are falling. Look at pages 56–57, when Jimmy’s dad takes him to a comic book store for the first time. What do you notice about the color palette on these pages? How does it reflect Jimmy’s life at this point in the narrative? On page 57, what effect do the size and shape of the panels and their contents have on the passage of time? What happens to the panel sizes and the color palette when you turn the page? How does this affect the storyline and your understanding of Jimmy’s character?

• Literary devices frequently featured in graphic novels include point of view, flashbacks, and foreshadowing. Where do you find examples of these in The Dumbest Idea Ever!?

Extension Activities• Create panels and dialogue for a new scene in the novel. Perhaps Jimmy is approached by a

young fan at the mall, or Jimmy gets to see Marnie again when they’re both in high school.• When in middle school, Jimmy makes a presentation to the class about the merits of graphic

literature. Do graphic novel have a legitimate place in the curriculum? Write a persuasive essay expressing your position on this question. Be sure to cite examples to back up your arguments.

• Start a graphic novel club with fellow students who especially enjoy this literary form. At monthly meetings, encourage members to book talk graphic novels they’ve read since the last meeting. Create “Great Graphics!” forms for students in the club to fill out to recommend individual titles. Post them in the school library for other students to see.

SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. Art copyright © 2017 by Jimmy Gownley.

ISBN 978-0-545-45346-2 hardcover

ISBN 978-0-545-45347-9 paperback

THE DUMBEST IDEA EVER!Jimmy GownleyAt thirteen, Jimmy was popular, at the top of his class, and the leading scorer on his basketball team. But all of that changed when chicken pox and a bout of pneumonia forced him to miss the championship game and weeks of school. Before Jimmy knew it, his grades were sinking and nothing seemed to be going right. But when a friend gives Jimmy the dumbest idea ever—to create a comic book about the two of them—things start falling into place again. Sure, there are some bumps along the way, but who ever said life was easy?

About the Creator Jimmy Gownley began writing and drawing comics at age fifteen and has been nominated for the Eisner Award eleven times. He cofounded the organization Kids Love Comics, which works to promote comic books and graphic novels as valuable tools for literacy and education. He lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

AN IMPRINT OF Some questions revised from Scholastic’s A Guide to Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens, which can be

found at www.scholastic.com/discussionguides.

www.scholastic.com/graphix