Discussion questions

As you are reading The Lemonade War with your family, you can use these questions to help offer some discussion.

Please note: Ms. Davis jumps back and forth between the siblings perspectives. Chapters 1 and 3 are told in Evan’s point of view while chapters 2 and 4 are told in Jessie’s point of view. This pattern continues throughout the story. The changing of perspective always leads to great discussions!

Week 1:

Chapter 1 (1-10)

  • Why do you think Evan is angry at Jessie?

  • Do you think the sibling's actions were appropriate when they weren't agreeing?

  • Have you ever said something to someone in your family you didn’t really mean? Why?


Chapter 2 (11-26)

  • If you were Evan, how would you be feeling?

  • If you were Jessie, how would you be feeling?

  • How are the words “break-up” important in this chapter?


Chapter 3 (27-40)

  • How did Jessie’s action get wrongly interpreted by Evan?

  • Why are Megan and Jessie getting more money than Evan?

  • Do you think you work better alone, or with another person?

  • What are profits?


Week 2:

Chapter 4 (41-58)

  • Are you a numbers person, or a picture person? Is it easier for you to solve problems with numbers or pictures?

  • Jessie did not understand why Evan was mad at her. What is Jessie's side of the story? How is it different from Evan's?


Chapter 5 (59-66)

  • What are some personality traits Jessie and Evan have in common?

  • Evan says that he doesn't like competition? Do you like to be competitive?

  • Have you ever been in an argument with a brother, a sister, or a friend? How did it feel?

  • What charitable donations have you made or would like to make in the future?


Chapter 6 (67-86)

  • Jessie and Megan had to buy the lemonade for the next day with the sales from yesterday, how are they going to get ahead when Evan and Scott got their lemonade for free?

  • Meeting new people can be difficult. How do you feel when you meet a new friend?

  • What idea has been the best to increase lemonade sales? If you had to run a lemonade stand, what would you do to increase sales?


Week 3:

Chapter 7 (87-100)

  • Officer Ken told Evan, “I’ve got a little sister, too. Love her to death, now, but when we were kids-”. How do you think Officer Ken would have finished his sentence?

  • If your parents grew up with a sibling, ask them to describe their relationship now and when they were Evan and Jessie’s age.

  • How has Evan’s money spending changed throughout the story?

  • Evan has a difficult time saving money. Are you a “saver” or a “spender”?


Chapter 8 (101-121)

  • What is profit margin?

  • How can you wake up tired?

  • How would you convince your friends to have a lemonade stand with you?


Chapter 9 (122-127)

  • Do you think Evan is regretting the lemonade war? Why or why not?

  • What changed Evan’s wish to end the war?

  • Evan tells a story about when he got a 100 on a test, but then didn't show his mom because Jessie won a contest. Why do you think he did this?

  • What do you think is going to happen next?


Week 4:

Chapter 10 (128-142)

  • What kind of “fireworks” is Jessie expecting?

  • Why does Jessie cry to her mom?

  • What did her mother suggest to help her solve her problem with Evan?

  • Who do you confide in when you need to talk something through?


Chapter 11 (143-151)

  • Which character experience a total loss? Why?

  • How do you think Evan is feeling?

  • How do think Jessie is feeling?


Chapter 12 & 13 (152-159)

  • Have you ever felt guilty about the way you treated a friend or a sibling?

  • How do we know Jessie is missing Evan?

  • Do you think Evan made even terms by stealing Jessie’s money?


Chapter 14 (160-173)

  • How do the vocabulary words relate to the chapter throughout the book?

  • Do think Evan or Jessie won the war? Why?

  • If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?

  • How much money did Evan and Jessie have in the end?

  • What does Ms. Treski mean by, "One thing ends, another begins?"

  • At the very end, Jessie whispers to Evan that she has an idea on how to get the money back. What idea do you think she has?