Book Club Questions1. In the opening sections of In Search of April Raintree, the author, Beatrice Culleton Mosionier, crafts a close and supportive relationship between April and Cheryl. The relationship forms the dramatic tension through which other events in the text are explored. How successful is the author in showing the closeness between the girls in the opening pages? What events make this relationship more vulnerable and what events strengthen it? Would the sisters have been as close if these events had not occurred? How reflective is this intimacy of relationships between sisters in general? 
2. The question of parental rights with regard to their children’s health and well-being forms and important sub-theme in the novel. To what extent is this theme shaped by the girls’ identities as Metis children? Is the shelter and safety provided by the foster homes adequate, or does Mosionier suggest that something more than these minimum requirements is necessary? If so, what form should these additional elements take? 3. The author shows how April craves stability by entering into a marriage that promises economic and social security. Yet the marriage fails for a number of complex reasons. What reason seems paramount to you as a reader? 4. Cheryl’s activism in support of Aboriginal issues is often regarded as a positive outcome of her early introduction to Aboriginal issues from a Metis foster mother. From your experience and knowledge of Aboriginal issues would you say that mainstream education has been adequate? How has the representation of Aboriginal issues in schools changed? Do you think they need to change further? 5. The graphic sexual assault scene is often regarded as unbearable for its portrayal of violence against women. Some critics have argued that it should be cut from the novel, especially for young readers, while others argue that it is necessary to the overall vision of the text. What position do you agree with and why? 6. Readers are also divided about which events led to the breakdown of the sisters’ relationship. They note, in particular, Cheryl’s deceptions and April’s inability to forgive Cheryl’s behavior, especially in her sex-trade work. Would you agree with these assessments? What other factors contribute to this rift? 7. Cheryl’s speech at the powwow addresses relevant concerns about the environment. How does it relate to the overall health of Aboriginal people? All people? 8. The novel ends on a positive note, suggesting April’s return to community and her strong identification with Aboriginal issues. Do you find the ending convincing? Does Mosionier suggest that political identification can change the meaning of the losses that April has experienced? 9. Mosionier is a novelist of considerable craft and talent who writes with an open dramatic style that is also very effective in eliciting a strong emotional response to her writing. Her style might be compared to that of Toni Morrison’s for its representation of difficult knowledge and complex social issues. What comparisons might you draw between Mosionier and Morrison or between Mosionier and another author you are familiar with?
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