Before Reading: Setting the Stafe

These activities help readers build context and emotional readiness before stepping into Bakari’s world.

Reflect on the Title

• What does the word “Unshattered” suggest to you?

• Can you think of a time when someone (real or fictional) remained whole through hardship?
  

Explore the Setting

Connect with the Themes

Prediction Activity

• Find Senegal on a map. What do you already know about West Africa?
  

• Look up one cultural tradition, food, or custom from Senegal that interests you.

• Discuss: How might the 1990s setting shape Bakari’s story?

• Journal prompt: What helps people stay resilient in the face of loss or change?

• Share: What does “resilience” look like in your family or community?

• After reading the synopsis, what do you think Bakari’s greatest challenge will be

• List a few questions you hope the story will answer. Revisit them after reading.
  

While Reading:

Deep Dive Discussion Questions

Character & Identity

• How does Bakari change from the beginning to the end of the novel?

• What internal battles shape his identity?
  

Tradition vs. Change

• How does tradition both ground and challenge Bakari?

• What moments show him navigating between old and new worlds?
  

Grief & Resilience

Setting & Culture

• What does the story teach about grieving in silence versus seeking support?

• What does it truly mean to be “unshattered”? Who helps Bakari remain so?
  

• How does the Senegalese context influence Bakari’s worldview?

  
  

• What 1990s details—social, political, or cultural—feel most significant?
  
  

Symbols & Imagery

Personal Reflection

• What objects or moments symbolize hope, loss, or strength?
  

• How does the author use sensory detail to draw readers into Bakari’s emotions?

• Have you ever felt caught between two expectations (family, culture, or dreams)?
  

• How can Bakari’s story build empathy for others’ struggles and resilience?

More Goodies For You

Reading isn't where it ends . . . there's more to have fun with.

Optional Group Activities

1. Soundtrack of Strength – Create a playlist of songs that capture Bakari’s emotional journey.

   
   

2. Cultural Connections – Share Senegalese proverbs or traditions that relate to themes of endurance and family.

3. Art Response – Sketch, collage, or paint what “unshattered” means to you.

After Reading: Synthesis and Reflection

1. What does Bakari teach us about healing after loss?
   
   

2. Which scene or quote stayed with you the longest—and why?
   

3. How does the novel redefine what it means to be resilient?

Suggested Pairings

1. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

   
   

2. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
   

3. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

4. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds