Why do you think that Ivory told Monique to introduce herself as Sarah?

This kind of question could help spark discussion about racial tension and issues of fitting in in The Yellow House. When Broom is born, her mother names her Monique. However, by the time she's ready to start school, her mother wants her to introduce herself as Sarah. She believes the name—which is more common and coded white more than Monique in that area—will help her daughter fit in. You can lead the discussion to topics like why she believed that and whether it made a difference. You might discuss how her life would have gone differently if she was known as Monique.

Why is the yellow house so central to the story?

The yellow house is a large part of Broom's identity. After it's destroyed, rebuilt, destroyed and demolished, she and her mother think that the stories of the house are the only thing they have left. It's representative of both her family and the deep corruption in New Orleans.

What job do you think was best for Broom? How did they contribute to her development?

Each person will have a different opinion on this. For example, it's clear that her life overseas was too difficult to maintain, but a person could argue that her job there exposed her to a different way of living. Working for Mayor Nagin was demoralizing, but it gave her a better insight into why New Orleans wasn't moving forward.