Dare County Library Book Club Information and Resource Center

HELLO, UNIVERSE by Erin Entrada Kelly

Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). “Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits.”—Booklist

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.

They aren’t friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

The acclaimed and award-winning author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia.

1. How do Virgil's feelings of being "unbuttered toast" relate to his experiences and interactions with his family? 
2. What does Valencia's nightmare reveal about her fears and her relationship with her mother? 
3. How does Kaori's "second sight" or psychic abilities shape her worldview and help her connect with others? 
4. What motivates Chet Bullens to bully others, and can someone like him change?
5. What is the significance of the title Hello, Universe and how does it relate to the story's events and themes?
6. How do animals, like Gulliver the guinea pig and Sacred the stray dog, serve as important connections between the characters?
7. Discuss the role of fate and destiny in the novel. Are the events that bring the characters together random, or are they orchestrated?
8. How does the use of Filipino folklore, such as the story of the mythical bird Pan, add to the narrative and teach important cultural lessons?
9. How does Virgil's experience being trapped in the well change him and help him become a hero?
10. Describe the different types of communication challenges faced by the characters, particularly Valencia's deafness and how others perceive it.
11. How does the seemingly random chain of events, from the encounter at the Super Saver to the events in the woods, ultimately bring Virgil and Valencia together? 

Learn more about Virgil's Filipino heritage from The Smithsonian. 

Check out this collection of Creation Myths from the Philippines from the University of Pittsburgh.

Learn more about children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing like Valencia.