Ode to an Onion:
Pablo Neruda and His Muse
Alexandria Giardino

• Did you like the book? How did it make you feel while reading it?

  
   

• How did the illustrations impact the story? Were they distracting at all or useful?

  
   

• Matilde brings Pablo to her garden to cheer him up by showing him how the plants grow and by cooking with him. What do you do when you are sad to cheer yourself up?

  
   

• In the garden, there are some crops known as “companion plants,” plants that help one another grow by sharing nutrients and making both stronger. How are Matilde and Pablo similar to these companion plants?

  
   

• On page 14, Matilde expresses her gratitude to the onions, saying to them “Thank you for taking care of the peaches.” Gratitude is the practice of being thankful for what we have and showing our appreciation for it. Matilde is thankful that her onions protect the peach tree and that she is able to make food from them to feed her and Pablo. List three things you are grateful for and why. How did that exercise make you feel?

  
   

• At the end of the story, Pablo has learned that sharing his emotions, both sad and happy or a mix of both, makes him feel better. Pablo does this by talking to Matilde, helping out in the garden outdoors, and writing. What are some ways that you can communicate how you feel?

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• If you are able to read or understand the poem in its original form, how does this poem compare to the translation? Is there one that you like more?

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• Did you enjoy the poem or the story behind the poem more? Why might that be? Does the poem add anything to the story?

 

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• How does the story tell the message of the poem? Does it do a good job? Why or why not?

 

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• After reading the poem, try writing one of your own using an everyday object!