Unexpected
A Novel
By LaLa Thomas
Read by Angel Pean and Bahni Turpin
Table of Contents
About The Book
The bond between two best friends is put to the test when one of them gets pregnant in this “powerful and timely” (award-winning author Angela Johnson) contemporary young adult novel for fans of Angie Thomas and Elizabeth Acevedo.
Erykah was looking forward to junior year at East Prep High. She has a cute boyfriend, gets good grades, and has the best bestie. Money is tight, though that’s nothing new in her world. But everything changes when she gets pregnant. Having a baby at sixteen was definitely not part of the plan.
Kelly’s plan was to dominate junior year—grade-wise and on the basketball court—and eventually get an athletic scholarship. It did not include helping her best friend through a pregnancy. But that’s what best friends do, right? Besides, Kelly has every intention of being a good auntie.
As the two girls navigate the pregnancy, they’ll learn some harsh realities about the world and be forced to make some huge decisions. They’ll also discover a deep reserve of strength and compassion…for each other and themselves.
Erykah was looking forward to junior year at East Prep High. She has a cute boyfriend, gets good grades, and has the best bestie. Money is tight, though that’s nothing new in her world. But everything changes when she gets pregnant. Having a baby at sixteen was definitely not part of the plan.
Kelly’s plan was to dominate junior year—grade-wise and on the basketball court—and eventually get an athletic scholarship. It did not include helping her best friend through a pregnancy. But that’s what best friends do, right? Besides, Kelly has every intention of being a good auntie.
As the two girls navigate the pregnancy, they’ll learn some harsh realities about the world and be forced to make some huge decisions. They’ll also discover a deep reserve of strength and compassion…for each other and themselves.
Reading Group Guide
Reading Group Guide
16 & Pregnant
By LaLa Thomas
About the Book
Erykah was looking forward to junior year at East Prep High. She has a cute boyfriend, gets good grades, and has the best bestie. Money is tight, though that’s nothing new in her world. But everything changes when she gets pregnant. Having a baby at sixteen was definitely not part of the plan.
Kelly’s plan was to dominate junior year—grade-wise and on the basketball court—and eventually get an athletic scholarship. It did not include helping her best friend through a pregnancy. But that’s what best friends do, right? Besides, Kelly has every intention of being a good auntie.
As the two girls navigate the pregnancy, they’ll learn some harsh realities about the world and be forced to make some huge decisions. They’ll also discover a deep reserve of strength and compassion . . . for each other and themselves.
Discussion Questions
Chapter 1
1. What are some of the judgments and misconceptions Erykah has to deal with from her family about her boyfriend and their situation?
2. What do you think influences her as she makes the decision whether or not to have an abortion?
Chapter 2
3. How does Kelly’s life contrast with Erykah’s?
4. What is the role Kelly plays in Erykah’s life? How might a chosen family support someone young and pregnant in ways their given family might not?
Chapters 3 and 4
5. What is revealed in Chapter 4 that surprises Erykah?
6. According to Erykah, how does Miguel feel about the pregnancy?
7. What do you think about the idea that it’s possible to have a child while in high school and still achieve your dreams?
Chapter 5
8. Why do you think Erykah decides to keep her pregnancy a secret?
Chapter 6
9. How do you think Kelly would react if she knew the whole truth (which Erykah’s mother does not know)?
Chapter 7
10. How does Erykah’s expectation of how her pregnancy might feel contrast with reality?
11. What kind of treatment does she receive from medical workers and how does this make her feel?
Chapter 8
12. Do you think Erykah’s plan to hide her pregnancy is realistic? Why or why not?
Chapter 9
13. What happens when Erykah confides in Kelly and tells her the whole truth?
Chapter 10
14. What do you think might happen if everyone learns Erykah’s secret? Describe what you think will be different characters’ reactions, including those of her brother Jayden, Mr. Morgan, and Erykah’s friend KO.
Chapter 11
15. What happens at the party? Explain how the events of the party impact Erykah’s social status and why you think they have the impact that they do.
Chapter 12
16. How do you think Erykah’s mother will react when she hears the news? Support your response with textual evidence.
Chapter 13
17. Do you think Erykah’s mother reacted the way Erykah thought she would?
18. What stereotypes and misconceptions exist about single caregivers on welfare? How could these misconceptions be dismantled or disrupted?
Chapter 14
19. Though the girls are the same age, how are Erykah’s concerns different from Kelly’s now that she’s an expectant mother? How does this difference affect their friendship, if at all?
Chapter 15
20. What does Erykah believe the people around her think of her? Why does she feel this way about Kelly, the school administration, and the other students?
Chapters 16 and 17
21. What comparisons and differences do you see between Erykah’s and Kelly’s stories up to this point? What dreams and fears do they share?
Chapter 18
22. In your opinion, what has driven Erykah and Kelly apart? Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
Chapter 19
23. Why is Kelly nervous about the test in this chapter?
24. Do you think Kelly’s life will mirror Erykah’s? Why or why not? Make a prediction.
Chapter 20
25. After helping Erykah at the doctor’s office, why do you think Kelly makes the choice she does?
Chapter 21
26. How does the political climate influence Kelly’s decisions about pregnancy?
27. Why is Kelly hesitant to tell Erykah about the pregnancy and her upcoming appointment?
Chapter 22
28. What are some of the misconceptions Kelly admits she has about young people who get pregnant? Do you or anyone you know hold any of these same misconceptions?
Chapters 23 and 24
29. Why do you think Kelly and Erykah have different views on pregnancy?
Chapter 25
30. What, if anything, surprises you about Kelly’s parents’ reaction to her news?
Chapter 26
31. Why do you think Kelly is so self-assured and confident in her decision?
Chapter 27
32. Why do you suppose Erykah seeks so much validation from the world and so much of Kelly’s sense of self-worth comes from within?
Chapter 28
33. What kind of transformation does Kelly experience in this chapter, and how might it impact the relationships around her?
Chapter 29
34. How has Erykah changed since the beginning of the book? Consider both her relationships with others and her thoughts about her pregnancy.
Chapter 30
35. What factors bring Kelly and Erykah together in the end, though their lives wind up taking different paths?
Chapter 31
36. What are some of the health risks Erykah has had to face? How has having to confront them changed her?
Chapters 32 and 33
37. How does pregnancy bring Erykah closer to those around her?
Chapter 34
38. How does the reality of Sierra’s birth compare with Erykah’s expectations? As a reader, what did you expect from this part of Erykah’s story?
Chapter 35
39. Why do you think Erykah’s feelings toward Miguel have changed?
Chapter 36
40. How is Erykah’s story both a personal transformation and a message about reproductive justice for Black and teen mothers?
Extension Activities
Gallery Walk—Using research and considerate interview techniques, capture real-life stories of young mothers, and create a gallery walk displaying mini posters with their stories. With permission, in the top left corner place a picture of the young mother and her child. In the top right corner place her first name or a psuedonym (if she is willing to provide it). In the bottom left corner, write a shortened version of her story. In the bottom right corner, use Speak Pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/) to create an MP3 audio version of her voice telling her story, then make a QR code so that viewers can listen to her. If you do not know of any real-life stories, use those from the MTV series Teen Mom and create content for each of the squares. Display your mini posters in a gallery walk in a school or library to share the stories.
Social Media Campaign—Using your resources and library, research current news stories pertaining to reproductive justice, and create a social media campaign for your favorite platform. You may consider using the information from this resource to help spread the word: Media Literacy | Read Write Think, https://www.readwritethink.org/collections/media-literacy
Character Analysis—Using Freytag’s Pyramid, choose one character and plot the most important parts of their story on the pyramid. Use quotes from the story to align with each part of the plot pyramid. You may choose to illustrate them and explain how each moment shaped the character and their eventual outcome. https://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/plot-diagram
Let’s Debate!—Using the resources on Room for Debate, Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, or any other resource you might have access to, research current opinions and perspectives on reproductive rights. Then prepare a visual representation using Google slides or any other online tool of your choice highlighting the main points of the debate about politics, and the degree to which the government can impact a woman’s choice to seek an abortion or not. https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate
PSA—Create a public service announcement to educate the public about Black mothers and their birth experiences using YouTube, Vimeo, Animoto, or any other media production site. Some sites you may find helpful (along with those in the back of the book) include:
Centering Humanity: The Black Birth Experience - Every Mother Counts (EMC) | Improving Maternal Health: https://everymothercounts.org/choicesinchildbirth/chapters/centering-humanity-the-black-birth-experience/?gclid=CjwKCAiAwc-dBhA7EiwAxPRylFlrU4tx3acM2o2M8KOZ6i3mrWRbsNhxinGxEA4LFrNAMfkYxc5sNBoCIXsQAvD_BwE
Black Mamas Matter | Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/black-mamas-matter/
Julia E. Torres (@juliaerin80) is a language arts teacher and librarian in Denver, Colorado. An advocate for all students and public education, Torres is a frequent conference and event speaker, and facilitates workshops and professional conversations about equity, antibias/antiracist education, culturally sustaining pedagogies, and literacy in the digital age. She is a current member of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee, a 2020 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and a past president of the Colorado Language Arts Society (a regional affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English). She holds a master’s in secondary education curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix, a master’s in creative writing from Regis University, and a master’s in library and information science from the University of Denver (2023). Her forthcoming title Liven Up Your Library: Design Engaging and Inclusive Programs for Tweens and Teens now available from ISTE publications.
Learn more about Julia at juliaetorres.com
This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. For more Simon & Schuster guides and classroom materials, please visit simonandschuster.net.
16 & Pregnant
By LaLa Thomas
About the Book
Erykah was looking forward to junior year at East Prep High. She has a cute boyfriend, gets good grades, and has the best bestie. Money is tight, though that’s nothing new in her world. But everything changes when she gets pregnant. Having a baby at sixteen was definitely not part of the plan.
Kelly’s plan was to dominate junior year—grade-wise and on the basketball court—and eventually get an athletic scholarship. It did not include helping her best friend through a pregnancy. But that’s what best friends do, right? Besides, Kelly has every intention of being a good auntie.
As the two girls navigate the pregnancy, they’ll learn some harsh realities about the world and be forced to make some huge decisions. They’ll also discover a deep reserve of strength and compassion . . . for each other and themselves.
Discussion Questions
Chapter 1
1. What are some of the judgments and misconceptions Erykah has to deal with from her family about her boyfriend and their situation?
2. What do you think influences her as she makes the decision whether or not to have an abortion?
Chapter 2
3. How does Kelly’s life contrast with Erykah’s?
4. What is the role Kelly plays in Erykah’s life? How might a chosen family support someone young and pregnant in ways their given family might not?
Chapters 3 and 4
5. What is revealed in Chapter 4 that surprises Erykah?
6. According to Erykah, how does Miguel feel about the pregnancy?
7. What do you think about the idea that it’s possible to have a child while in high school and still achieve your dreams?
Chapter 5
8. Why do you think Erykah decides to keep her pregnancy a secret?
Chapter 6
9. How do you think Kelly would react if she knew the whole truth (which Erykah’s mother does not know)?
Chapter 7
10. How does Erykah’s expectation of how her pregnancy might feel contrast with reality?
11. What kind of treatment does she receive from medical workers and how does this make her feel?
Chapter 8
12. Do you think Erykah’s plan to hide her pregnancy is realistic? Why or why not?
Chapter 9
13. What happens when Erykah confides in Kelly and tells her the whole truth?
Chapter 10
14. What do you think might happen if everyone learns Erykah’s secret? Describe what you think will be different characters’ reactions, including those of her brother Jayden, Mr. Morgan, and Erykah’s friend KO.
Chapter 11
15. What happens at the party? Explain how the events of the party impact Erykah’s social status and why you think they have the impact that they do.
Chapter 12
16. How do you think Erykah’s mother will react when she hears the news? Support your response with textual evidence.
Chapter 13
17. Do you think Erykah’s mother reacted the way Erykah thought she would?
18. What stereotypes and misconceptions exist about single caregivers on welfare? How could these misconceptions be dismantled or disrupted?
Chapter 14
19. Though the girls are the same age, how are Erykah’s concerns different from Kelly’s now that she’s an expectant mother? How does this difference affect their friendship, if at all?
Chapter 15
20. What does Erykah believe the people around her think of her? Why does she feel this way about Kelly, the school administration, and the other students?
Chapters 16 and 17
21. What comparisons and differences do you see between Erykah’s and Kelly’s stories up to this point? What dreams and fears do they share?
Chapter 18
22. In your opinion, what has driven Erykah and Kelly apart? Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
Chapter 19
23. Why is Kelly nervous about the test in this chapter?
24. Do you think Kelly’s life will mirror Erykah’s? Why or why not? Make a prediction.
Chapter 20
25. After helping Erykah at the doctor’s office, why do you think Kelly makes the choice she does?
Chapter 21
26. How does the political climate influence Kelly’s decisions about pregnancy?
27. Why is Kelly hesitant to tell Erykah about the pregnancy and her upcoming appointment?
Chapter 22
28. What are some of the misconceptions Kelly admits she has about young people who get pregnant? Do you or anyone you know hold any of these same misconceptions?
Chapters 23 and 24
29. Why do you think Kelly and Erykah have different views on pregnancy?
Chapter 25
30. What, if anything, surprises you about Kelly’s parents’ reaction to her news?
Chapter 26
31. Why do you think Kelly is so self-assured and confident in her decision?
Chapter 27
32. Why do you suppose Erykah seeks so much validation from the world and so much of Kelly’s sense of self-worth comes from within?
Chapter 28
33. What kind of transformation does Kelly experience in this chapter, and how might it impact the relationships around her?
Chapter 29
34. How has Erykah changed since the beginning of the book? Consider both her relationships with others and her thoughts about her pregnancy.
Chapter 30
35. What factors bring Kelly and Erykah together in the end, though their lives wind up taking different paths?
Chapter 31
36. What are some of the health risks Erykah has had to face? How has having to confront them changed her?
Chapters 32 and 33
37. How does pregnancy bring Erykah closer to those around her?
Chapter 34
38. How does the reality of Sierra’s birth compare with Erykah’s expectations? As a reader, what did you expect from this part of Erykah’s story?
Chapter 35
39. Why do you think Erykah’s feelings toward Miguel have changed?
Chapter 36
40. How is Erykah’s story both a personal transformation and a message about reproductive justice for Black and teen mothers?
Extension Activities
Gallery Walk—Using research and considerate interview techniques, capture real-life stories of young mothers, and create a gallery walk displaying mini posters with their stories. With permission, in the top left corner place a picture of the young mother and her child. In the top right corner place her first name or a psuedonym (if she is willing to provide it). In the bottom left corner, write a shortened version of her story. In the bottom right corner, use Speak Pipe (https://www.speakpipe.com/) to create an MP3 audio version of her voice telling her story, then make a QR code so that viewers can listen to her. If you do not know of any real-life stories, use those from the MTV series Teen Mom and create content for each of the squares. Display your mini posters in a gallery walk in a school or library to share the stories.
Social Media Campaign—Using your resources and library, research current news stories pertaining to reproductive justice, and create a social media campaign for your favorite platform. You may consider using the information from this resource to help spread the word: Media Literacy | Read Write Think, https://www.readwritethink.org/collections/media-literacy
Character Analysis—Using Freytag’s Pyramid, choose one character and plot the most important parts of their story on the pyramid. Use quotes from the story to align with each part of the plot pyramid. You may choose to illustrate them and explain how each moment shaped the character and their eventual outcome. https://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/plot-diagram
Let’s Debate!—Using the resources on Room for Debate, Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, or any other resource you might have access to, research current opinions and perspectives on reproductive rights. Then prepare a visual representation using Google slides or any other online tool of your choice highlighting the main points of the debate about politics, and the degree to which the government can impact a woman’s choice to seek an abortion or not. https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate
PSA—Create a public service announcement to educate the public about Black mothers and their birth experiences using YouTube, Vimeo, Animoto, or any other media production site. Some sites you may find helpful (along with those in the back of the book) include:
Centering Humanity: The Black Birth Experience - Every Mother Counts (EMC) | Improving Maternal Health: https://everymothercounts.org/choicesinchildbirth/chapters/centering-humanity-the-black-birth-experience/?gclid=CjwKCAiAwc-dBhA7EiwAxPRylFlrU4tx3acM2o2M8KOZ6i3mrWRbsNhxinGxEA4LFrNAMfkYxc5sNBoCIXsQAvD_BwE
Black Mamas Matter | Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/black-mamas-matter/
Julia E. Torres (@juliaerin80) is a language arts teacher and librarian in Denver, Colorado. An advocate for all students and public education, Torres is a frequent conference and event speaker, and facilitates workshops and professional conversations about equity, antibias/antiracist education, culturally sustaining pedagogies, and literacy in the digital age. She is a current member of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee, a 2020 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and a past president of the Colorado Language Arts Society (a regional affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English). She holds a master’s in secondary education curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix, a master’s in creative writing from Regis University, and a master’s in library and information science from the University of Denver (2023). Her forthcoming title Liven Up Your Library: Design Engaging and Inclusive Programs for Tweens and Teens now available from ISTE publications.
Learn more about Julia at juliaetorres.com
This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. For more Simon & Schuster guides and classroom materials, please visit simonandschuster.net.
About The Author
n/a
LaLa Thomas
LaLa Thomas is a professor, scholar, combat Army veteran, English teacher, and an author of multiple genres. After her first years of teaching and mentoring in one of the most struggling school districts in the nation, she decided to use those experiences to create stories through characters who represent young Black voices. LaLa calls two places home: the fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, and Harlem, New York. She is a proud Afro-Caribbean American, who is thankful for all the gifts her ancestors have given her. LaLa and her divine daughter, Aazariah Dior (a.k.a. “Z”), currently live in downtown San Francisco.
About The Readers
Angel Pean
Bahni Turpin
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (January 3, 2023)
- Runtime: 7 hours and 40 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797154626
- Ages: 14 - 99
Awards and Honors
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle List High School Title
- ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List Selectio
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Unexpected Unabridged Audio Download 9781797154626
- Author Photo (jpg): LaLa Thomas n/a(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
