The following reading guide for The Color of Water by James McBride is intended to be used as a tool for book discussion groups as well as individual learning.

Characters

These concise descriptions of the many characters in the book are a great

help in remembering who's who.

Family Tree

This is a diagram of Ruth's family tree with a list of her twelve children.

Chapter Summaries

The chapter summaries provide an overview of the paired chapters that alternate between Ruth's and James's experiences.

Discussion Questions

Use these discussion questions as guides in helping you think about the issues raised in the book.