Kansas Charley

by Joan Jacobs Brumberg

Most Americans regard “kids who kill” as a modern phenomenon, but the tragic tale of “Kansas Charley” shows that violent boys are a long-standing problem. Charles Miller was a seventeen–year–old orphan who was hanged in Wyoming in 1892 for a horrific double murder committed when he was only fifteen. This true story takes us into a world of poverty and abuse, revealing the people and places that shaped Charley’s behavior, his crime and his punishment. The author brings to life a thought–provoking chapter in the history of the juvenile justice system.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?