Looking Ahead...

I will not post any more questions on the blog before we return to school, but I will be responding to your ideas, so please check back.  Please be prepared to discuss the events of chapter 22 on Wednesday.  Enjoy the rest of your break, and Happy New Year!

Chapter Twenty-two

What fortuitous event heightened the alertness of the animals of Mistmantle so that they would be much more attentive to Padra's speech?

Chapter Twenty-two

Please reread the third paragraph on page 231.  Based on context, what do you think abdicate means?

Chapter Twenty-one

Please explain your interpretation of what happened at the end of this chapter in the scene with Huggen and Tay.

Chapter Twenty-one

Please reread the second paragraph on page 228.  Based on context, what do you think deposed means?

Chapter Twenty-one

Please reread the second paragraph on page 216.  Based on context, what do you think a dais is?

Chapter Twenty

Why did Crispin need Lord Arcneck's consent to leave the island?  Why did Lord Arcneck give permission for Crispin to try to return to Mistmantle?

Lateness

Sorry everyone, but I've been sick for the past couple days, so I'm behind on my reading and posting.  I hope to have the questions for yesterday (Thursday) up by tomorrow.  I hope you're all having a great break!

Chapter Nineteen

Do you think Needle was something of a hero in this chapter?  Please explain, using evidence from the text, why you do or do not think she was.

Chapter Nineteen

How did Urchin come to find Crispin?

Chapter Eighteen

Why did Padra devise the plan that he did for Urchin?  What do you think of the plan?

Chapter Sixteen

Why did Padra sketch the plan of the tunnels in ashes from the hearth for Urchin?

Chapter Sixteen

What did Lady Tay think she learned in this chapter?  What is her plan with regard to what she thinks she learned?

Chapter Sixteen

It seems as though Padra doing such a good job managing the food supplies had an unintended and negative consequence for the animals of Mistmantle.  What was that consequence?  Please use examples from the text.

Chapter Fifteen

Near the end of this chapter, Husk is explaining his big plan.  What is your understanding of this plan?  What is he plotting to do and how does he plan to carry it out?

Chapter Fifteen

On page 158, Fir mentions that Lady Aspen has been making "the king's drafts herself."  Based on the context, what do you think drafts are and why?

Chapter Fifteen

Why do Padra and Arran think they can count on the other otters' loyalty for guarding the food supplies?

Chapter Fifteen

How did Padra take the news about Urchin's conversation with the king?  How did he feel about it?  How do you know?  Be sure to provide evidence from the text.

Chapter Fourteen

How would you explain Husk's nightmare at the end of this chapter?  What do you suppose it portends?

Chapter Fourteen

How do you think Padra will react to the news of Urchin's conversation with the king?  Please be sure to thoroughly explain your thinking.

Chapter Thirteen

"It should be simple, but she felt uneasy about Urchin.  He was dangerous; too strange, too unpredictable, showing up when he wasn't wanted, capable of wrecking everything without even trying, and much too helpful to Padra." (p. 141)

Why did Lady Aspen have these feelings about Urchin?  Please support your thinking with evidence from the text.

Chapter Thirteen

In this chapter, particularly on pages 133 and 136, we learn that many of the animals on the island are concerned about something, and they ask Urchin about it.  What is it that concerns them?  What causes them this concern?

Chapter Nine

Please reread the last two pages (104 and 105) of this chapter and discuss what you think the ending of this chapter implies.

Chapter Nine

Please revisit page 95.  What do you think the purpose was behind Tay and Husk kidnapping and then doping Needle's brother, Scufflen?

Chapter Nine

On Page 92, Padra was speaking to Granite, and said, "I'm afraid he's a dead loss.  He's been with me for months now, and he's completely untrainable."

What do you make of this?  How do you interpret it?  Does it seem consistent with what you see and what you know about Padra's relationship with Urchin?

Chapter Eight

On page 89, while Gleaner was speaking with Lady Aspen, she said, "I don't know exactly where he's from, but I know more than most.  I can tell you a secret about him."

What do you think this means?  Be sure to explain why you think this.

Monday, December 10, 2012

I forgot to mention on Friday, that I will not be in the classroom (much) on Monday, because I'll be at another one of my math workshops.  You will have time to work on your blog responses (and revisiting older discussions) during the day in class.

Chapter Seven

On the last page of this chapter (p. 83), Urchin notices that on the threadings (which seem to be pictures stitched of thread) that hung in the workroom that showed "the kings, queens, heroes, and captains of the past" were mostly squirrels, and that "All the females look like Lady Aspen.  And all the males look like Husk."  What do you think this means?  Do you think this is significant?  Why or why not?

Chapter Seven

What do you think Husk's motive was for getting Granite appointed as a captain?  Please be sure to fully explain your thinking.

Chapter Six

On pages 69 and 70, as Urchin watches and listens to the conversation between Husk and the king, he hears Husk talking about how hard all the animals must work in preparation for winter, and asks for more animals and an earlier start for the work, while the king sighs, "I don't know where all this work comes from, Husk."

Husk also tells the king that they need more weapons to defend themselves, and asks the king to give permission to trade garnets for swords, and the king mumbles, "Jewels for swords."

What can you infer about the relationship Husk is developing with the king?  What do you think Urchin's observations -- while he was listening and watching Husk and the king -- mean or suggest?  What's going on here?

Chapter Six

On page 65, Padra is reluctant to allow Urchin into the turret, but Brother Fir explains that he must be let in with them.  In your own words, using evidence from the text, explain why Fir thought Urchin should be in the turret with them.

Chapter Five

On page 59, Captain Husk received these words of prophecy (click on link for definition): "I will be all powerful.  But the one that falls from the sky must be destroyed."  What do you think this prophecy -- and what follows on page 60 -- means?  Please be sure to explain yourself fully.

Chapter Five

In this chapter, Captain Husk makes his way down to a secret and ancient dungeon.  As he "soaked himself in the atmosphere of the dungeon," (p. 59) it seems as though we can learn something important through his thoughts.  What did you learn and how do you know it?

Post-Chapter Three

What are your thoughts on what has happened on Mistmantle in the most recent chapter?  How do you feel about these things and how they were handled?  What do you expect to happen next?  Do you have any suspicions of your own?  Please elaborate your thoughts clearly and thoroughly.