Wizards Hall by Jane Yolen

When I started to plan my Book Club for Wizards Hall I ran into a real problem, there was no information online about running a book club for Jane Yolens story!!!  I was shocked and appalled.  So in return I am putting up what I made so that hopefully someone else will have an easier time. 

I used this book with our 3rd and 4th grade book club.  It turned out to be way to hard for them, so if you are doing it I suggest 5th or 6th grade or a group of really strong readers!

Wizards Hall by Jane Yolen
Book Club Program November 7, 2012:

Summary from Scholastic.com:

Poor Henry. It's not enough that his mother has sent him away from home to learn magic. It's not enough that everyone at his new school calls him Thornmallow because he's "prickly on the outside, squishy within".

It' s not enough that the only talent he shows at Wizard's Hall is an ability to make messes of even the simplest spells. Now, when Wizard's Hall is threatened by a cruel sorcerer' s fearsome beast, it is up to Henry — er, Thornmallow — to figure out how to save not only his new friends but also the entire school for wizards. 

The Master, Nettle, rejected by the other wizards, has conjured a powerful Quilted Beast from the black side of their souls.  He is using the Beast to threaten the entire school with it on the next full moon (which happens to be in only a day)!  Thornmallow isn’t sure what he can do.  He’s tone deaf and can’t chant on the dominant.  He’s not very good at Elementry Spelling, Names, or Curses.  However, Thornmallow does know how to try. 

It is easy to sympathize with Henry, he has doubts about his abilities and is confused in the new magical setting. Yolen does not lay out the school environment in detail but deftly sketches delightful elements, like the portrait that shows Henry and his mother in motion or the ceiling star map that teaches as it puts him to sleep. She gives the reader Henry's perspective on the Hall and its inhabitants. The peril that they all face is real and frightening and its solution is just right.

Wizard's Hall is a charming tale. Though this story was written earlier than Harry Potter's adventures, they have much in common from the school itself to the names Harry/Henry and the winking portraits. The other story that comes to mind in reading this one is The Little Engine That Could. Like the engine, Thornmallow persists through self-doubt and danger and reaches his goal ... because "It only matters that you try."

Activity 1: The Name Game

There is more to a name then just letters strung together.  Page 93.

Thornmallow, Greybane, Beechvale, Briar Rose, Oakbend, Coachwillow, Stickybun, Broadleaf, Daffy-Down-Dilly, Tansy, Willoweed, Gorse, Hickory, Feverfew, Sax, Frafe, Pepperwort, Bucks Horne, Milkweed, Hyssop, Morning Glory, Nettle. 

Henry gets renamed Thornmallow when he enters Wizards Hall because he is prickly on the outside and squishy on the inside.  If you were to become a wizard what would you want your name to be?  Remember your name reflects both your personality as well as the skills and positive attributes that you will bring to the hall. 

Prep Work:

1.      Show them a marshmallow with toothpicks poking into it to demonstrate Thornmallow’s name.

a.       How would changing his name change his personality?  In the book no one can seem to remember his name he is called: Thornapple, Thornmarrow, Thornwillow, Thornmaple, Thornmellow, Thornswallow, Thornpower

b.      What are some cool attributes that a wizard might want to have?

2.      Print up possible words for the kids to look through and choose from if they need help. 

a.       Pull some plant and animal reference books for the kids to look at and a dictionary since most of the names in the book reflect aspects of nature. 

3.      Ask the kids to assign names to each other or their friends and family if that is easier. 

4.      Let’s look at some of the other Wizard Names in the book what do you think they might mean? 

Activity 2: Wizard Quilting

A quilt is a blanket made up of numerous pieces of fabric sewn together into shapes, patterns, and designs.  The warmth and durability of a quilt comes from the layering and stitching of fabrics.  The beast was made up of the people it ate quilted together.  What if you had to battle this monster as a quilted group, what individual powers would you want to combine? 

Page 82 and 83, background on Nettle and his beast.  “One of our original members was a wizard named Nettle from Overton-Across-the-Waters…”

Page 105 , the beast imagery as seen by Thornmallow.  “Something impossibly large stomped down the aisle…”

Directions:

1.      Give each participant a blank square of paper. 

2.      Ask them to think about some attributes that would tie in with their wizard name and aid in battling the Quilted Beast.

3.      Provide colored pencils

4.      Ask the participants to draw their name and how they could fight on the quilt square.

5.      As a group they need to stitch their quilt together in a manner that would make it strongest, perhaps defensive skills on the outer edges or corners?

6.      Print some premade images that might help spark their imagination. 

Activity 3: The Enhancer

           

            Why could Thornmallow save the day when he had no magical powers?

“Thornpower asks if he has a talent for magic.” She smiled slowly and shook her head. “He does not. At least, he does not have a talent for enchantment.  His talent is far greater.  He has a talent for enhancement.  He can make any spell someone else works even greater simply by trying.” Pg. 131

Is there such a thing as enhancement in real life?  Can you think of anyone or anything who might be an enhancer