In this four week class, learners will participate in meaningful discussions and engaging activities as we read Jonathan Stroud's The Whispering Skull. Book clubs are an excellent way to engage reluctant readers or help enthusiastic readers dig a little deeper. Students will need their own copy of the text to complete assigned readings before attending class. Please refer to the parental guidance section to be sure you are comfortable with the content before enrolling. An eleven year old who is comfortable with a few spooks should be fine! 

Each class will be structured as a discussion where students are encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions on the assigned reading. Each lesson will also include a dramatic read-aloud of a small section from the week's text. We will discuss elements of the text such as theme, setting, character development, and more. See the reading schedule bellow:

Lesson 1: Chapters 1-8
Discussion will focus on setting: How does Stroud use world building to make the setting feel real to the reader?

Lesson 2: Chapters 9-16
Discussion will focus on character development. How have the characters changed since the first novel? How does Stroud develop his characters? 

Lesson 3: Chapters 17-23
Focus on plot and predictions. We will work together to fill out a plot map with what we have read so far. After discussing this section, we will predict what we think will happen next.

Lesson 4: Chapters 24-30 (finish the book)
Focus on themes developed through the story: Appearances can be deceiving, family is more than blood.