Arawn Death Lord has stolen the ancient sword Dyrnwyn, and the prophecies of the oracular pig Hen Wen bode ominously for the land of Prydain. The free peoples of all the kingdoms must band together or else be free no more. As he rallies commot-folk to the banner of the White Pig, Taran faces great hardship, loss, and choices weightier than any he has ever made before.

The Chronicles of Prydain book series is widely considered the most important work of children’s fantasy by an American author. The first installment, The Book of Three, was published in 1964, making the series an early bird in the genre that helped pioneer some of its tropes. Lloyd Alexander’s inspirations from Celtic mythology (especially the Welsh Mabinogion) and his gift for vivid characterization make these books an adventure and a delight.

In this 6-week class, we’ll read through this classic novel together, discussing characters, events, and themes. I will use slides to explain key concepts and introduce in-class activities, including games like “What’s in the Cauldron?”

Students do not need to have completed my book clubs on The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, or Taran Wanderer to join this class.

Before each meeting, students will complete readings and 1 of 5 assignments. More details are in the Homework section.

The schedule is as follows:
Week 1: Chapter 1 and in-class introduction
Week 2: Chapters 2-6
Week 3: Chapters 7-11
Week 4: Chapters 12-16
Week 5: Chapters 17-21

Keywords: elementary school; middle school; reading group; interactive; literature; Wales; Welsh; Celtic mythology; medieval; folklore; English; language arts; art; drawing