Here’s the guidance and resource materials for teachers, librarians, parents and others who work with children for Episode Eleven of The Story Thief Challenges.

Story Re-cap questions:

1. How did they stop people noticing their father in the library?
2. What did the Thief really mean by ‘your library’? And why do you think he made it difficult for them to understand what it meant?
3. How did they travel to the Thief’s secret library?
4. What do you think the Thief felt when he saw them there?
5. What author’s stolen story would you choose?

Re-cap questions on Celine Kiernan writing advice :

1. Who is the best person to help you in a library?
2. Can a librarian only get you books from their library?
3. Have you ever visited your local library?
4. What was the best book you ever got out from your library?

Story Challenge:

PS: Here’s a Story Challenge for you.

Want to practice a different kind of magic using the same technique? Go into the library and ask the librarian for books about a particular animal (for example say to the librarian,‘Hello my dearest friend*, I have to do a school project about moles! Can you please show me where to look for good books about moles?’) Using the books they give you and any books you can find yourself, write down all the facts you find interesting about your chosen animal. Then write a story about that animal!

Go on! Do it! Have an adventure as an elephant, or an earthworm (or a sloth, or a penguin… the animal is up to you)

*(the ‘dearest friend’ bit is optional)

How to do this challenge?

As usual the challenge is self-explanatory, but here’s some alternative ways it can be done in a group setting:

• This can be done in a school library or even a library without an active librarian i.e. get the kids to find the books themselves.
• This challenge doesn’t all have to be about animals. Ask the kids to choose whatever topic they’d like to research in the library and get them write their story about that.
• If a library is not easily accessible or in addition to the above, have the kids bring in their own books on a topic that interests them.
• Even if you’re not doing this challenge, bring kids to visit a library and let them see the range of book adventures available to them. Challenge them all to pick a book that they’ve never read before.
• Tie this episode and writing advice in with a discussion about libraries and how they work.
• Whatever other approach you’re having yourself 🙂

Once the challenge is completed?

As ever we’d love to see what the kids came up with and show it to all our readers on the kids’ work pages.  Please get in touch to arrange this on our contact page.