Teach Primary 18.8

46 | www.teachwire.net OLIVER TWIST When Podkin is captured by the villainous Shape and Quince and forced to go into the markets of Boneroot to steal for them, it is easy to draw comparisons with the behaviour of Fagin from Oliver Twist . Although I probably would not suggest reading the entire book, sharing some of the chapter where Oliver starts to work for Fagin is worthwhile, and provides the pupils a relatable – and enjoyable – introduction to the work of Charles Dickens. For me, when I am reading a book with a class, I always try to get them to make connections with other books, poems, films and TV shows. It’s important to get children to realise that stories do not stand in isolation and that there are common themes, ideas and topics which run through them all. THEMES The theme of leadership runs through the book. Is it a skill that Podkin is born with, or something that he develops during the story? Ask the children to think about other books they have read where one of the characters needs to display leadership. Do they always get their decisions right? What do they do to inspire people to follow them? This will lead to a wider discussion about what leadership means. Who are the leaders in the school community? Can everyone be a leader? Pupils could create comic strips or posters demonstrating what leadership Take it further Recap Podkin’s comfortable life as the eldest son of Lopkin (the chieftain of the Munbury warren) is dramatically and tragically torn apart when a group of evil, iron-clad rabbits, known as the Gorm, invade his warren one Bramblemass Eve. Podkin, his sister Paz, and their baby brother, Pook, are forced to flee their home, leaving everything they know and love behind. As they begin to adjust to their new life, meeting a wide range of characters along the way, they realise that danger lurks almost everywhere. The relentless Gorm, led by the evil Scramashank, have no intention of letting them escape and are a continual threat. With the help and guidance of Brigid, a witch, they eventually arrive at Boneroot, a town of runaways and refugees hidden in an ancient graveyard. But, inevitably, all is not as it first appears. Found family On author Ian Eagleton’s Reading Realm website ( thereadingrealm. co.uk ) , there is a fascinating interview with Larwood about how to create Book topic Edward Tulane, which I think is spot on. Creating a story timeline as you read the book, recording when the pupils notice a change in Podkin’s attitude or behaviour and the likely cause of it, shows how authors develop characters during a story and is something children can begin to think about when writing their own narratives. Rewriting the Battle of Boneroot Although the Battle of Boneroot is not the climax of the book (that being the showdown with Scramashank), and takes place about two-thirds of the way through, for me it is the most memorable characters and build believable worlds. One of his favourite tropes is that of the ‘found family’, where characters are thrown together because of the situation they are facing. This happens throughout Podkin One-Ear . As well as his siblings, Paz and Pook, Podkin joins forces with Mish and Mash, a pair of dwarf rabbits, Crom, a blind mercenary who once fought alongside Podkin’s father, and Brigid, a witch with significantly more power than we are originally led to believe. Creating a character web, showing how the characters first met, their relationships and their similarities and differences can really bring the story to life for pupils. It can be done visually, either in small groups or as a class. This also helps pupils to mentally create ‘found families’ when reading books independently ( The Outlaw Varjak Paw and A Street Dog Named Pup are both excellent for this). Characters’ strengths and weaknesses (Podkin’s journey) The Podkin we meet at the beginning of the book is very different from the Podkin we leave behind at the end. He is lazy, spoiled and self-centred, avoiding as much responsibility as he possibly can, and has no interest in learning the skills needed to become the next chieftain of his warren. This stands in stark contrast to his sister, Paz, who is thoughtful, responsible and hard-working. However, as Podkin overcomes each challenge he is faced with, he begins to realise that he is beginning to change, putting others before himself and facing up to danger, even though he is terrified of the possible outcome. When I last read this story with a class, they compared his journey to that of