About the BookHenrietta lives in a large city called The Addition, where everyone relies on computers, safety, and predictability. People in The Addition are fearful of old things, especially old books, old houses, cats, and The Old City--all of which are dirty and make you sick. Instead they prefer things that are sanitary, secure, and sensible. Henrietta lives in The Addition but her house is old. She isn’t likeable at the competitive school she attends, but that soon changes when she meets Gary and Rose. All of them find something strangely in common that leads to a new friendship. One night Henrietta discovers an attic above her bedroom, and in it she finds a mysteriously wounded cat. This discovery sets off a chain of events including an ancient bestiary given to her, finding out why Henrietta and her friends get strange headaches, and why this unpredictable creature named the Wikkeling is following them. With the help of Henrietta’s friends, the bestiary, the Wild House Cat in the attic, and people of The Old City, the three discover that things aren’t as predictable as they were always led to believe. Will they discover these hidden mysteries before the Wikkeling finds them again? About the AuthorSteven Arntson lives in Seattle. He earned an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and currently divides his time between writing stories and composing and performing music. He lives with his wife in an attic apartment in an old house that contains cats and bicycles. The Wikkeling is his first book. Discussion“Do you have many friends here?” Gary asked. “Are there nice kids here?” “I don’t know,” said Henrietta. “I’m . . . kind of unlikable, I think.” “Me too!” said Gary. (p.37) Henrietta and Gary forge their friendship on the common ground that they are “unlikeable.” Do you think they are? Why or why not? Why do you think they believe they are not liked? If you repeat it a few times, you’ll remember it… (p.59) Repetition plays a great part in Henrietta’s world—composition sentences at school, Honk Ads, and car directions are heard over and over. How does repetition play a part in your day? Discuss the affect it has on you. She reached out to pet the cat, hoping to comfort it, but the moment she moved her hand toward it, it retreated to the far end of the couch. (p. 76) Discuss Henrietta’s relationship with the Wild House Cat. How does it change from the beginning to the end? Time passed—or didn’t—happily for a few weeks after these discoveries. (p. 122) The attic is a place where Henrietta, Gary, and Rose go, where time practically stands still, and they enjoy exploring, playing, and learning. Do you have a place in your life that is like the attic? The Virtual Operator was the graphical interface for the System Manager, a program that interacted with the Intelligence Kernal, which directed all General Subsidiary Applications. (p. 158) Computers and technology dominate in the Addition. Do you think they have a good or bad influence on the characters’ lives? “Henrietta,” said her mother, “stay away from cats.” (p. 28) Henrietta’s parents are obsessed with safety as a result of the society they live in. Give examples of how Henrietta is protected. How does she rebel? “It would hate subtraction, if it only wants to grow,” said Gary. “And it would love addition,” said Henrietta. (p. 231) What do you think this aspect of the Wikkeling symbolizes? "We compete against each other to help each other." (p. 17) What if your school was like Henrietta’s? Do you think Ms. Span is a good teacher? What do you think is the best way to learn: as a team, or in competition with other students? ActivitiesPoor kitty, poor kitty! The Wikkeling chased you From city to country And back again, too . . . . The book opens with an excerpt from Artistotle Alcott’s Riddles and Rhymes of Olden Times. Create your own riddle or rhyme using one of the Bestiary inserts as inspiration. After reading the entry, Henrietta went back over it with the dictionary. . . (p. 79) Henrietta, Gary, and Rose learn a lot of new words from The Bestiary that they do not know and have to look up in the dictionary. Keep a Word Journal as you read The Wikkeling to document the words you learn along the way, and use them in new creative ways. "I thought we could call our book club The Attic Books.” (p. 227) At the end of the book, Henrietta and her friends form a book group that meets at Rose’s house. Form your own book club! 1. Gather some of your friends together. 2. Set a meeting place & time. 3. As a group, choose a favorite book or author. 4. Have fun reading and discussing! And if you have any questions, ask your school or local librarian for help. Bestiary (n) bes’che-er’e A compendium of animals, commonly including those fictitious and those extinct. (p.78) The Bestiary is full of incredible and otherworldly creatures. Create your own with a notebook and pencil—draw and write about your own imaginary creatures. For a few moments the children contemplated the fact that the city they lived in, every building and every street, hadn’t always existed. (p. 132) While in the attic, Henrietta, Rose, and Gary come across a book called Early Town: A Book of Records Including Maps and Services, which shows how their city used to be like. Research what your town or city used to look like. Explore maps or old photographs to compare and contrast. Art Project Make a piece of silhouette art, like the illustrations in the book. Supplies: black construction paper, scissors, photograph, white paper, tape 1. Cut out the object you want silhouetted from your photo. 2. Place the cut-out photo on a sheet of black construction paper. Trace around the photo. 3. Remove the photo from on top of the black construction paper. Cut along the traced line. 4. Stick a piece of tape on the back of the silhouetted image and place it on a sheet of white paper.
|