Pirates of Underwhere by Bruce Hale

Pirates of Underwhere by Bruce Hale
Parent-Child Book Discussion
Grades 2-3
June 2009

snack: Trader Joe's cat cookies, ginger ale

**Special note***
I accidentally ordered this book because I thought it was the first in the series (hullo last-minute programming!!). I highly recommend reading the Prince of Underwhere FIRST.

1. Thumbs up/Down. General feelings about the book.

2. Do you usually read series books in order? Why do you think it makes a difference or doesn't matter? (See how many kids read THIS book first or have read Prince)

3. What would you do if a complete stranger asked you to help them and was able to produce a picture of themselves with one of your family members? (Good time to discuss how not everything you see is real b/c of photoshop, etc)

4. What happens every time the kids enter Underwhere? (turns into a comic strip)
Do you like how the book has comic strips in it? Why or why not?

5. What is different about the people that live in Underwhere? (they are short, can't say their "h"s and wear undies outside their clothes.

6. Who babysit's Stephanie and Zeke? (Cousin Caitlyn) What is she like? What do your babysitters usually do with you?

7. p 51/52 What was the toilet brush called? What was its power? (Brush of Wisdom, reveals the true nature of anything it brushes)

Activity: Have kids give names and powers to other bathroom items.
toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, razor, curling iron, cotton swab, bar soap, deodorant, etc.

8. p 63 What difficult decision did Stephanie have to make? (Mathletes vs Underwhere)
Tell us about a time where there were two things you wanted to do and how you decided which thing you needed to do. (soccer v baseball, homework v favorite tv show, piano lesson v. camping trip...)

9. What would you use the Brush of Wisdom to discover? (answers to test, jewelry, cleanliness of an item, old paintings or photos...)

10. What do the Pirates help with? (Overtaking the port, defeating the sea serpents)
What do they do to defeat the sea serpents? (use mirrors)
**Discuss the science of reflection
Activity: try mirror writing or other mirror experiment

11. What do the pirates do when they come to an agreement? (spit on hands)
**Discuss the tradition of handshakes/ spitting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handshake

Additional activity: how to tell counterfeit things from real (use a spot-the-difference book),