Akhenaten Adventure by P.B. Kerr

Akhenaten Adventure by P.B. Kerr
Parent-Child Book Discussion
Grades 4-5
August 2009

snack: babyfood, spicy chips, soda in interesting bottles

1. Thumbs up/down? General thoughts about the book.

2. Tell us about the Gaunt twins. Who is older? (John, 10 minutes)
What is Phillipa like?
What is John like?

3. How do the twins discover they are Djinn? What have you wished for? Did it come true?

4. Names.. what character names mean:

Gaunt: bleak, desolate, or grim, as places or things: a gaunt, windswept landscape.

Trump: lucky to have in card games, any playing card of a suit that for the time outranks the other suits, such a card being able to take any card of another suit.

Groanin: (Groan): a low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief

Iblis: from Islamic Mythology, an evil spirit or devil, the chief of the wicked jinn

Nimrod: Biblical name: the great-grandson of Noah: noted as a great hunter. Gen. 10:8–10.

Mrs. Coeur de Lapin: Lapin means "heart of the rabbit" in French

5. Why doesn't Mrs. Gaunt use her powers? Would you give up (sports/reading/tv, etc) for someone you love?

6. (p98) What is the difference between Djinn and genie? What is so special about Djinn as opposed to humans and angels? (control luck/chance in the world, are made of fire)

7. (p148) Did you study your Djinn cards? Name the three good tribes of Djinn (Marid, Jinn and Jann) Name the three evil tribes of Djinn (Ifrit, Shaitan and Ghul)

8. (p127) Discuss: "A wish is a dish that's a lot like a fish--once it's been eaten, it's a lot harder to throw back."

9. Do you think a wish is better to be given to a person, or do you think it's better for someone to earn it? Why? Are there some wishes that you think would be okay to grant? What, who and why?

10. (p150) Make up a focus word and share it with the group. (Use dictionary for inspiration if you'd like).

11. Can anyone pronouce Floccinaucinihilipilification?
[flok-suh-naw-suh-nahy-hil-uh-pil-uh-fi-key-shuhn]
the estimation of something as valueless (encountered mainly as an example of one of the longest words in the English language).

12. (167) At Mrs Coeur de Lapin's house, how did the twins manage to get out of eating? What do you do when you are at a guest's house and you don't like the food? What are some unusual things that happen at her house during the book? (Mrs. Lapin seems to stare vacantly, the computer is on, there are books about Akhenaten laying around).

13. (p187) What are the consequences of using Djinn power for Djinn? (takes time off their life)

14. Mr. Groanin doesn't like to eat food in foreign countries. Why do you think that is? What is the Creemy Creemy special? Mr. Groanin drinks lots of water, but it only makes it worse. What is the best thing to do to relieve yourself from spicy food? (Eat something that is a base that will neutralize the acid in spicy foods: milk, bread, ice cream, rice, peanuts or peanut butter. Chocolate is a great substitute, too.)
Advice from http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:MSO5nYOel-AJ:www.ehow.com/how_2072033_relief-spicy-food.html+how+to+relieve+spicy+food&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

12. ( p278) What happens when a Djinn is stuck in a bottle (time slows down or speeds up, they don't age, they can use power to decorate inside). What are the first 3 things you would make for yourself if you were in the bottle, assuming you had enough food and water and a place to sit?

13. What is homeostasis and why is it important? Where do you think our world is pointed right now-- good, bad, even-- and why?

14. (p327) Mummies and sarcophagus' are transported around the world to museums. What do you think about this?

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Other ideas:
--Share facts about Akhenaten and Ancient Egypt (see Who Was King Tut book discussion) Akhenaten was actually Tut's dad.
--Pull copies of the Arabian Nights