07.30.06
Dealing with Dragons
Keeping with the theme of dragons, we now move to Patricia Wrede’s series of books that start with Dealing with Dragons. Recommended for grades 5 to 9, most of the older kids found it a little simple. We based our discussion on the first book.
- Describe Cimorene. What is she like? Does she fit your image of a typical princess
- How does Cimorene find the dragons? Do you think that there is a reason that they aren’t easier to be found?
- What happens to the Knights who try to rescue Cimorene? How might you try to discourage them from coming back?
- How do Cimorene and Alianora get to be friends? Do they have much in common?
- What happens when Cimorene unintentionally releases a jinn? What did you expect to happen? Is there another way to resolve this?
- What is the power of Colin’s stone?
- What are Woraug’s crimes? In the end, does he get what he deserved?
- Cimorene’s great aunt’s name is Rose, who slept for years under a fairy’s curse - a take off on Sleeping Beauty. What other fairy tales are fractured in this book?
- Are you a fan of fantasy books? How does this book compare to other dragon books you have read?
- There is a lot of humor in this book. Where is one of the things that you found very funny as you were reading the book?
- What would you rate this book on a scale of 1-10? What did you enjoy about this book? What would you change to improve the story?
- Cimorene is really a classic tomboy heroine. Describe one of her “tomboy” strengths and how it is perceived as a defect at the beginning of the story.
- When Cimorene goes looking for the dragons, the frog tells her not to stop at the Golden Palace. What might have been there, and what would have happened if she stopped?
- What do you think the author was trying to accomplish with this novel?
- Who was your favorite character? What did you appreciate about him/her?
- Choose a minor character. What makes this character memorable?
