A Tangle of Knots. Discussion Guide - Book 10. Including activities: SamanthaGreenMysteries.com. Discussion Questions & Journal Ideas!

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1 Discussion Guide - Book 10 Including activities: - STORY KNOTS - The Perfect Recipe + Discussion Questions & Journal Ideas! SamanthaGreenMysteries.com Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books

2 FROM THE DESK OF Christy Lynn Allen AUTHOR, SAMANTHA GREEN MYSTERIES Dear Serious Reader, Discover the ingredients of a delicious story and join me in our next read,, by the Talented author, Lisa Graff. You ll love how each character s story is tangled up with the others. Each has lost the thing they treasure most in the world., and must rely on one another (and a little thing called Fate) to find what they ve lost. Like the anticipation of your favorite treat being prepared, this story magically develops, one suspenseful bite at a time! Finished reading? Rate the book! G C E See what other Serious Readers are saying! 1) Visit the SRC Website: 2) Click a book cover on the SRC Bookshelf 3) Click Discussion link Q Q Q SamanthaGreenMysteries.com/SRC Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books 2

3 G STORY KNOTS The paths of the characters in twist and tangle like knots. Choices they make, things they discover, plus a few coincidences (or perhaps twists of fate), lead them to exactly the right place at the right time! INSTRUCTIONS As you read, watch how characters get tangled up in each other s lives. Use the STORY KNOTS below to help you find patterns and connections. STORY KNOT 1 - The St. Anthony s Suitcase When in the book does a St. Anthony s suitcase first appear? Write down different places St. Anthony s suitcases show up in the story: In Chapter 10, who visits on a bicycle with a suitcase on his back? When/where have we seen this character before? Well that s the thing about knots, isn t it? If you don t know the trick, it s a muddled predicament. But in fact each loop is carefully placed, one end twisting right into the other in a way you might not have expected. STORY KNOT 2 The Lost Luggage Emporium How do the characters below end up at the Emporium? Cady: STORY KNOT 3 - V In the story, several characters are all reading the same book. What is its title? Who was it written by? The Asher Family: What is inscribed on the woman s locket in Chapter 4? V: Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books 3

4 STORY KNOTS (continued) STORY KNOT 4 - The hairpin In Chapter 7, Mrs. Asher s hairpin drops to the floor. How does the narrator say Will describes this object? In Chapter 26, what s hanging on the wall in Toby s room? In Chapter 33, what do Mrs. Asher and Marigold see on the museum exhibit banner? In just one short week every last one of them would have lost the thing they treasured most in the world. STORY KNOT 5 Peanut Butter In Chapter 11, why does V s mouth water when she sees the Lost Luggage Emporium property? STORY KNOT 6 Talents How does Will s talent for getting lost help bring everyone together at the Sunshine Bakeoff? Recall the young man at the bus station (Prologue). What did the narrator say was hidden inside his suitcase s lining? What has the Owner been looking for all these years? (See Chapter 18) How do both Zane and Marigold s use of the talent for spitting affect what happens in the story? How does the man in the gray suit s talent for tying knots influence what happens in the story? (Hint: He doesn t tie any physical knots, does he?) Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books 4

5 The Perfect RECIPE U In, Cady has a Talent for baking the perfect cake for absolutely any person. The ingredients for her cakes seem to match the personality of the people she makes them for. No wonder they love them! Create your own perfect recipe for someone special in your life! * Who is your recipe for? * What makes this person special and unique? * MY INGREDIENTS Pick from below or think up your own BASICS + f Y M D W w N Sm Q L Z I O G F KL A T b Q FLAVOR H b lh j L X Xf RST c f O LM FA B E * Ingredients * Directions Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books 5

6 Discussion Questions Get more from your reading experience. pick a few questions, then dazzle your friends with your deep thoughts! G C E 1. Cady s cakes are always the perfect recipe! Pick one of her recipes and compare it to the person it was made for. How do the ingredients compare to the person s personality? Create your own perfect recipe for someone special in your life! Check out The Perfect Recipe activity on Page 5 2. What does each character below lose in? In just one short week, every last one of them would have lost the thing they treasured most in the world. V: Miss Mallory: Mrs. Asher: Zane: Marigold: Will: The Owner: Cady: Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books 6

7 Discussion Questions 3. Why do you think the exact same talent has such different outcomes when used by different people? (Hint: Think about the Owner vs. Cady using baking talent; Marigold vs. Zane using spitting talent.) 4. Write about how the Owner has dealt with what Fate handed him in life. Has he had an enjoyable, fulfilling life? Now think of a character who handles life s challenges in a positive way. How is this a better choice? It s the way we deal with what Fate hands us that defines who we are. 5. A fist-sized photograph of a woman, a man, and a baby girl reveals truths that had been buried for too long. Who are each of these characters really, as it relates to Cady? V: Toby: The Owner: Mrs. Asher: Bonus question! Who was Cady s mother? Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books 7

8 Journal Ideas u Now it s your turn to write! Pick an idea and grab your journal. JOURNAL IDEA 1 Like so many of us, Marigold is on the hunt for her one true Talent, the thing that sets her apart from everyone else. But once Marigold finally has a Talent to call her own, we realize she already has several wonderful qualities that make a difference in the world. u Write about your Talents and qualities. Is there something you re especially good at? How do you use your strengths to make the world a better place? u Hint: Sometimes talents that may seem small to us can achieve the greatest of things. Remember what Marigold achieved with just one perfectly aimed spitball! JOURNAL IDEA 2 This book is full of rewards for readers who pay attention. Did you happen to notice what newspaper article is mentioned on the very first page? How about the reason Toby takes a different driving route in Chapter 9, resulting in his unplanned stop at Miss Mallory s Home for Lost Girls? Keep a log in your journal of these fun coincidences as you read. Even better, read the book a second time, and you ll notice all kinds of interesting connections you missed the first time around! D STORY KNOTS Follow how characters get tangled up. Unravel the story on Page 3! Cover images and excerpts from by Lisa Graff, Puffin Books 8