September Grades 5-6 Book Club: The Evil Wizard Smallbone

For September's Grades 5-6 Book Club, we read The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman. Anthony, J.T., Madison and Reagan were present. Here's some of what we talked about!


Did you like Nick at the beginning of this book? Is he someone you might want to be friends with?
-I'm not sure I'd want to be friends with a manipulative liar.
-Yes, I would want to be friends with him because I can relate to him. I lie a lot to my brothers.



Why did Nick lie to the wizard about his name and abilities? 
-He didn't trust him.
-Anything he did wrong would be put under Jerry's name.
-Because he didn't want to learn anything he wasn't supposed to know.



How does Dinah use science? Are you interested in science?

-Yes. When I grow up I want to be a marine biologist or a biochemist.

-I want to be a nuclear engineer.
-I want to be a paleontologist.
-I want to be an animator.


Why doesn’t the wizard fix Miss Rachel’s legs?
-Maybe he doesn't know how.
-Because she didn't deserve it.
-Maybe the other Evil Wizard did it and the new one didn't know how to fix them.


Why is Nick’s totem a fox? If you had a totem, what would it be? 
-He's sly and clever.
-He can manipulate people.
-A Persian cat, because I've always wanted to be sleeping.
-A raven, because 1. my name almost rhymes with raven 2. I love the dark too much 3. I love to be alone, like ravens 4. Ravens love to play in the snow, as do I 5. ravens are big birds, as am I (tall)
-A rock because 1. I would be able to see everything 2. rocks can be big and I'm really big 3. Rocks are everywhere, as am I



What kind of Contract would you have made with the Evil Wizard?
-One that lets me sleep forever. My agreement is not snore.
-Turn me into a house pet and I'll be cool.
-If you teach me magic for three months, you'll never have to see me again.

What were the sentries that protected Smallbone Cove? Why have the townspeople stopped taking care of the Sentries? 
-They forgot.
-Fidelou stopped attacking Smallbone Cove so the people didn't think there was any reason to do so.
-The Wall, the Stream, the Lantern and the Weathervane 



Invent some sentries of your own. How would you keep Smallbone Cove safe?
-The bed. The werewolves would sleep in it.
-A minigun with lead.
-For Earth, I would make a tree. Whenever the leaves started to die, the people would have to start caring for it so the leaves wouldn't fall off. Or make it like the Whomping Willow. The Wind sentry would be a bird. A statue that sensed werewolves or howling coyotes presence, it would alert the town. It would have to be sparkling clean all the time. For Water, it would be a huge Koi pond that, if it sensed werewolves, it would send a wave in their direction. Fire sentry would be a campfire with a fire pit. The people would need to put a magical ingredient under the wood to keep the fire burning.
-The element of annoyance (making farting sounds).


The people of Smallbone Cove are really seals. The Evil Wizard has their sealskins, which keeps them in human form. In Gaelic mythology, such seal-people are known as selkies. Selkies were not always good. Can you think of a mythological creature that is similar?
-Centaur
-Unicorn (think of its horn and how many things it can impale)
-A harpy (half bird half woman)
-Griffin
-Dragon



Why don’t all the transformed apprentices want to stay human? 

-Because they are used to being what they were as an animal.

Was the Evil Wizard really evil? 
-Weeeeeellllllll
-The current Smallbone was not too bad compared to past Evil Wizards.
-Smallbone was into transformation but not for a long period of time. He didn't have the willpower to transform them for long.



Rank book 1-5, with 1 being one of the worst books you've ever read and 5 being one of the best.
-One 3
-Two 4s
-One 5

For October's Book Club, we will read Posted by John David Anderson.

When cell phones are banned at their school, students start communicating through sticky notes left all over the school, triggering a wave of bullying activities in the wake of a new girl's arrival.

Copies of the book will be available at the Circulation Desk roughly 4 days after this book club. Please be sure to register for the club and pick up your copy of the book!



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If you liked The Evil Wizard Smallbone, you might enjoy:

Gidwitz, Adam. A Tale Dark and Grimm. Puffin Books, 2011

Goldman, William. The Princess Bride. Harcourt, 2007

White, T.H. The Sword in the Stone. Philomel Books, 1993.