The Silver Arrow



Last updated Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Author: Lev Grossman
Date of Publication: 2020
ISBN: 0316539538
Grade Level: 4th    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Dec. 2021

Synopsis: Kate and her younger brother Tom lead dull, uninteresting lives. And if their dull, uninteresting parents are anything to go by, they don't have much to look forward to. Why can't Kate have thrilling adventures and save the world the way people do in books? Even her 11th birthday is shaping up to be mundane - that is, until her mysterious and highly irresponsible Uncle Herbert, whom she's never even met before, surprises her with the most unexpected, exhilarating, inappropriate birthday present of all time: a colossal steam locomotive called the Silver Arrow.

Kate and Tom's parents want to send it right back where it came from. But Kate and Tom have other ideas - and so does the Silver Arrow - and soon they're off to distant lands along magical rail lines in the company of an assortment of exotic animals who, it turns out, can talk. With only curiosity, excitement, their own resourcefulness and the thrill of the unknown to guide them, Kate and Tom are on the adventure of a lifetime . . . and who knows? They just might end up saving the world after all.

Note to readers:
•  A locomotive is a train!
•  A fable is a story that teaches the readers something and often has animals as characters (e.g. Aesop's Fables like "The Tortoise and the Hare").
•  This story is set in England.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  Have you ever ridden a train? Have you ever seen a train? Would you WANT to ride on a train? What do you know about trains? Like, what sounds are trains famous for making? (Choo choo, chug, whistle, etc.)
•  Looking at the cover of the book, what do you think "the silver arrow" is referring to? (the train)
•  What does an adventure mean to you? Where would you want to go on an adventure?

Vocabulary:

•  Locomotive: a train.
•  Irresponsible: reckless, not cautious, not showing responsibility or the ability to be trusted with things.
•  Contradiction: a combination of things that are opposed but still exist. (Not liking a gift, but also liking a gift.)
•  Priority: something that's treated as important or urgent. (High priority vs. low priority.)
•  Colossal: extremely large, giant (a train, a dinosaur).
•  Ominous: giving a sign of future evil or trouble
•  Computer programmer: person who prepares and tests programs for computers (like an app developer)

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  What do you know about Uncle Herbert from the first chapter? Why do you think Kate writes to him—what motivates her? What does she want?
•  How does Kate feel about her brother, Tom? How does she feel about herself, her life?
•  What do we learn about the gift Uncle Herbert gives Kate when it arrives? What more do we learn about Herbert when he shows up?
•  Grace Hopper, a computer programmer from the 60s, is one of Kate's heroes/role models. Do you have anyone like that, someone you look up to who's well-known or someone in your community, school, neighborhood, or family?

Craft ideas:
•  Draw the front of a train and cut it out. Then tape/glue on one or two or three pieces of paper or paper train cars, a string following behind it. Design or dream up whatever kind of train car you want on each piece of paper! In the book, there's a candy car filled with candy! And a library car filled with books.
•  Make, draw, or simply label whatever kind of train car YOU would want on your amazing train.
•  Check our craft ideas on Pinterest!
https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/december-2021-family-the-spirit-of-giving/
•  Check this website for more suggestions: http://readingtokids.org/ReadingClubs/CraftTips.php

Special activities:
•  Choose someone who's a hero or role model for you the way Grace Hopper is for Kate. Share with the group who that person is and why. Further activity: write a letter to that person telling them why you admire them and how they inspire you.
•  Discussion: what is a magical, wild, giant gift you'd want to get if you could choose one. (Think big like a mysterious train!)
•  Write down (and you can keep this private!) one gift you'd like to get that isn't a thing at all. For example, spending time with someone; a compliment; a chance to experience something new and adventurous.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!