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Granted
Last updated Saturday, May 14, 2022
Author: John David Anderson
Date of Publication: 2018
ISBN: 006264386X
Grade Level: 4th (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: May 2022
Synopsis:
Everyone who wishes upon a star, or a candle, or a penny thrown into a fountain knows that you're not allowed to tell anyone what you've wished for. But even so, there is someone out there who hears it.
In a magical land called the Haven lives a young fairy named Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets. Ophela is no ordinary fairy - she is a Granter: one of the select fairies whose job it is to venture out into the world and grant the wishes of unsuspecting humans every day.
It's the work of the Granters that generates the magic that allows the fairies to do what they do, and to keep the Haven hidden and safe. But with worldwide magic levels at an all-time low, this is not as easy as it sounds. On a typical day, only a small fraction of the millions of potential wishes gets granted.
Today, however, is anything but typical. Because today, Ophelia is going to get her very first wish-granting assignment.
And she's about to discover that figuring out how to truly give someone what they want takes much more than a handful of fairy dust.
| Note to readers: |
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You may want to skip the Prologue and start right in on page 11
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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The prologue (introduction) for this book says, “The last time you blew out your birthday candles, what did you wish for? Did you blow them all out on the first breath? It doesn’t count otherwise. Also, do not let your brother or sister help you; at best they will waste your wish. " Do you agree?
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How do you make a wish?
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What makes your wish come true - or not?
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What kind of wishes deserve to come true?
Vocabulary:
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cobalt - a deep blue color
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meticulous - showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise
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fidgets - a quick, small movement, typically a repeated one, caused by nervousness or impatience. "he disturbed other people with convulsive fidgets;" a person given to repeated nervous or impatient movements, especially one whom other people
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haven - a place of safety or refuge. In this book, Haven is the safe home for the fairies.
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stealthy - behaving, done, or made in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard.
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mischievous - causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way
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sprite - an elf or fairy (if you discuss this word, you could ask the kids why a soft drink would be called "Sprite.")
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precocious - having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual
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impertinent - not showing proper respect; rude
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quirk - a peculiar behavioral habit: "his distaste for travel is an endearing quirk" Similar: idiosyncrasy, peculiarity, foible
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moniker - name
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lottery - a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random, a process or thing whose success or outcome is governed by chance
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fay (folk) - fairydom
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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What would your name be if you got named the same way as Ophelia did? (given name; where you were born; personality or personal quirk)
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In the book Granted, your birthday wish will only count when you blow out the candles with what?
A: Your first breath
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At what age did Ophelia attain the rank certified field agent?A: 4
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Talk about the way Granted weaves fantasy into a modern setting. Do you prefer fantasy that's grounded in the real world, or fantasy that involves a wholly separate imagined world?
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What do you do when you want to provide more for others than you're really able to manage?
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Where is your haven -- your safe place where you feel warm, loved, and supported?
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*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!
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