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Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures



Last updated Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Author: Jackson Pearce
Illustrator: Maggie Stiefvater
Date of Publication: 2001
ISBN: 1338088157
Grade Level: 4th    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Oct. 2022

Synopsis: Here's a list of things Pip Bartlett can talk to: Unicorns, Miniature Silky, Griffins, Bitterflunks - basically, all magical creatures. Here's a list of things she can't talk to (at least, not very well): Parents, Teachers - basically, all people. Because of a Unicorn Incident at her school (it was an accident!), Pip is spending the summer with her Aunt Emma at the Cloverton Clinic for Magical Creatures. At first, it's all fun, games, and chatting with Hobgrackles, but when Fuzzles appear and start bursting into flame at the worst possible places, Pip and her new friend Tomas must take action. Because if the mystery of the Fuzzles isn't solved soon, both magical and unmagical creatures are going to be in a hot mess of trouble.

Note to readers:
•  We're having a magic show today at 11:15am at the lunch tables, so bring the kids back at 11:10am.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  What types of magical creatures do you see on the cover?

Vocabulary:

•  Geode - a rock containing a cavity lined with crystals or other mineral matter.
•  Regal - of, resembling, or fit for a monarch, especially in being magnificent or dignified.
•  Lineage - lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree; a sequence of species each of which is considered to have evolved from its predecessor.
•  Herd - a large group of animals, especially hoofed mammals, that live, feed, or migrate together or are kept together as livestock.
•  Jealous - feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages.

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  What is Pip's favorite book? (Answer: Jeffrey Higgleston's Guide to Magical Creatures)
•  What should unicorn stalls be bedded with because of their sensitive skin? (Answer: flowers like lavender or dahlias)
•  What is the purest weapon in the natural world? (Answer: A unicorn's horn)
•  In what town did Pip live? (Answer: Atlanta)
•  What could Pip do that no one else could do? (Answer: Talk to magical creatures)

Craft ideas:
•  Make a unicorn mask using a paper plate and lots of rainbow colors.
•  Check our craft ideas on Pinterest! https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/october-2022-halloween-magic-monsters/

*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!