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Spirit Animals Book 1: Wild Born



Last updated Sunday, January 7, 2018

Author: Brandon Mull
Date of Publication: 2013
ISBN: 0545522439
Grade Level: 5th    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jan. 2018

Synopsis: Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts -- a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children -- and the world -- have been changed forever.

Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers . . . and on you.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  What is a spirit animal?
•  If you had a spirit animal, which animal would you like it to be?
•  What superpower would you have?
•  How would you use this superpower to help others?

Vocabulary

•  Incurred - to become liable for or bring upon oneself.
•  Obscured - hard to see or not distinct.
•  Meticulously - carefully attentive to every small detail; painstaking.
•  Cunning - skill used in a sly or tricky way.
•  Inscrutable - impossible to comprehend or interpret; mysterious.

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  In which way would you save the world?
•  What is your favorite animal in this world?

Craft ideas:
•  Create a spirit animal for yourself - draw your favorite animal and give it a superpower.
•  Make an animal mask.
•  Check our January craft ideas on Pinterest!
https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/january-2018-mysteries-adventure-craft-ideas/

*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!