Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Often, characters do not go on adventures alone. Why do you think it is common to have companions on adventures? How can disagreements or conflicts between characters add depth to an adventure story? How does the relationship between characters change as a result of shared adventures?

Teaching Suggestion: This question can help students understand the importance of Carter and Sadie’s relationship to the events and character development in the novel. This is also a very effective chance to discuss the hero’s journey, if your class has been studying this. If applicable to your class, you could ask this question: How can a companion help a hero on their journey? This question can also be used to introduce the theme of The Flexibility of Family Structure, as Bast becomes a companion and mother figure to Carter and Sadie. It may be helpful to brainstorm different adventure stories from popular novels or movies, such as Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, which feature character development from shared adventures. You may wish to return to this question throughout the novel to track the events that shape the relationship between Sadie and Carter.