Candle Man: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance

By Glen Dakin
Ages 10-13

Theo has met exactly three people in his short teenage life: Dr. Saint, his guardian; Mr. Nicely, his butler; and Clarice, his deaf-mute maid. Theo is made to study Good Manners and children’s fairytales, and is not allowed to learn about the real world—for those things “would only excite and confuse [Theo’s] mind” (Pg. 16). Theo has been told by his guardian that he has a “special condition” and his isolation is important for his well being and the safety of others—an apparently necessary, but uninteresting life.

One night a pair of burglars breaks into the house. They snatch Theo from his room and demand that he lead them to any valuables. Theo is not wearing the protective gloves his guardians require: When Theo grabs one of his attackers in self-defense, the man melts into a puddle of goo.

From this moment forward, Theo is launched into an adventure beyond what he could have ever imagined. His world rapidly expands: garghouls, and smoglodytes, ghosts and a villain who collects extinct animals, an evil society inappropriately named “The Society of Good Works”, and a scrappy young girl with an enormous measure of overconfidence. And when Theo learns what Dr. Saint has planned for the city of London, he must make a choice about what role he is to play in this new life: Victim, pawn, or hero?

With breathtaking suspense and fast-paced action, this steampunk tale is a page-turner from beginning to end. Because of Theo’s miserable circumstances, the darkness of the action, and the irony of the mock kindness of the villains, this book is a perfect follow-up for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events who are ready for the next step in fiction. Theo’s journey from isolated, frightened, well-mannered boy to brave hero willing to die for his friends is a compelling story that will leave readers ready for the next book in the Candle Man series.

Caveats: Gruesome violence, some frightening elements.

Some topics for discussion: Extinct animals, what makes a person a villain, how to make good choices, how to be brave, good vs. evil.

Some questions to get you started:

1. The members of The Society of Good Works have names such as Saint, Nicely, Dove, and Patience. Why do you think they’ve chosen this name for their society and these specific monikers? Is it out of an attempt to deceive? Or do you think they believe they are doing good?

2. As with The Society of Good works, many things in this book are not as they seem. How is the Dodo a surprising character? What do you think of the request the Dodo makes of Theo in the end? Is he a villain or a hero? Also, there are several opinions about the nature of Theo’s ancestor. If the Candle Man is responsible for the Eighty-eight, does that make him a villain or a hero?

3. Is there anything symbolic about the zoo of endangered animals that the Dodo keeps? What do they represent for the society? For the Dodo himself?

4. Theo makes a transformation in a short amount of time from a boy who is sheltered and isolated to a boy who is over stimulated and longs from the simplicity of home, to a boy who is up for an adventure but insists on literalism and truth-telling, to a brave hero willing to step out on his own. Is this a realistic transformation? Why or why not?

If you liked this book you might enjoy: The Black Book of Secrets by F.E. Higgins, Scepter of the Ancients by Derek Landy, Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade, A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud.

Scones and Sensibility

Ages 8-12



Do you hear the quotation “My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes” and clasp your hands to your breast, knowing exactly who said this and what she meant?

Instead of a best friend do you have a bosom friend?

Do you realize the importance of a concluding “E” in the spelling of some names?

Do you hear the name Fitzwilliam Darcy and sink into a swoon?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, this is the book for you.

Polly Madassa is a “twelve-year-old, nineteenth-century girl trapped in the twenty-first century.” Captivated by the ideals of Anne of Green Gables and inspired by the romanticism of Pride and Prejudice, Polly is convinced that she must no longer be “a material girl living in a material world,” but instead she must “become at once a young lady of impeccable breeding, diction, and manner.” Polly’s family owns a bakery which allows her to interact with and observe a number of different people in her small town, and what she sees speaks to her romantic heart: There are people all around her desperately in need of her help in matters of love.

Polly steps in to play matchmaker and to find the perfect love for her sister, Clementine; her bosom friend, Fran’s, father; the dear old widower who owns the kite store; and the curmudgeonly spinster with the vicious little dog. But by meddling in their love lives, she may actually be hampering the course of true love and ignoring her own heart.

Readers will get a kick out of this modern story of a girl who is swept up in the romance of L. M. Montgomery’s classic tale and is trying to live out the ethos of Jane Austen. And any girl who would rather slip on a lovely frock and a hat with a ribbon than pull on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt will identify with young Polly’s sensibilities.

As an added bonus this book is well written. Other than a few too many instances of the word “delicate” the dialogue is great: Polly consistently speaks as though she were in the nineteenth-century, except in times of genuine emotional distress when she convincingly slips into modern speech. And there is a fantastic juxtaposition between modern and old-fashioned. Polly wants to rely upon fate to find the perfect romantic partner for Fran’s father, and she is horrified when he takes the more practical approach of Internet dating. While this is a gentle story, there is real-life crisis between the pages. For example, Fran’s mother left her family for someone she met on the computer. So Polly’s railing at the modern world is at once humorous, convincing and moving.

Very sweet, often funny, and nicely paced, this book is a worthwhile read for any romantic soul.


Possible discussion topics: Changing values, idealized notions of romance, relationships, Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice.

Some discussion questions to get you started:

1. Polly struggles with the notion of Internet dating because of its lack of romance as well as the fact that Fran’s mother left her family after she met someone online. What are your thoughts about online dating versus meeting people in other ways?

2. Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice are beloved classics. What are your thoughts about Lindsay Eland using them as the basis for Scones and Sensibility?

3. Polly feels like she was born in the wrong century. In what situations do you feel out of place? Have you ever felt like no one understood where you were coming from? What was that like?

4. Polly is a hopeless romantic who believes in “enduring love.” What are your thoughts on romance? Is “happily ever after” a realistic concept? Why or why not?

If you liked this book you might enjoy: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi, The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall, Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Magician's Elephant

By Kate DiCamillo

Ages 8-12

“But perhaps you do not understand, I was crippled by an elephant! Crippled by an elephant that came through the roof.”

In an imprudent display of real power a magician conjures an elephant instead of a bouquet of lilies. The pachyderm lands in the lap of Madam Bettine LaVaughn, throwing the city of Baltese into an uproar. She inspires the bakers to make pastries called Elephant Ears and the people to dance a lumbering dance called The Elephant. Her presence is the subject of conversation all across town. Where did she come from? What should be done about the magician who conjured her? Is he a criminal? Can she be sent back? And should she? The only person who is sure of anything is twelve-year-old Peter Augustus Duchene. A fortuneteller told him an elephant would lead him to his sister—and an elephant has appeared. That means that Peter’s guardian, Vilna Lutz, lied, and his baby sister is alive. Peter intends to find her with the help of the elephant. What he does not realize is that the elephant needs his help as well.

The Magician’s Elephant is a compact story about family, forgiveness, and home. Lovely writing, lovely story, lovely pictures, lovely themes. Just lovely.

Caveats: discussion of war and soldiers dying on the battlefield, reference to a stillborn child, reference to magic

Possible topics for discussion: war, family, forgiveness, significance of home

Questions to get you started:

1. The elephant seems to be many different things to all the characters: for the magician she is his one display of power as well as his downfall, for Madame Bettine LaVaughn she is the instrument of her disability. For the countess Quintet she is a means to establish herself in society. For Peter she is the hope that his sister lives, and for Adele she is the hope that someone will come to claim her. But is the elephant really any of these things? Is she a symbol? Or is she just an elephant?

2. Hans Ickman says to the magician and to Madam LaVaughn, “It is important that you say what you mean to say. Time is too short. You must speak words that matter.” What does he mean by this? Are there things you should say?

3. Laughter is important to two of the characters in this book: Madame LaVaughn and Bartok Whynn. Bartok laughs constantly after his horrible accident leaves him disfigured and then stops when the small group of people comes to get the elephant. And after the elephant leaves, Madame LaVaughn laughs aloud and hugs Adele. What does laughter mean for each of these characters?

4. Dreams play an important part of this book. Bartok, Peter, and Adele all dream. What does each of their dreams mean and how are they connected to one another?

5. What does the snow symbolize? Why might DiCamillo have used this symbol?

6. When Hans Ickman says to Madam LaVaughn, “Everyone has gone a little mad, her response is, “Oh, very well. I see.” Why does “madness” make everything ok? And what signs of madness are around?

If you liked this you might like: Clockwork by Philip Pullman, The Wild Hunt by Jane Yolen, Love that Dog by Sharon Creech, Skellig by David Almond, and The Underneath by Kathi Appelt