Year 3 and 4 are thoroughly enjoying their new class novel – The Legend of Podkin One-Ear.
A mysterious storyteller rolls in from the snow one night and enchants a warren of young rabbits with the tale of Podkin One Ear: the son of a chieftain who went on to become a legend.
As we read this atmospheric tale, we have been discussing some of the words and phrases used by the author that create characterisation, setting and suspense. The children thought about how the author chose the right words and phrases to interest and intrigue the reader. We are certainly interested!
The Gorm
Podkin is son of the chieftain of the Munbury warren but forced to flee with his baby brother and capable big sister Paz when their home is invaded by the terrifiying Gorm, iron-clad monster rabbits turned evil by greed and enchantment.
The Gorm are a frightening bunch of thugs who want to take over the rabbit world and crush all before them. In class, the children were given half an image of The Gorm and, using the words and phrases we had discussed, they briefly sketched the other half.
iron-clad beasts
grinding metal
clump of heavy leather boots
a walking slab of metal and meat
pierced with rusty thorns and nails
jagged, dented iron
cruel shard-like spikes
curved metal horns
shadowy eye slits
dim scarlet pupils
mottled with rusty red veins
The children really enjoyed transferring the descriptive vocabulary into an image. Not the most handsome of creatures!