Book Summary
An old lady
gives Griffin a box with 10 pennies in it and a note that said she was the new
“Wish Stealer.” The pennies were labeled: STOP, No Homework, Puppy, Change the
World, Popular, Baby, Success, Dad, Most beautiful, World Peace, One Blank. As
the wish stealer, all of her evil wishes would come true and all of her good
wishes would not. The old lady had watched people throw coins in a fountain and
she would go and collect the coin and then write down their wish on each penny.
Through the book, she tries to return the wishes to people so that the curse
would be lifted. She gives a girl “most beautiful” because she wants to be a
dancer. She gives the “success” to a violin player. She gives the “dad” to
Garrett because he misses his dad. She gives a puppy to an old lady that wanted
a puppy. Griffin works on a science project with Garrett on how alchemists
tried to change lead to gold. They do a fundraiser to raise pennies for money
for the rain forest. Her grandmother reveals at the end that she had seen the
girl stealing wishes and had thrown her own coins. One she wished for the wish
stealer to “STOP” and one she wished silently. A third penny she kept to make
her own luck.
The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas
Book Work
Story Summary: Start with “Griffin goes to an antique store and an old lady
gives her a box with pennies in it and a letter about a curse….” Each child
adds on a couple of sentences to summarize the story.
Small Group
Discussion Questions
Do you have
anything that you consider lucky?
Griffin’s
grandmother told her that she was a wish giver not a wish stealer. What are
you?
The book had
a group of travelling witches that gave messages to Griffin. Did you think that
the witches were real or just actresses?
“E pluribus unum out of many one.” Pennies
add up. Griffin and Garrett were able to raise over $5000 with a penny drive. Did
you know that an estimated $4,000 is thrown
into the Trevi Fountain in Rome each day.$12,000 a year is thrown
into the Bellagio Resort fountain. Why do you think we have “E pluribus unum out of many one.” on our
penny?
The Indian Head penny that Mariah gave Griffin turned out to be worth $150. The US Mint stopped making Indian Head pennies in 1809. They started making pennies with Lincoln’s head on the front. The back keeps changing. (Show pictures). Some people collect pennies. (Show penny folders) Do you have any collections?
Luck Penny
Activity
(http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763656488.kit.1.pdf)
Materials: A colored index card or
card stock, Decorative Scissors, Penny, Double Sided Tape, Markers
1. Cut out a card for the penny in
any shape you like.
2. Tape the penny onto the card.
3. Write a lucky message using
marker:
Good Luck Today! Lucky
Wednesday! Pick Me Up! Share the Luck!
(If time allows, take your group
around the school and leave your lucky pennies waiting to be found!)
Small Group
Discussion Questions
Griffin has
a secret Mysterium Collection Box under her bed with “Two eagle feathers passed
down by her great-grandfather before they become illegal to keep, half of a
heart from her best-friend-forever necklace she share with Libby Barrett, an
old lace valentine her grandma made as a girl, and three smooth, lucky stones.”
Do you have a secret box where you keep treasures? Where would you keep it?
What would it contain?
Griffin made
7 wishes when she said “It looks like it’s going to rain” at the same time as
her mother (one for each word). If you could make just 3 wishes, what would
they be for?
When
mysterious things would happen in the story, the weather would often be stormy.
Why? Weather can be used by writers to set a mood for a story. What types of
feelings do you get when it is snowy? Sunny? Foggy?
Griffin was
scared and didn’t know what to do with the box. She didn’t tell her parents
because she was afraid of the curse. Should she have told them?
Mariah gave
Griffin the black obsidian stone that she could use to see the future. Would
you want to be able to see the future?
Wish
Guessing Game
I found some
wish stealer pennies. (Each child takes a turn as the drawer and pulls out one
penny clue.
Clue giver
useswhite board with dry erase markers)
Clues are:
Hair, Happy, Clean room, Homerun, Snow, Baby, Ice cream, Friday, Beach
After the
clues have been guessed. Share ideas for who they think might have made
these wishes.
Change
these Wish Stealers into Wish Givers
Read each
scenario from the story. Have two
students act it out with a new dialogue where Mr. Blackwell and Kristina’s mom
are Wish Givers.
Scenario 1.
Garrett and Griffin: We are doing a science project on how
alchemists tried to turn metal into gold. We want to do a fundraiser to turn
pennies into gold for a charity and we need to get your approval.
Mr. Blackwell: Do you really think pennies will help save the
Amazon rain forest? It’s not worth your effort.
Scenario 2.
Kristina: I want to take ballet lessons so that I can be a
beautiful ballerina.
Mom: Ballet lessons are a waste of money because only one
percent of ballet dancers can get a job or make a living.
Snack: Cups
of “Lucky Charms”
Extra
Time Activities
(Drawing Game) Take turns drawing things that are either lucky or
unlucky
Rabbits Foot, 4 Leaf Clover,
Wishbone, Horseshoe, Coins in wishing wells, Eyelash, Holding your breath in a
tunnel, Walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, black cat crosses your path
Extra Discussion Questions:
Have you ever made a wish
you could take back?
Do you think it is wrong to
steal people’s wishes? Why?
How can you be a wish giver?
If you could wish for no
homework or no school, would you do it?
