Hello there.

It's great to see you.

It's good to be here with you.

My name is Miss Afzal.

Today, we're going to be exploring a novel called "The Girl of Ink and Stars".

What a great title.

So I'd like you to pause the video here and go and fetch your copy of the novel.

All right, you're back.

You've got your copy of the novel.

Hopefully, you have some ideas, some curiosity, maybe some questions.

Are you ready to begin our discussion? The outcome for today's lesson is, I can discuss the main ideas of "The Girl of Ink and Stars".

Here are the keywords for today's lesson.

Let's go through them, my turn, your turn.

Myth.

Magic realism.

Theme.

Fantastic.

Let's find out more about these keywords.

A myth is a traditional tale explaining a culture's beliefs, customs, involving gods and supernatural creatures.

Magic realism is a genre of text blending magical elements into realistic settings.

A theme is a big idea, topic, or message that recurs within a story.

Let's make sure we look out for these words.

Let's listen for them.

Let's think carefully about them.

Today's lesson has got two parts to it.

First, we're exploring the story.

Next, we're exploring themes.

We're gonna begin exploring the story and what a story "The Girl of Ink and Stars" is.

It's written by Kiran Millwood Hargrave with illustrations by Helen Crawford-White.

"The Girl of Ink and Stars" is a novel which blends the genres of myth and magic realism.

The text has strong links to location.

Maps are a central feature of the narrative.

Illustrated pages break up the text into three parts, plus the final chapter, which acts as a coda.

A coda is a concluding part of the text that can add some closure to the text after the ending.

The text is set on the island of Joya and begins in the town of Gromera, which is ruled by Governor Adori, who has forbidden any journeying beyond the forest that borders the town.

Isabella, the central protagonist, is a fan of myths and legends.

Storytelling plays a key role in her relationship with her father.

Her favourite myth links to a young female warrior, called Arinta.

Reread the myth from pages 33 to 35.

How do you think Isabella's journey in "The Girl of Ink and Stars" mirrors Arinta's journey in the myth? So pause the video while you reread the myth and share your responses to this question with someone nearby.

I wonder what you came up with.

Here's a response from Jacob, "Isabella shares lots of similar character traits to Arinta such as bravery and determination.

She also encounters the tunnels of the labyrinth and Yote, the fire demon." In magical realism texts, magic is incorporated into the world as though it is an everyday occurrence.

By including mythical creatures and objects that have special powers, it makes the world more fantastical and can create a sense of wonder.

Which magical elements or objects did you enjoy in the text? What made them interesting or effective? Pause the video while you share your responses to these questions with someone nearby.

Which objects or elements did you enjoy? Maybe something like this.

I loved how Isabella first learns about how to read her mother's map, with water from the Arintara revealing its secrets.

The Tibicenas, fire dogs, sound terrifying.

They are like giant wolves but are jet black with matted fur and ferocious red eyes! Check for understanding.

Treasured possessions play an important role in the text.

Match the following items to which of Isabella's parents they are linked to, a green jug, a walking stick, a map with magical properties.

So match these up with either Isabella's mother or father.

Pause the video while you do this.

Okay, so did you match a green jug to Isabella's mother, the walking stick to her father, and a map to Isabella's mother? Well done if you made these connections.

And can you also remember why each of these items were treasured by Isabella? Let's go through a brief summary of the text.

13-year-old Isabella lives on the island of Joya with her father.

Her best friend, Lupe, is the governor's daughter.

One of their classmates is killed by a mysterious creature.

Isabella blames Lupe, who heads into the forest that borders their harbour town to investigate what happened.

There is increasing unrest on the island.

People protest the governor's response.

Many are incarcerated, that means they are locked away, including Isabella's father.

Pretending to be a boy, Isabella joins the governor's search for his daughter as a navigator.

They explore the Forgotten Territories and come up against the Banished and Tibicena, before facing Yote.

Through sacrifice and bravery, Joya is saved.

Put the following events from "The Girl of Ink and Stars" in chronological order.

Use the text to support you.

Discovering the myth to be true, Lupe frees Arinta's legendary sword and Yote is defeated.

Joya floats floats free once more.

Determined to prove Isabella wrong, Lupe disappears overnight and goes off in search of what has attacked Cata, their classmate.

The governor's men and Banished form an unlikely alliance to fight the beasts.

Isabella and Lupe are plunged into the island's underworld after falling through a waterfall.

Isabella's mother's map leads the girls to the lair of Yote.

So pause the video while you place these events into chronological order.

That means the order, the sequence in which they happen and use the text to support you.

So did you come up with this order? First of all, Lupe disappears off in the night.

The governor's men and the Banished form an alliance.

Isabella and Lupe are plunged into the underworld and Lupe frees Arinta's legendary sword.

Well done if you put the events in this order.

Now that we've explored the story, we're going to discuss our own thoughts and feelings about the text.

I'd like you to answer the questions in the grid that's coming up with a partner.

Be honest about your thoughts and make sure you listen to your partner's opinion.

So here's our grid, likes, dislikes, and puzzles.

So first of all, likes.

What caught your attention? What made you want to keep on reading, keep turning those pages? Here are some sentence starters you might like to use, I enjoyed or my favourite part was.

What about dislikes? Was there anything you didn't understand perhaps? And you could start your sentences with, I was unsure about or I wanted to know more about.

And then, how about puzzles? Was there anything you found strange or surprising? And you could begin, I wondered or I noticed.

So pause the video here.

Use this grid.

Use sentence starters to help you and share your likes, dislikes, and puzzles with someone nearby.

Okay, it's good to be back with you.

I wonder what you came up with and I hope you enjoyed sharing and hearing from each other.

Let me share my ideas too.

I liked how Kiran Millwood Hargrave built the world of Joya.

By including maps and descriptive settings, it really brought Gromera to life.

I could imagine living there.

Dislikes.

I was unsure whether Isabella would make it.

She goes up against some powerful creatures.

I was sad to read of Lupe's fate.

However, this made the story more realistic for me.

Puzzles.

I noticed that there was some connections to some famous myths.

For example, the labyrinth from the Greek myth, Theseus and the Minotaur.

I wondered if there are other connections to myths from other cultures and countries.

And next, let's move into exploring themes.

A theme is a big idea, topic, or message that recurs within a story.

Identifying themes within a text involves inference.

It means looking closely, reading between the lines.

Themes are not explicitly stated within a text, so the text is not going to say, this is about so and so.

However, there are a few ways in which we can identify themes.

For example, by considering actions and characteristics of people within the text, by identifying repetition, what are the actions and emotions and traits that come again and again, by searching for deeper meaning using inference, and by considering the overall, the overarching message of the text.

Two of the most prominent themes are adventure and ambition.

Isabella harbours a strong desire to explore beyond the confines of her small town and discover the truths hidden within the island.

Her quest to find Lupe leads her on a thrilling adventure filled with danger and discovery.

What themes do you think are shown within the text? Pause the video now and share your ideas with someone nearby.

I wonder if you came up with any themes such as these, friendship, exploration of the unknown, cartography, which is the study of maps and mapmaking, sacrifice, redemption, fate, bravery, and family.

There are many possible themes that can be drawn out from this very rich and full text and readers may interpret themes and their importance differently, because we're all different and unique and we all have our unique reading identities.

Cartography is the accurate mapping and representing of geographical features for navigation and exploration purposes.

Sacrifice is offering something valuable for a greater cause, often involving personal loss or hardship.

Redemption is the act of making amends for past mistakes.

Match the theme to how it is conveyed in the text.

So conveyed means how it is shown or represented.

So here are our themes, sacrifice, cartography, and redemption, and how these themes could be conveyed in the text.

Isabella notes the scale of significant objects, the location of north and the wind direction when journeying through the Forgotten Territories.

Governor Adori stands with the Banished to ensure Isabella and Lupe can escape.

This is in contrast to his attitude and behaviour at the beginning of the text.

Lupe risks her life to save Isabella when they are escaping from Yote's lair.

So pause the video now while you match up the theme to how it is conveyed in the text.

Okay.

Did you select sacrifice with Lupe risking her life, sacrificing her life for Isabella? Cartography is how Isabella notes the scale, locations, and wind direction, et cetera.

Redemption is how Governor Adori stands with the Banished to support Isabella and Lupe, so he's redeemed himself.

Maps are not only used in physical form within the text.

They are also referred to by Isabella's father.

Even when he is not physically present, Isabella reflects on his words.

He describes each person as carrying a map of their own self.

Reread the italicised text on page 95.

What do you think Da means by this and why might he be saying this to Isabella? So pause the video while you reread the text and reflect on these questions.

Let's hear some responses.

Here's Sofia, "I think that Isabella's father might mean that our experiences and environment shape who we are." Yeah, absolutely.

And how about Izzy? "He might say this to Isabella," oh, Izzy and Isabella, "so she remembers her family, especially her mother and twin brother who passed away many years ago." Yeah, absolutely.

Check for understanding.

True or false? Cartography is an important skill that supports Isabella on her journey to find her best friend, Lupe.

Pause the video while you decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

Now I'd like you to justify your answer.

Isabella uses her mapmaking skills to navigate the maze-like route of the labyrinth beneath the waterfall.

Or Isabella uses paper, various inks and a quill to accurately draw a map of the Forgotten Territories.

Pause the video while you decide Well done for selecting answer A.

This really directly and clearly justifies your answer.

A takeaway idea within the text may link to themes that are explored and developed in it.

It may include a key message, insight, or perspective that the author has communicated to the reader.

What are your takeaway ideas within "The Girl of Ink and Stars"? Pause the video while you share these with someone nearby.

Let's here's some ideas.

Here's Aisha, "Our experiences, home and family shape who we are." Oh my goodness, yes, yes, yes to that, Aisha.

And Andeep, "It's important to make the most of the opportunities we have." Yeah, love that one.

I wonder what your ideas were.

Maybe you have something like this.

Friendship is not always perfect.

It's important to empathise, to feel with, to understand and think about events from another person's perspective.

With support and guidance, we can accomplish great things.

Everyone can challenge expectations placed on them by others.

We shouldn't rely on technology completely.

Map reading and navigation is a vital skill to develop.

As our reading experiences are unique, your ideas will be too.

In our lesson today, we've covered the following.

"The Girl of Ink and Stars" is a novel which blends the genres of myth and magical realism.

Maps are a central part of the narrative.

Illustrated pages break up the text into three parts.

There are many possible themes that can be drawn out from this text.

Readers may interpret themes and their importance differently.

A takeaway idea within a text may link to themes that are explored and developed in it.

It may include a key message, insight, or perspective that the author has communicated to the reader.

What I would like to say to you is thank you for being here.

I really appreciated your focus and enthusiasm and your ideas and this very, very rich discussion of an incredible novel.

I'll see you next time.

Bye for now.