Vassa in the Night (40 page)

R
ESEARCH AND
C
REATE:
Who is Baba Yaga? Is she kind or cruel? Is she one person or three? Why does she live in such a strange house? Go to the library or online to research answers to the questions. In the character of Baba Yaga (in first person), write a poem, song lyrics, dramatic monologue or other theatrical piece beginning with the words, “I am.”

W
RITE:
Has reading
Vassa in the Night
changed your perspective on how your family's past impacts your sense of self? Write an opinion piece, using an interpretation of the novel as your basis for exploring the reasons it is good to know your family history and ways to keep this knowledge in perspective as you develop your own personal identity.

L
IST:
List at least eight events, characters, or images found in both the traditional Vassilissa tale and the novel. (If desired, also read other Russian folktales, particularly “The Firebird,” to find other shared matter.) For each list entry, note how the author reinterprets the notion for a contemporary reader and setting. (Note: This exercise is best done after completing “Before Reading” activity #3.)

M
IXED
M
EDIA:
In “Interlude in Scales,” Pangolin observes that “Harmony has no better preservative than obliviousness.” Is this an observation, or a warning? How might those words be understood in terms of contemporary geopolitical and environmental issues? Create a visual answer to these questions by writing the quote on a large piece of poster board, then surrounding it with newspaper clippings, drawings, photographs, and your own interpretive words and phrases.

R
OLEPLAY:
With friends or classmates, discuss what has truly happened to Vassa over the three nights of the story. Were there really three nights at all? Why does Vassa remain secretive about Erg when she interacts with others? Roleplay a conversation between Vassa and Chelsea, or between Vassa and Tomin, in which they both share their own truths about what happened.

D
EBATE:
Babs tells Vassa, “It's unwise to bring up terms like
good
or
bad,
right
or
wrong,
in my store. As long as you're here the meaning of such words is entirely mine to determine,” (Chapter 5). Divide into two groups to debate whether there is such a thing as “absolute good/right” and “absolute bad/wrong” or whether such values are only ever relative.

R
EAD AND
D
ISCUSS:
Fairy tales and Bible stories have inspired works by many contemporary authors. Go to the library or online to find and read
Enchantment
by Orson Scott Card,
Briar Rose
by Jane Yolen,
Riders
by Veronica Rossi, or another novel inspired by an old or ancient narrative. Discuss how modern authors connect classic tales to contemporary teen experiences.

R
ESEARCH AND
W
RITE:
Write your own modern fairy tale interpretation. Select a folktale for your adaptation and research its history. Brainstorm ways to connect the story and your research to modern characters and settings. List at least five characters you will include in your rendition of the story. Write a synopsis of your plot idea. If desired, outline your idea based on the steps of the “Hero's Journey” as described by Joseph Campbell.

 

ALSO BY
SARAH PORTER

The Lost Voices Trilogy

Lost Voices

Waking Storms

The Twice Lost

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S
ARAH
P
ORTER
is a writer, an artist, and a freelance public school teacher. She is the author of the Lost Voices Trilogy:
Lost Voices, Waking Storms,
and
The Twice Lost
. Sarah and her husband live in Brooklyn, New York. You can sign up for email updates
here
.

 

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CONTENTS

Title Page

Copyright Notice

Dedication

Epigraphs

Prelude in Night

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Interlude in Fur

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Interlude in Wood

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Interlude in Scales

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Interlude in Sea

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Interlude in Feather

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Reading and Activity Guide

Also by Sarah Porter

About the Author

Copyright

 

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

 

VASSA IN THE NIGHT

 

Copyright © 2016 by Sarah Porter

 

Reading and Activity Guide copyright © 2016 by Tor Books

 

Illustrations copyright © 2016 by Sarah Porter

 

All rights reserved.

 

A Tor Teen Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

 

www.tor-forge.com

 

Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

 

The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

 

ISBN 978-0-7653-8054-8 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-7653-8622-9 (e-book)

 

e-ISBN 9780765386229

 

Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at
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First Edition: September 2016