Kathleen Pelley Activity Guide - Two Travelers

Kathleen Pelley Storytelling Activity Guide

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Activity Guide by

Kathleen Pelley



One of the many things I love about good stories is that they can provide a space in our hectic busy lives to simply PAUSE and PONDER some truth, some beauty, or some new way of looking at the world.

Each month I will invite you to join me as I PAUSE and PONDER upon the story I have just read.

The Two Travelers Written and Illustrated by Christopher Manson

PAUSE and PONDER … Why I love this story?

I love to think of my life as a journey, and those I meet along the way are my fellow travelers. We learn a lot from journeys, don’t we? And we learn a lot about our friends when we make a journey with them, don’t we? In this delightful story, we see Isaac and Abulabaz, not only take a journey from one place to another, but take a journey to friendship. All through their arduous trek across mountains, rivers, sea, snow, and desert, the two travelers learn to look out for one another: Abulabaz uses his floppy ears to shield Isaac from the scorching sun, and Isaac tells the sailors to sing their songs to soothe Abulabaz’s fears. What a poignant way to demonstrate to our little ones that we are all travelers on the road of life, and we are called to use our individual talents and gifts to light the way for others, to be a beacon of hope, to lighten the load and burn bright for each other.

Souvenirs from the story – A dollop of delight seeing two unlikely travelers become the best of friends.

Emotional/Universal Truth What is an emotional truth?

Any editor will tell you that a common weakness of many picture book manuscripts is that they are “too trite.” In other words, they will not withstand multiple readings, because they are too one dimensional and lack a universal, emotional truth. It is NOT a lesson, a moral, or a message! Rather it is a simple truth, woven seamlessly throughout the story -‐some truth about love, hope, pain, joy, or home that a child can understand and connect with. I like to think of it as that whiff of wonder, that bolt of beauty that lingers with you, long after the last page is turned or the final word uttered.



Why should this universal truth matter so much to the read-‐aloud quality of a picture book?

“The storytellers go back and back, to a clearing in the forest where a great fire burns, and the old shamans dance and sing, for our heritage of stories began in fire, magic, the spirit world. And that is where it is held, today.” Doris Lessing

Truth connects us to one another, to our ancestors, and to the world around us. Good books and stories are all about connections. When we read a story aloud to a child – a story that truly touches us at the very core of our being with its beauty and its truth, then, we will naturally breathe our own life and love into those words as we read them aloud. (Notice how life and spirit, breath and voice are all connected). In turn, those words will seep into the little listener’s heart, making her or him feel brave or bold, calm or kind, happy or hopeful.

“Adult books maintain lives; children’s books change lives.” Yolen

The “truth” of this story: true friends can help us on our journey through life.

What souvenir and what “truth” I wonder, will you and your children take from this story?

The following discussion questions and activities are designed for use either with a parent and a child, or with a teacher and her class or a small group. Most of the discussion questions are suited for children ages 6-‐8, but could be adapted for use with younger children too.

-‐ Kathleen Pelley Children’s Author, Storyteller, and Speaker

www.kathleenpelley.com



Discussion Questions Before reading the story, you may want to discuss the following vocabulary with your child/children.

Caliph –Arab word for ruler of Muslim community

Charlemagne –King of France from 768 Charles the Great

Emperor –ruler of an empire

You may also want to look at a map to show countries of France and Baghdad.

1. What message did Isaac have to give to the caliph of Baghdad?

2. What did Isaac think of Abulabaz on first seeing him?

3. What did Abulabaz think of Isaac on first seeing him?

4. Have you ever not liked something/someone at first, but then changed

your mind later? Discuss.

5. How did Isaac coax Abulabaz onto the raft?

6. How did Abulabaz help Isaac in the desert?

7. What did the children in the seaside town know about Abulabaz?

8. Can you think of other things children know more about than adults?

9. How did Isaac make Abulabaz feel safe when they were at sea?

10. Why do you think Abulabaz liked the storm at sea?

11. How did he keep Isaac safe in the storm?



Discussion Questions (Cont.) 12. The people in the town were afraid of Abulabaz because they had never

seen an elephant before. Complete the following sentence and discuss.

When I first saw a _______________I felt ______________________.

13. How did Isaac help Abulabaz in the blizzard?

14. Have you ever had to help someone you were traveling with? Discuss.

15. Why was Abulabaz so unhappy in the emperor’s gardens?

16. Have you ever missed someone as much as Abulabaz missed Isaac?

17. How were Abulabaz and Isaac re-‐united?

18. What was your favorite part of the story? Discuss.

19. Who was your favorite character? Why?

20. How did this story make you feel? Discuss.



Story Characters For each description below, choose a character (or group) from the story.

Draw the character in the box and then write a sentence that explains your

choice.

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

The cleverest character

The kindest character



Story Characters (Continued)

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Word Scramble Unscramble the words…

1. At first Isaac thought Abulabaz was a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (sremotn).

2. Isaac had to _ _ _ _ Abulabaz onto the raft. (axoc)

3. At first Abulabaz thougth Isaac had a strange _ _ _ _ _ (leslm).

4. The sailors said their _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (yarsepr).

5. Abulabaz caught Isaac with his _ _ _ _ _ (nurtk)

6. Isaac kept Abulabaz warm with his _ _ _ _ _ (kocal)

The funniest character



Crisscross Words Use the clues below to complete the crossword puzzle.

Across 2. A way to cross a river. 4. Elephants eat this. 6. Abulabaz is one. 8. Abulabaz used his trunk to do this. 10. Thunder and lightning.

Down 1. Isaac and Abulabaz. 3. Abulabaz used his to shade Isaac from the sun. 5. A group of elephants. 7. Many animals have one. 9. Abulabaz trumpeted when he saw these.



Map Skills Use map below to show the journey from Baghdad to France.

Discuss with your child/children what journeys they make on a regular basis – to school, a friend’s house, library, park… Discuss landmarks they might pass – a store, gas station, bus stop….Discuss how they travel – by foot or car or bus or bike….Now have them draw their journey and then display on wall/classroom. Encourage them to draw as much detail as possible (dogs in the yard, or men working on road, people waiting at bus stop etc.). For example, on my journey to school I pass my neighbor’s house, traffic lights and a park.

Neighbor’s House Traffic Light A Park



Draw Your Journey Share things you see, hear, smell and touch when you are on your journey:



Writing Prompts Use the following discussion questions to prompt your child/ children to write about Journeys.

Have you ever traveled to a far-‐off land? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What is the longest journey you have ever made? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ How did you travel? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Who was with you? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Were you ever afraid? Share how you felt. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________



Writing Prompts (Cont.) What made your journey easier? Or harder? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Did you learn anything on your journey – either about yourself, or about life? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Describe the people you met on your journey? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Did you make any friends? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Which of your friends would you want to take on a journey? Why? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________



Our Suitcases When we go on a journey we usually have to take a suitcase. For each place, draw what you would put in your suitcase. (discuss with children the conditions of each place, and encourage them to think of what they might want to bring to pass the time, to make them feel brave, to fight homesickness, etc. Make a display of OUR SUITCASES on wall/classroom and discuss children’s choices.)

Journey to the desert.



Our Suitcases (Cont.) Journey to the snowy mountains.

Journey to my grandparents’ house.



Our Suitcases (Cont.) Journey to the moon.



Answer Key Discussion Questions

1. His master wanted peace between their countries.

2. He thought he was a monster.

3. No right answer.

4. No right answer.

5. He jumped up and down on it.

6. He used his ears to shade him.

7. They knew elephants were fun.

8. No right answer.

9. He held his trunk and had sailors sing to him.

10. No right answer.

11. He curled his trunk around him.


13. He kept him warm with his cloak.


15. He missed Isaac.


17. The Emperor commanded Isaac to be Abulabaz’s keeper.






Word Sramble

1. monster

2. smell

3. coax

4. prayers

5. trunk

6. cloak

Crisscross Puzzle

Documents

Kathleen Pelley Activity Guide - Two Travelers