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The Scarecrow and His Servant by Philip Pullman

Summary

A scarecrow and his boy servant, Jack, set off on a dangerous adventure as they try to outwit the crooked Buffaloni family and stake their claim to valuable Spring Valley.

Booktalk

"One day old Mr. Pandolfo, who hadn't been feeling at all well, decided that it was time to make a scarecrow. The birds had been very troublesome. Come to that, his rheumatism had been troublesome, and the soldiers had been troublesome, and the weather had been troublesome, and his cousins had been troublesome. It was all getting a bit too much for him. [p. 1]"

“So he put together a fine-looking scarecrow, with a big solid turnip for a head and a sturdy broomstick for a backbone, and dressed him in his old tweed suit, and stuffed him tightly with straw. Then he tucked a short letter inside him, wrapped in oilskin for safety, to show where he belonged.” [p. 2]"

And Mr. Pandolfo stuck that scarecrow in the middle of the wheat field and went home to lie down because he wasn't feeling well at all.

But before that scarecrow had a chance to scare any birds, he was stolen by a particularly lazy farmer. It turns out that there were a lot of lazy farmers about, because that scarecrow kept getting stolen – moving farther and farther from the place where he was made. One very stormy night, when “all his molecules and atoms and elementary particles and whatnot were lined up in exactly the right way,” the scarecrow was struck by lightning and came to life!

This scarecrow needs help, though. Fortunately, sleeping in a barn not far away is young Jack. The next day, when Jack hears the scarecrow calling for help to get out, he obliges. And, when the scarecrow offers Jack the job of personal servant, Jack takes it. Together these two set off on a series of adventures, involving soldiering, a shipwreck, a trial by jury, and a performance of The Tragical History of Harlequin and Queen Dido! Their most important adventure involves the short letter that Mr. Pandolfo stuck inside his chest. That letter may make the difference between life and death in the scarecrow's beautiful home of Spring Valley.

Thrill to the adventures of The Scarecrow and His Servant by Philip Pullman.

229 pages, 4th grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. Why does Jack agree to be the Scarecrow's servant?
  2. Who do you think is smarter, Jack or the Scarecrow? Why do they make such a good team on their adventures?
  3. Jack is constantly getting the Scarecrow out of various scrapes, yet the Scarecrow believes he is smarter than Jack. Why does Jack let the Scarecrow believe this?
  4. When the Scarecrow tries acting, or soldiering, or anything else he tries, is he any good?
  5. What was your favorite episode of the Scarecrow's journey? Why?
  6. There seems to be a lesson that the author wants the reader to learn from each step on the Scarecrow's journey. What are some of those lessons? Are they good ones?
  7. Why does the Scarecrow call the piece of paper inside his straw his “inner conviction?” What does that phrase mean to you?
  8. How does the lawyer, Mr. Cercorelli, almost swindle the Scarecrow out of his inheritance?
  9. When Mr. Cercorelli tries to prove that the Scarecrow doesn't exist, Granny Raven shows one way that he does. Can you think of any other way to prove he exists?
  10. What do you think is the author's opinion of companies that cause pollution?
  11. Why does he use a silly story to share his opinion with the reader?

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Snacks: Apples, bread and cheese with coconut ice cream.

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