Reader’s Guides, Activities, & More
See below for discussion questions, historical background, suggestions for research, and book-related activities. Margi loves to know what activities you’re doing in your classrooms and libraries! Send her an email and she’ll to post them here in the future.
Lily Leads the Way
When you flip through the pages of Lily Leads the Way, sharp observers may notice that the flag flying from Lily’s mast changes throughout the story. Use these descriptions to find out what Lily is saying to the other vessels in the book!
Windswept
Trying to catching the wind with a net? How do we fill in “holes” in stories with our own imaginations? Download discussion questions, serious and silly, created for curious readers of all ages and levels. Developed by Pat Castellano and Margi Preus.
Heart of a Samurai
Heart of a Samurai Book Club: In 2023, Philing Good created an amazing book club for 30 kids. Activities included hachimaki headbands, puzzles the style of Hiroshige and Hakusai, a three-legged race while singing sea shanties, and more! Get inspired and join the fun here >
Visible Thinking Rountines: Thanks to Lisa Wattai and Jennifer Windeler for developing these Visible Thinking Routines for Rochester, Michigan’s Authors in April program. The student work from this program was amazing! Download Activities >
The Bamboo Sword
Is it fair that Yoshi cannot be a samurai because he was born into the wrong class?
Further questions for discussion available in the readers guide.
Village of Scoundrels
Throughout the novel, Jean-Paul and others grapple with going about their normal lives, even though their very existence puts them in grave danger. How does a person go on in the face of overwhelming fear?
West of the moon
“What is it that makes us human?”
Discussion questions and research suggestions available in the readers guide.
Shadow on the Mountain
“What is the shadow on the mountain?”
Historical background, research suggestions, and discussion questions available in the readers guide.
Storm’s Coming!
How did lighthouse keepers and their children know whether a storm was on its way? By reading signs in nature! Have fun and learn the signs with this fortune teller designed by illustrator David Geister.