Nightbird
Written by Alice Hoffman

Summary:
Twig, aged twelve, is practically ignored by classmates and other residents of Sidwell, Massachusetts, but gets along fine with just her mother and brother, whose presence must be kept secret, until descendants of the witch who cursed her family move in next door and want to be her friends.

Primary Source Pairing:
In this story, magic plays a leading role. For generations, Twig’s family has been under a spell cast by Anges Early. Julia and Twig, through the events of the story, discover Agnes’ original recipe for the spell she cast all those years ago. For this primary source pairing, use the recipe for the magic spell and begin a discussion of the role of magic in this fantastical story.

Questions for Discussion:

• What do you notice first?
• Find something small but interesting.
• What do you notice that you didn’t expect?
• What do you notice that you can’t explain?
• What role does magic play in this story?

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett

Recipe Collage images: (photo collage made by JMarek)
Tansey: Pixabay.com
Mint: NaturalSociety.com
Lavender: Heatlh.com
Feverfew: KCWeb.com
Rose: FreeIconsPNG.com