Welcome to Week 6 of our Summer Book Club
For the last week of Book Club, we are gathering our shield and armor and reading a book filled with wordplay, wit, and warmth. Knight Owl, written and illustrated by Christopher Denise is an adorable story that shows that bravery comes in all kinds of forms and ultimately friendship rules over might.
Owl may be small, but his dreams are anything but. In Knight Owl, readers meet a determined little hero with a big heart and even bigger aspirations. When he’s finally given a chance to prove himself on Knight Night Watch, Owl must summon all his cleverness and courage to confront an unexpected danger. A whimsical tale of bravery, brains, and believing in yourself - even when others underestimate you.
Day 1: Read and Discuss
On the first day of the book club, settle in, get cozy, set down your armor and shields, and read the book out loud together. As you turn each page, take time to look closely at the lovely illustrations created by Christopher Denise filled with so many details of knighthood.
After reading, talk about the story and ask your children if they have questions,what were their favorite parts of the story, and encourage them to share all the things that captured their attention. Having this time to discuss and explore the story after reading allows the book to sink in more deeply and helps children remember more details.
Discussion Questions
We've put together a list of questions and specific ideas based on this sweet classic to prompt your discussions:
1. This sweet tale explores what happens when you face your fears and find common ground with someone who seems very different. Have you ever thought someone was one way, only to discover, after spending time together, that they were completely different from what you expected?
2. Is there something that you dream about the way that Owl dreams of being a knight?
3. What would you do if you saw a giant dragon on your Knight Night Watch? Do you think you would've thought about having pizza?
Day 2: Writing and Drawing Prompt
On the second day of Book Club, we revisit the story to retell it and process the story even more through drawing and writing prompts. Children also like to retell the story through play and even perform their own reenactment.
Let them lead the way! If your children enjoy drawing and writing, create a space with easy access to pencils, crayons, and paper. Include the book in this creative space so they can use it as inspiration.
Writing Prompt
Write about a time when you felt scared and worried but you did something brave and everything worked out better than you ever could have imagined.
Drawing Prompt
For this book, we created the following prompt to spark their drawing adventures:
Have fun today, designing your own family crest. Will you have dragons, unicorns, trees... the shield is yours, so let your imagination soar.
Find the shield drawing template HERE.
Day 3: Make Your Own Knight's Shield
Every brave night needs a shield to protect them from dragons! But traditionally knights also used their shields to express who they were and what they valued. As they designed their own shields, they would add their own favorite symbols or animal motifs. These images evolved into family crests and formal coats of arms which were passed down through many generations.
Today's craft allows you to imagine what your shield would look like and what symbols might be part of your family crest. So grab some paint and markers and get ready to craft your very own coat of arms to protect you and your loved ones from all of the fierce dragons out there!
Materials Needed
- Large cardboard boxes from the recycling
- Scissors (or a box cutter to be used by an adult)
- Your choice of paints, crayons, markers or other colorful medium
- Strong glue (hot glue gun, tacky glue, rubber cement, etc.)
- A selection of decorations like buttons, sticks, leaves, or anything on hand that seems fun!
Instructions
Step 1:
Start by having your child draw their shield. What shape is it? What symbols represent their knight persona? Draw inspiration from this drawing, then trace the shapes onto your large piece of cardboard. For our round shield, we cut out three circles, one star, and one moon.
Step 2:
Use your art supplies to color your shield pieces however you'd like. We used blue and yellow paint to create our moon and star-themed knight's shield.
Paint any additional decorations at this time, then let everything dry.
Step 3:
Glue 2 of your shapes together to form a sturdy base for your shield. Use your box cutter to cut out a smaller window in the third circle to create this layered effect. Glue small cardboard rectangles around the edges of the shield, then glue the top layer to them. Finally, glue your decorations on. Get creative!
Step 4:
Once the shield is fully dry, cut a piece of rectangular cardboard that's long enough to wrap around your child's arm. Bend the cardboard into a tube-like shape, then bend a 1-2" section on each end of the rectangle to glue it down onto the back of the shield. You'll want it to be parallel to your design so your child can slide their arm through it, and the design will be correctly oriented. We also used some duct tape to add some extra security during play.
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