King Midas and the Golden Touch: book club questions by chapter

🦉 King Midas and the Golden Touch · meeting 1 of 2

Read: Part One, “The Wish”; Part Two, “The Golden Touch” (pages 1–8, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 8, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why did Dionysus offer King Midas a gift?
   The story's answer: Midas had been kind to his old teacher
2. What happened when Midas bit into his bread?
   The story's answer: It clanked on his teeth because it was gold
3. Why was Marygold crying when she ran in?
   The story's answer: The roses had turned hard and cold
4. Who have we met so far, and what does each of them want?
   Listen for: Make a list together on the board; keep it for next time and add to it.
5. The part we just read is called "The Golden Touch". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
6. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 King Midas and the Golden Touch · meeting 2 of 2

Read: Part Three, “The River” (pages 9–12, about 3 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 12, the end of the story.

1. How did Midas wash the golden touch away?
   The story's answer: He jumped into the river Pactolus
2. What does King Midas learn in this story?
   The story's answer: The people we love matter more than gold
3. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
4. The part we just read is called "The River". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
5. Now that you know the ending, was it the ending you expected?
   Listen for: Ask what in the earlier parts pointed to it, or pointed the other way.

About the whole story

1. What does this myth explain, or try to explain?
   Listen for: Many myths explain how something came to be: a season, an animal, a name.
2. Was the main character right or wrong? Was the ending fair?
   Listen for: Myths are often hard on people; let the group disagree.
3. If you could ask one character a question, who and what would it be?
   Listen for: A good last question: it shows what puzzled each reader.