The Nightingale: book club questions by chapter

🦉 The Nightingale · meeting 1 of 3

Read: Part One, “The Porcelain Palace”; Part Two, “The Kitchen Girl”; Part Three, “The Song at Court” (pages 1–6, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 6, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Who showed the court where to find the nightingale?
   The story's answer: A little kitchen girl
2. 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.
3. The part we just read is called "The Song at Court". 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.
4. 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.

🦉 The Nightingale · meeting 2 of 3

Read: Part Four, “The Golden Slipper”; Part Five, “The Jewelled Bird”; Part Six, “The Better Bird”; Part Seven, “A Broken Spring”; Part Eight, “The Emperor Falls Ill” (pages 7–12, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 12, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why did the real nightingale fly away from the palace?
   The story's answer: Nobody noticed it leave while everyone was busy with the new bird
2. What stopped the artificial bird from singing at the end?
   The story's answer: Its wheels broke and nobody could wind it up in time
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 Emperor Falls Ill". 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. 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.

🦉 The Nightingale · meeting 3 of 3

Read: Part Nine, “Death at the Window”; Part Ten, “The Nightingale Returns”; Part Eleven, “Good Morning” (pages 13–18, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 18, the end of the story.

1. Why did the nightingale ask to be free instead of living in the palace?
   The story's answer: A true song is only given freely, never locked in a cage
2. What did Death do when the nightingale sang about the garden?
   The story's answer: He gave back the crown and the sword and floated out the window
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 "Good Morning". 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. Who in the story was kind, and who was not? How do you know?
   Listen for: Ask for the moment in the story that shows it.
2. Which part would you change, and how would the story end then?
   Listen for: There is no wrong ending; ask what else would have to change.
3. Is there a rule of three in this story (three tries, three wishes, three visitors)? Why do you think fairy tales like threes?
   Listen for: Many do; a third time is where the change happens.
4. Who would you give this story to, and why them?
   Listen for: A reader who can name the right person has understood what the story is like.
5. If you could ask the person who first told this story one question, what would it be?
   Listen for: Collect the questions; some have answers on the story's page in the library.