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Thor and the Stolen Hammer: book club questions by chapter
Meeting 1 of 2
🦉 Thor and the Stolen Hammer · meeting 1 of 2
Read: Part One, “The Empty Bed”; Part Two, “Loki Flies North” (pages 1–6, about 4 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 6, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.
- 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. - The part we just read is called "Loki Flies North". 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. - 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.
Meeting 2 of 2
🦉 Thor and the Stolen Hammer · meeting 2 of 2
Read: Part Three, “The Bride”; Part Four, “The Wedding Feast”; Part Five, “Thunder in the Hall” (pages 7–16, about 7 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 16, the end of the story.
- What did Thrym want in return for the hammer?
The story's answer: Freya as his bride - Why did Thor not want to wear the bride's dress at first?
The story's answer: He thought everyone would laugh at him - How did Loki explain why the bride ate a whole ox?
The story's answer: She had not eaten for eight days - Why did Thrym put the hammer in the bride's lap?
The story's answer: To bless the wedding - What does this story show about being strong?
The story's answer: Sometimes even the strongest need a clever plan and a sense of humor - 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. - The part we just read is called "Thunder in the Hall". 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. - 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
- 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. - Was the main character right or wrong? Was the ending fair?
Listen for: Myths are often hard on people; let the group disagree.
How these questions are made
The questions with an answer are the story's own, from its page in the library, each at the first stop whose pages answer it and where everyone it names has already come in. The rest are Peabody's, and name nothing but the parts already read. Nothing here is written by a computer model. The story's club kit has the short version for the leader (it gives the ending away), three facts and an activity.
Read it free: peabody.kids/library/thor-and-the-stolen-hammer. Every child in the club can read it on any device, with no account.