Judging a Book by Its Cover

1. Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls Judging a Book by Its Cover

2. Warm up • Have you ever judged a book by its cover before? • If so, what boo and what judgments did you come to? • If you’ve never judged a book by its cover before, why not?

3. Vocabulary • Bamboozles - to perplex; mystify. • Gibbering - to speak inarticulately or meaninglessly. • Prodigy - a person, especially a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability: a musical prodigy. • Villainous – having a cruel, wicked, malicious nature or character, or, of, pertaining to, or befitting a villain: villainous treachery. • Devise – to contrive, plan, or elaborate; invent from existing principles or ideas: to devise a method.

4. Can you judge a book by its cover? • Only look at the FRONT COVER of the book. • What can you tell about: the genre; the setting. • Why do you think the front cover is shiny? • How does it make you feel? • Why do you think there are symbols on the cover? • What do you think they are for? • Does it remind you of any other Language? • Can you predict what the story might be about?

5. Prologue How does one describe Artemis Fowl? Various psychiatrists have tried and failed. The main problem is Artemis’s own intelligence. He bamboozles every test thrown at him. He has puzzled the greatest medical minds. And sent many of them gibbering to their own hospitals. There is no doubt that Artemis is a child prodigy. But why does someone of such brilliance dedicate himself to criminal activities? This is a question that can be answered by only one person. And he delights in not talking. Perhaps the best way to create an accurate picture of Artemis is to tell the by-now famous account of his first villainous adventure. I have put together this report from firsthand interviews with the victims, and as the tale unfolds, you will realize that this was not easy. The story began several years ago at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Artemis Fowl had devised a plan to restore his family’s fortune. A plan that could topple civilizations and plunge the planet into a cross-species war. He was twelve years old at the time.

6. Small Group Discussion • What does this prologue seems to suggest about Artemis Fowl’s character? • Does this give you any more clues as to what the book is about? • How, if at all, does the prologue seem to connect with the cover? • Use examples from the text to support your points.

7. Can you judge a book by its *back* cover? • What does the blurb on the back suggest about: • the plot; • the main character; • other characters in the story.

8. Homework • Re-read the prologue. • Read Chapters 1 & 2. • Handout: Please write down at least 1 trait for Artemis and a piece of contextual evidence that demonstrates it. • NOTE: Do not try and complete this yet! We will be working on it as we go! Bring it to class.

9. Exit Slip • What does this statement from the prologue seem to suggest given what you know now? •      “A plan that could topple civilizations and plunge the planet into a cross-species war.”