These are discussion questions compiled from each chapter. There is also a study guide available that includes Discussion Questions and Words to Know for Embracing the Magic and the short stories: Clarise and the Night Show and Faking the Magic.
Chapter 1 & 2 : Wizard Battle & Next
What type of person is Morzul?
Why do you think he is conquering so many towns?
Describe Morzul – not just what he looks like, but his personality.
What do you think the amulets do?
Morzul uses magic – what spells does he cast?
Chapter 3 & 4 : The Performance & It Doesn’t Go Right
After reading chapter 1 and 2, what would you guess might happen in the story?
Why does Samual say that Rory can’t do magic? Can Samual do magic? (see the short story Faking the Magic)
Samual sees Rory faking the magic – why don’t you think the adults notice it?
What do the villagers think of Rory?
Chapter 5 : After the Show
Why can’t Samual prove that Rory is a fake?
Do you think Mr. Robers is correct and the Town Magician will protect them when needed?
The amulet is mentioned and Rory must have it. Do you think it is helping him to be a Town Magician?
How could Samual prove Rory is a fake?
Describe the type of person Rory is.
Chapter 6 : The Gang
Samual wishes he had magic. Do you think that affects his desire to prove Rory isn’t a real Town Magician? Do you think he would try so hard to prove Rory didn’t know magic if he had magic of his own?
What might a herdle look like? Draw your rendition.
Jon picks on Samual often. Why do you think this is so?
Chapter 7 & 8 : Dad & Bye Bye Gang
Does Samual often fight Jon? How do you know? What do you think usually happens?
Chapter 9 : Dream
Why do you think Samual dreamed he was a Town Magician and performing magic?
Can you guess what is causing the smoke and booms from the town?
Chapter 10 : Not a Battle
There have been several magicians so far. Who are they and what magic did they possess?
Morzul uses his magic to hurt the villagers. Is that what Town Magicians do? If Rory is a fake Town Magician, how would you compare him to Morzul? Which is better or worse and why?
Where do you think Rory is?
Chapter 11: Rory Knows
Rory appears to know something about magic and mentions he learned from his father. Do you think his father knows Rory can’t perform magic?
Chapter 12 & 13 : A Magic Duel & Rory the Showman
Why does Morzul want to fight Rory? How many towns does a Town Magician normally preside over?
How have things changed with Town Magicians through the years?
Would you say Rory is really trying to make sure the duel is legal and fair or does he have some other reason to discuss it and try to set the duel for a later time?
Do you think there is a Grand Wizard or is Rory making that up?
The people feel better after listening to Rory, which is part of what a Town Magician does. What makes Rory a good Town Magician and what makes him a bad Town Magician?
Morzul wants his name to spread as the greatest magician. Is that what is happening? What do people think when they hear the name Morzul?
Chapter 14 : Rory and Susin
Do you think Rory is telling Susin the truth that he will get trained by the Grand Wizard? Why or why not?
For more – see Your Own Stories.
Chapter 15 : Samual Decides
What is Samual’s father like? What type of person is he?
How do you think his father will react when he gets to town?
Describe Samual and his father’s relationship?
Samual asks himself, “What if I had magic?” How do you think Samual would be if he had magic?
Samual decides to go to the Grand Wizard himself. Predictions on what’s going to happen?
For more – see Your Own Stories.
Chapter 16 : Clarise at Home
Does Samual’s plan sound like a good one? Do you think he’ll succeed?
For more – see Your Own Stories
Chapter 17 & 18 : Rory Sets Off & Midnight Howls
Do you agree with Samual’s decision to join Rory in the campsite?
Chapter 19 : On the Road
Is it good that Rory knows Samual is around?
What might have happened if Samual had chosen to not reveal himself to Rory.
Why do you think Rory let’s Samual stay with him and continue to the Grand Wizard?
Chapter 20 : The Town
Why do you think Rory doesn’t want to help the town?
Chapter 21 : Tatroon
Clarise snoops under the performance stage which could get her in trouble? Why does she do so and what does she find? How does it change her thoughts on the situation with Rory?
Chapter 22 : This is it?
Is the Grand Wizard what you expected? How is he different?
What does the house look like?
Chapter 23 : Meet the Grand Wizard
When Samual states who his father is, how does the Grand Wizard react? Why might that be?
Chapter 24 : Stew
How does the boy’s relationship change while making and eating dinner?
Do you think Rory is serious about defeating Morzul? Why or why not?
Chapter 25 : Getting Started
A Grand Wizard named Toby? What did you think his name might be?
Did Rory use magic to start the fire? Why didn’t he? Do you think he could have started the fire with magic?
Did Samual use magic to get the pot? Could he have used magic? Why didn’t he?
Chapter 26 : Training Conflict
The Grand Wizard makes references like what the humidity isor leg warmers or calling someone, yet they don’t have phones in Samual’s world. How might the Grand Wizard be making these references?
The Grand Wizard displays how powerful he is with magic by growing larger and controlling the weather. Yet, he continues to stop the training with Rory. If he knows magic, why is he not training Rory?
Samual notices that the Grand Wizards house looks better than it did when they arrived. What do you think it looked like then and what does it look like now?
Chapter 27 & 28: Meditation & Magical Meal
Samual is concerned about Rory getting trained. But if the Grand Wizard didn’t bother with Rory, he’d have more time with Samual. If you were Samual, what would you do?
The Grand Wizard is still pushing Samual to do magic. Does that mean he know Samual has magic? Or is he trying to get Rory jealous in the hopes it will spur Rory to perform magic?
What do you think happened to the roses?
What did Toby mean when he said, “get out of your own head”?
Samual didn’t use magic to make the stew, yet his method was also successful. Does he need magic?
What are the negative and positive thoughts Samual has had about magic? Is that affecting his ability to
Chapter 29 : The Wizard Way
Do you think Toby will continue to train Rory?
Morzul enjoys having the power and controlling the town, but is he a good Town Magician? Why or why not? What are some things Morzul does that make him a good or bad Town Magician? What could he do to be the opposite?
Chapter 30 & 31 : Tense Moments & Using Magic
Why do you think Toby won’t give Rory a magic item or potion?
Should Samual continue to try the magic?
In what ways did Rory and Samual’s relantionship change in this chapter?
Chapter 32 : Oh Rory
What do you think Toby meant when he said, “Tell your mistress you will not be rid of me so easily.”
What are your thoughts on Rory running?
Chapter 33 & 34 : Dire Wolves & Triumphs?
If Toby is so powerful, why do you think he had trouble with the Dire Wolf? Could there be another reason it too him longer to deal with that wolf?
Do you think Rory really killed the wolf?
Where do you think Toby is going at the end of the chapter and why?
Chapter 35 & 36: The Wizard Leaves & Grand Wizard
Toby is back in his house – why isn’t he training Rory?
What is Rory’s plan to defeat Morzul? Is it a good plan?
Why is Rory mis-treating Samual again?
How does the hut and surrounding area look different than when they arrived? What about Toby, how is he different?
Chapter 37 & 38 : Time to Move On & Trying Magic
If Rory can’t cast actual magic, what do you think he’ll do?
Chapter 39 & 40 & 41 : Trying Magic & Magic Language & Magic Changes Everything
Rory finally did some magic, right? What was the magic? Was there anything different about Rory trying this time?
What is Rory and Samual’s relationship at this point? How do they feel about their past actions toward each other?
Chapter 40
How does Clarise react to finding the secrets under the stage?
Do they think Rory has a chance to win?
Chapter 41 & 42 & 43 : Prepared & Morzul Arrives & Change in Magic
How well was the battle for Rory? What does Rory do when things start to go wrong?
What happened with Samual? Did you know he had magic? What type of magic does he have?
Chapter 44 : The Real Battle
Morzul is determined to get the amulet. How does he act once Samual gets the amulet?
Since he isn’t Town Magician any longer, why doesn’t Rory quit? What does he do?
Clarise can pick up the amulets because she’s not meant to be Town Magician. What do you think would have happened back in the forest clearing if Samual had grabbed Rory’s amulet? How would that have changed the story?
What does Morzul do to win and how does Samual react? Is that what he should have done?
Chapter 45 : The Village
Is Morzul defeated? Does Samual do it?
Do you think Samual and the village could have won if Morzul hadn’t dropped the amulets?
End
So, did Mr. Robers prophecy come true and did the Town Magician protect the town?
How does Samual’s relationship with Rory change from the beginning of their journey to the end of their journey?
The above are the discussion questions you can use in the classroom or in a homeschool situation while reading Embracing the Magic.
