Fablehaven

66 pages • 2 hours read

Fablehaven

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2006

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Introduction

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-2

Reading Check

1. What is on the keyring that Grandpa gives to Kendra?

2. Which items does Kendra find in the locked dollhouse armoire?

3. What does Kendra notice Dale secretly place behind a hedge?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why are the children not allowed to enter the forest on Grandpa’s property?

2. How do the insects in the backyard react to Kendra’s handheld mirror?

CHAPTERS 3-5

Reading Check

1. What does Kendra discover on the bookshelf while hunting for keyholes?

2. Where does Kendra find the second and third keys to the locked journal?

3. Which message is scrawled on the back pages of the Journal of Secrets?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Seth find in the ivy-covered shack in the woods?

2. What place does Seth show Kendra that he discovered in the woods?

3. What does Grandpa reveal is the true reason he wants Seth and Kendra to stay out of the woods?

4. What happens when Kendra and Seth drink the milk?

Paired Resource

“The Cottingley Fairies: A Study in Deception”

This media compilation by Leeds University Library Galleries details the full history surrounding this peculiar story, including the public reaction to the photographs.
Through this resource, students may be prompted to analyze the photos from different perspectives and consider how perspective plays a role in forming the deception.
How does the case of the Cottingley Fairies demonstrate the theme of Subjectivity of Perception? What does the public response to the case tell us about the role our own perceptions and biases play in forming our beliefs? If you had been alive at the time the photographs were released, do you think you would have believed them?

“How the Cottingley Fairies Were Faked” by National Science and Media Museum

This 2-minute video details how Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright faked the Cottingley fairy photos.
Through this resource, students may be prompted to consider how the two girls manipulated others’ perception in contrast to the adamancy of others like Arthur Conan Doyle that the photos were real.
The information in the video connects to the theme of Subjectivity of Perception.
How did the girls manipulate the drawings of the fairies to appear real? How can we reconcile our knowledge of what is real with new discoveries that contradict what we think is true? How must Kendra and Seth alter their mindset once their perception of the world around them changes in the novel?

CHAPTERS 6-8

Reading Check

1. What does the fairy Seth imprisons in a jar transform into the following morning?

2. To whom must Grandpa go to for help following Seth’s debacle with the fairies?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How did Lena come to be in Grandpa Sorenson’s employ?

2. Why did Grandpa leave the keys and the Journal of Secrets for Kendra and Seth?

3. How do the fairies retaliate against Seth for trapping one of them?

4. What price must Grandpa pay in order to release Seth from his enchantment?

Paired Resource

Monstrum on PBS: “The Enchanting Fairies of Irish Lore”

Hosted by Dr. Emily Zarka, this video series on PBS explores various figures from mythology and folklore. This 9-minute video explores some of the faerie lore found in Irish folklore. (Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing without teacher guidance due to some mature images and content.)
The fairies in the novel appear to take inspiration from Celtic folkloric representations; this resource will provide context for the fairies’ characterization in the novel.
This resource connects to the theme of Subjectivity of Perception.

CHAPTERS 9-11

Reading Check

1. What kind of creature is Hugo?

2. Where are Kendra and Seth instructed to stay until morning on Midsummer Eve?

3. Which mythological creatures rescue Kendra and Seth from an ogress out in the woods?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is the significance of Midsummer Eve?

2. Why does Seth open the window on Midsummer Eve?

3. What are the consequences of Seth’s actions on Midsummer Eve?

Paired Resource

“When and What Is Midsummer?”

This article from the Farmer’s Almanac explores the origins and traditions associated with Midsummer Eve.
The “Folklore and Celebrations” and “Faerie Activity” may be the most useful sections to excerpt.
This information connects to the theme of The Importance of Place and Boundary.
What does Midsummer represent in our world? What does it represent in the world of the novel? How does Midsummer mark a “boundary” in real life? According to folklore, how does it also represent a boundary between humans and magic? How is Midsummer Eve connected with boundaries between humans and magical creatures in the novel?

CHAPTERS 12-14

Reading Check

1. What creature do Kendra and Seth discover in the barn?

2. What message do Kendra and Seth find spelled out in Goldilocks’s chicken feed?

3. Where do Kendra, Seth, and Grandma learn that Grandpa and Lena are imprisoned?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How do Kendra and Seth resolve the problem facing them in the barn?

2. Why has Grandma been absent all this time?

3. How does Grandma convince Nero to give them the information that they seek?

Paired Resource

“Why Are Old Women Often the Face of Evil in Fairy Tales and Folklore?”

This NPR article by Elizabeth Blair analyzes the characterization of the witch archetype in fairy tales and its connection to feminine archetypes in folklore. Excerpts or paraphrases from this resource may be most useful. (Content Warning: includes a brief mention of suicide.)
The information in this resource connects to the theme of Subjectivity of Perception.
How is Muriel the witch characterized in the novel? What sets her apart from other female figures like Grandma Sorenson? How does Muriel perceive the rightness of her own actions and the wrongness of her imprisonment? How does the narrative contrast her perception to Grandma’s, Kendra’s, and Seth’s?

CHAPTERS 15-17

Reading Check

1. Who is imprisoned in the basement of the Forgotten Chapel?

2. To whom does Kendra turn for help after she escapes the Chapel?

3. Which ingredients must Kendra mix together to form an elixir?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is hidden in the secret room on the other side of the attic? What is the significance of this discovery?

2. Why can the imps and Mendigo not harm Kendra?

3. How does Kendra incapacitate Mendigo at the hidden pond?

CHAPTERS 18-19

Reading Check

1. How do the fairies restore the imps to their former selves?

2. Where do the fairies return Lena?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How do the fairies change once they drink Kendra’s elixir?

2. What mysterious ability does Kendra gain as a result of the fairies’ kisses?

Recommended Next Reads

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

In the second book of the Fablehaven series, Kendra and Seth return to the magical preserve to help their grandparents secure Fablehaven against the growing threat of the Society of the Evening Star.
Shared topics include good vs evil, mythological creatures, and human-magic relationships.

The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1: The Field Guide by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

Siblings Mallory, Jared, and Simon Grace move with their mother into an old Victorian mansion, where strange things begin happening. With the help of a field guide detailing all the magical creatures around them, the siblings learn to navigate their relationships with each other and the magical world around them.
Shared themes include The Importance of Place.
Shared topics include magical creatures, hidden worlds, and sibling relationships.
The Field Guide on SuperSummary

Reading Questions Answer Key

CHAPTERS 1-2

Reading Check

1. Three miniature keys (Chapter 1)

2. A piece of chocolate wrapped in foil and another small gold key (Chapter 2)

3. A pan of milk (Chapter 2)

Short Answer

1. Grandpa forbids the children from entering the forest because they may pick up ticks and subsequently contract Lyme disease. (Chapter 1)

2. The insects are entranced by the mirror; they cluster around it and appear to be gazing directly at it. When Seth flips the mirror over, they work together to return it to the reflective side. (Chapter 2)

CHAPTERS 3-5

Reading Check

1. The Journal of Secrets (Chapter 3)

2. On the underside of the rocking horse unicorn; in the jewelry box (Chapter 5)

3. “Drink the milk” (Chapter 5)

Short Answer

1. Seth finds an old woman gnawing on a rope with two knots in it. She also works a marionette named Mendigo. (Chapter 3)

2. Seth takes Kendra to a “hidden paradise” in the woods: A boardwalk interspersed with gazebos encircles a pond with an island in the center. The place is populated by exotic animals like peacocks. (Chapter 4)

3. Grandpa explains that his true reason for keeping the children out of the woods is because he has dangerous animals on his property. (Chapter 4)

4. Once Kendra and Seth drink the milk, their eyes are opened to the magical world. They can now perceive fairies and other magical creatures. (Chapter 5)

CHAPTERS 6-8

Reading Check

1. An imp (Chapter 8)

2. The witch, Muriel Taggert (Chapter 8)

Short Answer

1. Lena was once a naiad living in the pond, but she left that life for a former caretaker. As a result of her decision, she became mortal, although she ages much more slowly than the average human. (Chapter 6)

2. Grandpa reveals that he left the keys and Journal of Secrets as clues for Kendra and Seth, to see if they were trustworthy and open-minded enough to be let in on the secret of Fablehaven. (Chapter 7)

3. As punishment for causing one of them to fall, the fairies transform Seth into a deformed walrus. (Chapter 8)

4. In order to grant Muriel the power she needs to undo the enchantment, Grandpa must loosen one of her knots. Once he does so, only one knot remains in the rope that holds her full powers imprisoned. Grandpa states that they won’t be able to seek her help again if they need magical intervention. (Chapter 8)

CHAPTERS 9-11

Reading Check

1. A golem (Chapter 9)

2. The attic playroom (Other acceptable answer: in their beds) (Chapter 10)

3. Satyrs (Chapter 11)

Short Answer

1. On Midsummer Eve, the boundaries that usually restrict the magical creatures’ movements dissolve, and they can roam where they like; the only safe place is the house. (Chapter 9)

2. A demon tricks Seth into opening the window when it disguises itself as a baby being chased by wolves. Thinking it’s real, Seth opens the window to rescue the baby but inadvertently allows the demons entry instead. (Chapter 10)

3. When the children go downstairs in the morning, they discover that most of the items in the house have been destroyed, and that Grandpa and Lena have been abducted. Dale has been turned into a statue in the yard. (Chapter 11)

CHAPTERS 12-14

Reading Check

1. A giant cow (Chapter 12)

2. “IM GRAM” (Chapter 13)

3. Inside the Forgotten Chapel (Chapter 14)

Short Answer

1. Inside the barn, Kendra and Seth discover Viola, the giant cow, who is in pain because of the pressure from the milk in her udder. The children milk her by jumping from ladders onto her teats; they use the pressure of their bodies to hug the teats and release Viola’s milk. (Chapter 12)

2. Grandma has been absent because she was turned into the chicken, Goldilocks. (Chapter 13)

3. Grandma barters her services as a masseuse in exchange for information regarding Grandpa’s whereabouts. She and the children give Nero a 90-minute massage before he uses his Seeing Stone to ascertain Grandpa’s location. (Chapter 14)

CHAPTERS 15-17

Reading Check

1. The demon Bahumat (Chapter 15)

2. The Fairy Queen (Chapter 17)

3. Blood, milk, and tears (Chapter 17)

Short Answer

1. On the other side of the attic is a secret room where Grandma and Grandpa store all their weapons and most powerful magical resources. Kendra and Seth can use the items they find to help their cause. (Chapter 15)

2. Because she has used no magic and committed no mischief, the full power of the treaty of mutual respect still protects Kendra, preventing Muriel’s army of dark creatures from harming her. (Chapter 16)

3. Kendra detaches Mendigo’s arms and throws them in the Fairy Queen’s pond; when he attempts to retrieve them, the naiads pull him underwater. (Chapter 17)

CHAPTERS 18-19

Reading Check

1. By kissing them (Chapter 18)

2. To the pond (Other acceptable answer: to her form as a naiad) (Chapter 18)

Short Answer

1. After drinking the elixir, the fairies grow to human-sized versions of themselves, resembling muscular women nearly six feet tall. They emit a brilliant light; Kendra notices that their attitude is no longer mischievous, but fierce and ready for war. (Chapter 18)

2. As a result of the fairies’ kisses, Kendra no longer needs the milk to see magical creatures. (Chapter 19)