The Dark Hills Divide

Title: The Land of Elyon Book 1: The Dark Hills Divide (Patrick Carman) Quick summary: The story is about Alexa Daley who lives in a town surrounded by walls to keep out the evil in The Dark Hills. She spends the summer with her father, who is a government official, in Bridewell. Alexa has always wondered what lays beyond the walls and this summer she is determined to solve the mystery. There is a lot of action, talking animals, lies, and secrecy. Possible Reading Assignments: (8 days) 1: ch. 1-4 2: ch. 5-7 3: ch. 7-10 4: ch. 11-13 7: ch. 21-23 8: ch. 24-27 Summary Ch. 1 Pgs. 3-8

Ch. 2 Pgs. 9-16

Ch. 3 Pgs. 17-23

Ch.4 Pgs. 24-30

Difficult Vocabulary

Alexa Daley is walking through town with Warvold. He is a leader, farther, and keeper of the hidden key. They come across a wall that he built many years ago to keep dangers out and protect his wife Renny and son, Nicolas. He now feels that maybe the walls keeps dangers in. Warvold tells Alexa a fable about 6 blind men and an elephant as they feel one spot and determine what it is. They are quiet for a moment and he dies. Alexa is 12 and every year she goes to the city Bridewell with her dad who is the mayor of Lathbury. Her father tells her the legend of when they built the walls around the cities. Warvold was an orphan at age 13. he left his city and persuaded others to join him. They first settled in Lunenburg, the town became crowded. They decided to build a wall to the next city to keep the evil out. People from a prison in Ainsworth worked for 10 years on the wall, and then were returned to the city. The criminals were branded with a C on their face. They meet Silas Hardy on the road, and he joins them in their journey to Bridewell.

Pg. Pg. Pg. Pg.

3: 4: 7: 8:

illuminated conjuring absentminded ominously

Pg. Pg. Pg. Pg.

9: vagrant 10: speculated 11: solace 13: diversion

In Bridewell the houses are tight and the streets very narrow. No house is taller than 2 stories to keep people from seeing over the wall. An old prison building is now the Renny lodge which includes a library, courts, classrooms, and hotel. The mayors of the cities meet there once a year to discuss business. In attendance is Ganesh, the mayor of Turlock, Warvold and other important men. Alexa will be there for 30 days, mainly unsupervised while her father is in meetings. She hopes to find a way outside the wall. In the bottom of Alexa’s bag she snuck in: candy, money, a book, metal tools, compass, stationary, ink, candle, matches, and her mother’s spyglass. There is one person in the town that she doesn’t get along with, Pervis Kotcher. He is the guard

Pg. 18: apprentice Pg. 19: ornate, ponderous

Pg. 25: spyglass, cylindrical, tenacity, demeanor

5: ch. 14-16 6: ch. 17-20

Purpose for reading/Comp. Strategy Before reading study the map in the beginning of the book. Predict the significance of different areas. Read the poem and quotes found in the beginning and try to interpret their meaning. On page four re-read and discuss the fable Paragraph one describes Alexa. Have the students write a character description of themselves, or another group member. Look at the map to see where they are coming from and where they are going. Discuss how they walls keep evil out and why Warvold said he feels they might do the opposite. So many things are left open right now. Have the students share the questions they have. What type of questions are they? Can some be answered now through discussions?

Character analysis: We have learned a lot of Alexa’s traits. What kind of person is she? Warvold?

Ch. 5 Pgs. 31-38

Ch. 6 Pgs. 39-44

Ch. 7 Pgs. 45-51

Ch. 8 Pgs. 52-60

Ch. 9 Pgs. 61-69

of the gates to Turlock. He finds her on the window sill with her spyglass trying to look over the wall. He takes the spyglass from her. Alexa and Warvold go on a walk where he dies. She takes a locket from around his neck and finds 2 keys. She leaves in the key that unlocked the gate but takes the other. Alexa goes back to the lodge to tell her father and Ganesh about Warvold’s death. Three days later a funeral is held in Bridewell. They had a circular procession to accommodate the large amount of people there. Nicolas, Warvold’s son, comes to fill his place. Alexa goes to her favorite place, the library, which is filled with 100’s of books. Grayson works in the library. She finds Warvold’s favorite book: Myths and Legends of Elyon. Two cats, Sam and Pepper, were sitting on a window sill with a hawk. She is frightened by them and breaks the book. Alexa awakes to find Pervis standing over her. He asks if anyone from the outside has contacted her. He feels that he doesn’t have to answer to anyone now that Warvold is gone. Ganesh shows up. To get himself out of trouble Pervis tells Ganesh about the spyglass and smashes it. Ganesh explains that even though Pervis is annoying he is a great guard and keeps the city safe. Alexa, her father, Ganesh, and Nicolas eat dinner together. They discuss Warvold’s wife, Renny. She loved to make bracelets and rings with detailed etchings, called Jocastas, on the sapphires and rubies. She only made a small amount. Alexa writes to her mom to tell her about the spyglass. In the library Alexa discovers that Sam and Pepper, who used to belong to Renny before she died, have Jocastas on their collars. Alexa sneaks a printers glass out of Grayson’s office to help her examine the medallions. She looks at and draws a sloppy copy of the Jocasta on Sam’s collar. Pepper scratches her when she tries to see his. When Grayson sees the drawing he immediately knows it’s the library. During the night Alexa has a nightmare about Pervis. While eating breakfast the men are discussing if they should extend Lunenburg towards Ainsworth. Nicolas thinks Ainsworth will try to take over. Ganesh thinks they should build up instead of out. Pervis dislikes this idea because he doesn’t want people to see over the wall. Pervis tells how he already caught Alexa on the window sill trying to see over. Her father

Pg. Pg. Pg. Pg.

31: pragmatic 34: tranquil 36: reclusive 38: exasperated

Predict: What changes will be made because of Warvold’s death? What types of myths are in the book and are they really myth’s?

Pg. 39: nauseating Pg. 43: veiled

What does Pervis know about outside the wall? Page 44 states: Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad to get what you need. Discuss.

Pg. 45: captivating

Connections: Have you done something wrong and had to tell a parent? What was it and how did it make you feel?

Pg. 54: nape Pg. 56: meticulous Pg. 58: scrutiny

Predict: Why would Renny put a map of the library on the cat’s medallion? What is on Pepper’s? Do they have a hidden meaning?

Pg. 61: fraught, grotesquely Pg. 64: vulnerable Pg. 68: reminisced

Compare and contrast some of the characters and their personality traits.

Ch.10 Pgs. 70-82

Ch. 11 Pgs. 83-94

Ch. 12 Pgs. 95-101

Ch. 13 Pgs.102-110

points out that some day she will rule over Pervis. She goes on a walk with her father, sees some of Warvold’s qualities in her. He will be gone for two days on business. Alexa goes exploring. In a leather pouch around her neck she puts the map, key, and a pocket knife. Grayson helps her figure out the map. When she goes to her favorite chair in the library the hawk and cats watch her intently. Her key fits into a notch on the wall behind the chair. The wall opens, there is a ladder leading into darkness, also an oil lamp and matches. She goes down the ladder, travels through a long dark tunnel, and eventually comes to a place where she has to climb up. At the opening where she had to climb up is a small man named Yipes waiting for Alexa. He is not allowed to answer her questions but leads her into the mountains. The hawk is also there. Yipes declares that Darius will be pleased he found her and they need to be in the forest by tomorrow. Yipes calls her important cargo. They walk for a very long time, stop and drink. Alexa falls asleep from exhaustion and has a nightmare about Warvold. Yipes wakes her and urges her on. She must travel alone up the stream till she reaches a pool. From there she must figure out what to do next. In the pool she sees an emerald stone. Works hard and long to get it. When she picks it up Yipes appears again and they continue on the journey. Alexa puts the stone in her pouch. They come to Yipes’ little house. Darius will arrive in the morning. They eat dinner together and Yipes tells Alexa about his life. He used to live in Bridewell but his parents left him in the streets when they realized he would never be a normal size. She falls asleep and awakes to people talking. Darius is a wolf. He doesn’t talk like humans but she can understand him. They are going to a meeting with the forest ruler and council. Warvold chose her, she leaves with Darius. Darius tells Alexa that only she can understand him. The rock from the pool is what allows her to understand animals. There is a small tunnel that goes under Lathbury walls. She must crawl through. Alexa wonders if she can trust him, and what happened to Renny Warvold. Who is Elyon? She barely fits in the hole and awkwardly shuffles forward. She reaches the end and sees a little room. While peeking in she hears two men talking. One has the convict C branded on his forhead.

Pg. 70: decipher Pg. 75: audacious, shroud Pg. 79: precariously

Pg. 75: look at the map to see where Cabeza de Vaca, the traveler she reads about, journeyed. Many times Alexa wanted to turn back. Would you have the courage to continue forward?

Pg. 85: stalwart Pg. 90:excruciatingly Pg. 91: wane Pg. 92: rabid, goaded

How does Alexa feel now that she is outside the walls? Who is Darius? Do you think he is good or bad? What is the purpose of the stone?

Pg. 95: jutted

Now that we are farther in the book some old questions might already be answered, but there is probably many more questions that the students have. What are they?

Pg. 103:apprehensive Pg. 106: aptly, claustrophobic, protrusion Pg. 110: emphatic, sinister

Predict: What are the two men plotting to do?

Ch. 14 Pgs.111-133

Ch. 15 Pgs.137-145

Ch. 16 Pgs.146-155

Ch. 17 Pgs.156-170

They meet a rabbit named Malcolm. Darius asks about Odessa, his wife, and Sherwin, his son. They were separated when the wall was built and are two big to get through the tunnels. Many animals are hiding, whispering and trying to see Alexa. She meets Ander, a grizzly bear, and the king of the forest. There are five stones like hers, Yipes, Warvold, and convicts have them, they were made by Renny. They also show the future. Once you return to town the power decreases. Warvold saw that forces would destroy what he created, interpreted it to mean monsters lived in the Dark Hills. Ainsworth let the criminals that built the walls loose in the Dark Hills because they didn’t have room to hold them. They have an insider in Bridewell called Sebastian. The rock/Jocosta, says Alexa will be the one to find Sebastian. Alexa goes back through the wall trapdoor. Yipes hands her a tube and warns her to trust no one. In the tube was a map of the under and above ground tunnels used by the convicts. When she gets back Sam, the cat, starts talking to her but she doesn’t answer him—trust no one. Alexa sees the hawk leave, “off to tell Sebastian of Alexa’s return no doubt.” The cats and hawks are traitors. She awakes to find Murphy the squirrel at her window. She tells him of the traitors and he leaves to tell Ander. In the dinning room she meets all the men who had been gone. They are excited to see one another. Her father and Silas both ask to talk with her after dinner. Pervis comes back from Ainsworth, he is drunk and rambles about them wanting to take over. They take him to a holding cell to question him. Alexa and her father go for a walk and just chat. Silas was looking for her to give her a letter from her mom and couldn’t find her. She lied and said she and Grayson were playing a spy game. Alexa goes to visit Pervis in the cell. They play chess and make a wager—whoever wins gets to ask the other any 5 questions they want. He beat her by playing dumb at first then check mate in only 9 moves. Asks: if she’s ever kissed a boy-no, what happened when Warvold died-tells about key, person she’s looking for-Sebastian, who is Sebastian-escaped convict in Bridewell, can you get me out of here-I don’t know. Pervis was like her when he was young, but had no money. Hates her because she has all the opportunities he didn’t.

Pg. 112:exasperated, sleuthing Pg. 113: exuberance Pg. 124: radiance Pg. 128: indulgence Pg. 129:principalities

Connections: Other books with talking animals. Look at the map under Turlock wall to Fenwick Forest. Predict: Who is Sebastian?

Pg. 141: penetrating Pg. 144: cavorting, inevitable

She has a bitter sweet journey. Compare both ends.

Pg. 146: sentimental, amply Pg. 149: saunter, tirade Pg. 152: loathed

Was there ever a time when lying was a good thing?

Pg. 161: amateur Pg. 165: incapacitation Pg. 167: omitten

Would you have trusted Pervis? Why or why not?

Is there more danger now that Pervis is imprisoned?

Ch. 18 Pgs.171-179

Ch. 19 Pgs.180-187

Ch. 20 Pgs.188-201

Ch. 21 Pgs.202205-

Ch. 22 Pgs. 206212

Ch. 23 Pgs.213-218

Alexa checks her Jocasta, it is still beating. Murphy tells her it was right to trust Pervis. Ander sends the message: We’re running out of time so get on with it. Murphy and Alexa sneak into the library. Murphy has to cut the collar off Pepper, grab the medallion, and run. When he’s out, Alexa blocks the cat door. Murphy is unconscious and bleeding. Alexa examines the Jocasta. It has three boxes the first and second equal the third. Murphy wakes up and leaves to report to Yipes. In her mother’s letter Alexa learns that the spyglass was a gift from Renny. Scans it for a clue. She turns the tubes opposite ways and they snap into place. It contains three different Jocastas. Elephant + worship = Sebastian Alexa wakes up early and tells her dad what has been going on the past few days. They go to the meeting room and invite in Grayson, Nicolas, Silas, Pervis, and Ganesh. She talks about the under and above ground tunnels that the criminals use and their plot to overthrow Bridewell. Alexa shows them the spyglass and discusses the Jocastas in it. Nicolas and Ganesh are unbelieving at first. She leaves out the talking animals but still has more to tell. Alexa explains about Yipes, Grayson knew him. When Yipes was young Warvold would read to him and they would talk of things outside the walls, talking animals, secret passageways. A year later Yipes disappeared. Grayson found Warvold sobbing and holding a silver key. Murphy brought in a note from Yipes: The only hope is to tear down the walls they’ve built. The city only has 14 guards, not including Pervis, and the 6 men in the room. There are 100’s of convicts, not good odds. Alexa stands up for Pervis and gets him released. They look at the map of the outside tunnels and see one that runs under Bridewell and stops in the middle of town. They assume the convicts will use this tunnel. A town meeting is held, all gates are locked, and the library is shut down so people don’t get in or out. How Yipes got his name: Grayson and Yipes were reading about a mythological creature that is half man half monkey. The creature was called Yipes and had similar qualities as Yipes. Ganesh, Silas, and Nicolas are trying to round up more help from the surrounding 3 towns. They finished working an hour short of midnight. They all eat soup at the Renny lodge and wait. Alexa goes to her room and locks the door.

Pg. 173: ample Pg. 174: diminutive Pg. 175: feat

What will be on Pepper’s Jocasta?

Pg. 181: ecstatic, aura

What could this Jocasta mean? Does it get her closer to finding Sebastian?

Pg. 194: sinister Pg. 196: preposterous

Prediction: What else does Alexa have to tell? Has your prediction of Sebastian changed? The convicts are on the move, what will they do first?

Pg. 204: agile

Discussion: On the men’s faces Alexa saw suspicion. How are they feeling?

Pg. 207: resonated Pg. 210: rendezvous

If you had to come up with a plan to save the city what would it be?

Pg. 213: ravenously Pg. 217: stamina

Page 217 states that the people work with inhuman stamina. What does this mean? Is there any time that you know of where yourself, or someone you know had inhuman stamina?

Ch. 24 Pgs.219-223

Ch. 25 Pgs.224228

Ch. 26 Pgs.229-241

Ch. 27 Pgs.242247

Murphy comes to see Alexa. He alarms her that someone has entered or left through the library secret passage. A gust of wind comes through the window and knocks Warvold’s favorite book from her hands. She finds a hidden journal entry in it from Warvold the night he died. It is to Grayson telling him that if he reads page 194 he will know who Sebastian is. Alexa reads the page and is off to catch Sebastian. Alexa takes an iron poker as a weapon from the smoking room. She and Murphy go to the library, but there is a bookshelf in the way so she can’t get through. Murphy tries to squeeze through the cat door but gets stuck in between the bookshelf. The cats try to attack him. Alexa tips the bookshelf over with her poker; it falls on the cats and kills them. Murphy unlocks the door.

Pg. 219: differentiate

Think back: What are the different clues that Alexa has found? How do they all relate? Do you think she just stumbled upon them or was really chosen to solve the mystery?

Pg. 224: shard

Together they go through the secret passage. After going down a long tunnel it forks, one towards Bridewell and the other toward The Dark Hills. They look at a map to find where Sebastian would have gone. Sebastian is coming; Alexa throws the fire poker at his legs and wounds him. He throws dirt in her eyes, kicks her ribs and takes hold of the poker. Alexa is warned that if she follows him she will die. She follows Sebastian to the little room where she had earlier seen the convicts talking. It is Ganesh; he has a V for vagabond branded on his chest. He had helped build the walls, when the convicts were released to the dark hills he moved to Turlock-grew a beard-and became elected mayor. He killed Warvold with poison. Yipes and Darius crash through the hiding spot and kill Ganesh. Darius is so big that he had to dig as he crawled through the hole. Yipes goes to get Alexa’s dad and Pervis. Since he went into town he will start loosing his ability to talk to animals. Bridewell built a wall within their wall, 20 feet high so the convicts would be trapped. They set off explosions to cave in the all. Alexa climbed the wall with the use of a ladder and looks over the edge. Convicts are on shoulders trying to scale the wall. There’s not that many; most died while living on the outside. Only 57 left. The convicts get split up: 20, 20, 17 to the surrounding cities to live. One would become her friend, John Christopher. As Alexa is walking with her father they made six feet holes in the walls and she sees Darius reunite with his family.

Pg. 230: relinquishing Pg. 232: grotesquely

Questioning: There is only two more chapters left. What are the questions that the students have? Think about which ones will be answered in the text, is there some that need to be discussed to find the answer? Page 237: “This was not Ganesh; this was Sebastian.” What is the meaning of the quote?

Pg. 242: menacing, detonations

Look again at the poem and quotes. Do they now convey something they didn’t before reading the book?

Other Activities/Ideas: Alexa had to use a lot of courage to complete what she was chosen to do. Have students write about a time they were courageous and stood up for what they knew was right. Have the students draw Jocastas and solve one anothers.