The Girl Who Drank the Moon
About
A witch, a swamp monster, and a perfectly tiny dragon raise a young girl named Luna, who must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her to save the people of the Protectorate.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Tell me what you know about the history of this village from this first chapter?
Page 1 — There’s a witch in the woods; a child needs to be sacrificed so everyone else stays safe; an older brother was sacrificed
1
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Describe the Sisters of the Star guards.
Page 9 — Ruthless; well trained; long braids wrapped around their waists; all females; years of training in the Tower
9
Tell me about the society in this story and how you feel about it.
Page 12 — The Elders are in charge and have created the witch and the need to sacrifice a baby to control the people in the village
12
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Describe Xan.
Page 20 — A true witch; kind; thoughtful; takes the babies to the Free Cities to be raised by a good family
20
Why was The Grand Elder confused to see six trees?
Page 21 — Xan transformed herself into a tree
21
Why did she decide to keep Luna?
Page 25 — She accidentally fed her moonlight and made her magic
25
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Who is speaking in this chapter?
Page 29 — A mom who lost her baby to the Witch
29
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Why is Glerk resistant to loving Luna?
Page 37 — He didn’t want to get attached to her; he thought keeping her was a bad idea
37
Why are Glerk and Xan worried about Luna’s magic growing?
Page 38 — She’ll be out of control
38
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Why are the Elders unhappy with Antain?
Page 49 — He’s not arrogant and pompous enough
49
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
How did Luna’s magic manifest?
Page 54 — In thought and deed; she wanted a hat, so the dough turned into a hat
54
Why did Xan think she was missing something?
Page 56 — She couldn’t remember very well
56
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Do you see commonalities between what the narrator has told you about the story and what this mom is telling her child? Explain.
Page 58 — The Wizard saving the town; the dragon going into the volcano; the witch flying the dragon
58
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What was happening to Xan?
Page 66 — Her magic was going into Luna, so she was getting weaker
66
How did Xan stop Luna from using her magic?
Page 68 — Sure wrapped her in a cocoon
68
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Why did Xan have difficulty remembering her memories?
Page 72 — She buried them
72
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
What’s the spell Xan came up with?
Page 78 — To keep Luna’s magic inside until she turns 13 years old
78
What will be a consequence of doing this?
Page 79 — Xan will be drained of her magic and will die
79
Do you agree with Xan’s reasoning to hold in Luna’s magic? Why, or why not?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 82 — Tells of the creation of the world starting with the bog and a beast
82
Who do you think the beast is?
Glerk
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
What did Antain find when he visited the prisoner?
Page 95 — Birds made out of paper covering the room and “she is here” written on a paper
95
Define day of reckoning.
A time when the consequences of a course of mistakes or misdeeds are felt
Who did the prisoner threaten?
Page 98 — Antain’s uncle the Grand Elder
98
What happened to Antain at the end of this chapter?
Page 99 — He was attacked by the paper birds
99
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Describe how Luna felt when she woke.
Page 100 — She felt different; expected magic things to happen but didn’t know why; couldn’t hear, see or comprehend magic
100
What did Xan tell herself to prevent feeling sorrow?
Page 110 — Luna’s a regular girl now and she was never magic
110
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Why was the Tower significant to Antain?
Page 121 — He lived there when he was younger and was scarred by the paper birds here
121
How has Antain changed since his last visit to the Tower?
Page 121 — He’s a carpenter and lives alone lost in his work; becoming comfortable with lying
121
Why did Antain feel like his heart was flying at the end of this chapter?
Page 126 — He was so elated to see and help Ethyne
126
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
What animal does the author frequently use to foster imagery in this story?
Page 127 — Birds
127
Summarize who this chapter is about and describe what happens at the end of this chapter.
Page 131 — It’s about the mom who has her baby ripped away from her at the beginning of the story; the scars on Antain’s face are a map; the madwoman has paper, quills and ink appear magically and is always drawing a map or writing “she is here”; she doesn’t feel sorrow anymore, she feels hope
131
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
How was Luna “off”?
Page 138 — A pain in her head was getting worse through the day; she could see the nut full of magic in her forehead and felt it pulsing like a clock ticking; she knew it was bringing her closer to something
138
Which family was Luna thinking about and how did she tell a lie?
Page 139 — Her mother and father; she told Fyrian she was thinking about her family, but didn’t clarify that she wasn’t thinking about him, Glerk and Grandmama
139
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
Describe the interaction between Xan and Antain?
Page 149 — Xan was trying to protect the baby, so she threw him aside and turned into a large hawk to take the baby to safety; Antain was just trying to talk to the Witch, but she misunderstood him
149
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
What did Luna become aware of in this chapter?
Page 164 — That her grandmother never spoke of memories; that they’re keeping secrets from each other
164
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
Who us telling this story in this chapter? How do you know?
Page 166 — Luna; The chapter title; these are all things about Luna
166
Chapter 21
Comprehension questions
How did Fyrian return to Luna? How?
Page 177 — By crying out her name; the spell Xan gave him must have transferred to Luna
177
Why did the smell of the boots give Luna a headache?
Page 179 — They were magical
179
What did she forget at the end of this chapter?
Page 180 — To ask Glerk about the boots
180
Chapter 22
Comprehension questions
What is this person’s perception of the boots?
Page 182 — They’re old and magical; they can travel the world covering great distances faster than normal boots; the Witch put them on and was able to find more magic
182
Chapter 23
Comprehension questions
What is the second map Luna drew?
Page 195 — The village she came from; the place she was laid to be eaten by wolves and the Tower with the words, “she is here”
195
Chapter 24
Comprehension questions
How are each sacrificial baby chosen?
Page 201 — It’s the youngest baby at the time of the sacrifice
201
What’s Antain’s plan?
Page 205 — To give up his baby, go to the Witch’s home and kill her
205
Chapter 25
Comprehension questions
What word did Luna learn in this chapter?
Page 211 — Magic
211
Why is that important?
She hasn’t been able to read, see or hear magic for the last 8 years
How old is Luna?
13 years old
Chapter 26
Comprehension questions
Who overheard the Grand Elder and Sister Ignatia talking? How?
Page 215 — The madwoman; she’d turned herself into a beetle and traveled on a shoe to her office
215
What could Sister Ignatia smell?
Page 216 — The madwoman and her magic
216
What plan were they coming up with?
Page 218 — To kill Antain
218
Chapter 27
Comprehension questions
Why is Xan careful she doesn’t feel sorrow?
Page 223 — To protect her from the Sorrow Eater
223
Who do you think the Sorrow Eater is?
Page 223 — Sister Ignatia
223
Chapter 28
Comprehension questions
Who is traveling in this book and where are they going?
Page 225 — Xan, Luna, Glerk, Fyrian, Sister Ignatia, Antain, the madwoman; Antain and the madwoman are traveling to the Witch’s home, Sister Ignatia is going after Antain to kill him, Xan to pick up the baby being sacrificed, Luna’s going after Xan and Glerk and Fyrian are going after Luna
225
Chapter 29
Comprehension questions
What had happened to this history?
Page 242 — It has been changed, twisted to fit what Sister Ignatia and the Elders want the people of Protectorate to believe
242
Chapter 30
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 243 — Luna becomes lost, then fell into darkness as rocks gave way
243
Chapter 31
Comprehension questions
What’s does the madwoman find at the treehouse?
Page 252 — No one is home; pictures that Luna drew; her daughter’s name is Luna
252
Chapter 32
Comprehension questions
What helped Xan remember who she was and what she was doing?
Page 258 — Glerk and Fyrian
258
Where do you think the paper birds came from?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 33
Comprehension questions
Who is the Witch in the history that traveled the world in the Seven League Boots?
Page 258 — The Head Sister; Sister Ignatia
258
Which two peoples were blocking the Head Sister’s view?
Page 267 — Xan and Luna
267
Chapter 34
Comprehension questions
Why is Ethyne’s home happy and bright?
Page 275 — She has hope
275
Why do you think Ethyne has power over the Grand Elder?
Page 276 — She has a strength inside of her and is not intimidated by him
276
Who created the birds that are protecting Luna?
Page 284 — Her mother, the madwoman
284
Chapter 35
Comprehension questions
Who did Glerk smell?
Page 288 — Sister Ignatia
288
Where is Sister Ignatia’s home?
Page 291 — The same place Xan and Luna live
291
Chapter 36
Comprehension questions
Who do you think was blocking the scrying device in this chapter?
Page 299 — Listen to your child’s answer; Xan
299
Chapter 37
Comprehension questions
What was Xan hearing for the first time?
Page 303 — Why the babies were left in the ring of trees
303
Chapter 38
Comprehension questions
Who is possibly telling the history of the world to their child?
Page 248/307 — The madwoman or Ethyne; So many families lost children to the evilness of the Grand Elder and Head Sister, it represents what all parents could have told their children
248/307
What characteristic does Ethyne have that helped her find the truth?
Page 309 — She was curious and asked questions; she desired to know the truth
309
Do you think the Grand Elder should be nervous? Why, or why not?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 39
Comprehension questions
What happens to Fyrian in this chapter?
Page 320 — He begins to grow to an enormous size
320
Which Witch is Antain threatening to kill?
Page 326 — Luna
326
Chapter 40
Comprehension questions
Predict how you think this story will conclude.
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 41
Comprehension questions
How does Luna, her mother and grandmother receive more and more strength?
Page 341 — From the moon
341
Chapter 42
Comprehension questions
What color of magic does Xan shine?
Page 341 — Licheny green
341
Who reached Luna just as she reached her grandmother and Antain?
Page 342 — The madwoman/her mother
342
Chapter 43
Comprehension questions
What stopped Antain from attacking the Witch?
Page 343 — The trauma of being attacked by the birds
343
What spell did Luna cast for the first time?
Page 348 — Transformation; changed her grandmother back into a person
348
Chapter 44
Comprehension questions
What is happening to Xan in this chapter?
Page 350 — She’s dying now that Luna’s magic is unlocked
350
Chapter 45
Comprehension questions
What made the Sorrow Eater’s magic disappear?
Page 366 — Luna opened the woman’s heart and all the sorrow that was stored inside from her own memories spilled out; her magic came from sorrow
366
What does the phrase, “she is here, she is here, she is here” mean throughout this story?
Page 368 — Luna is here; where Luna is on the map; Luna’s mother is here
368
Chapter 46
Comprehension questions
Why was Xan happy to hear the cries of joy when the Star Children returned?
Page 379 — She had saved each one from death and was happy to hear them return to their original families
379
Chapter 47
Comprehension questions
What does Glerk do in this chapter?
Page 383 — He takes Xan to the bog and leaves a poem for Luna
383
Chapter 48
Comprehension questions
How does this story end?
Page 385 — Someone is telling what the village has become, who the Witch is and what will happen in the future
385
Did you enjoy reading this story? Why, or why not?
Listen to your child’s answers
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