Review Number 9

[John]

I haven't read anything by Philip Pullman before, but have much abut him. So I thought I'd take the plunge with this gem of a book, and take the advice of the rules of this group to heart;
Try to read new authors as well as re-reading old favourites!
The Firework-Maker's Daughter is a lovely read. Which I could read to a KS1 or KS2 class. It is not long, it is full of moral and meaning, some interesting characters and a happy ending as well.
The story is set in South East Asia. During reading I thought it could be Indonesia because of the volcano hovering over the landscape, but toward the end Rambashi's Melody Boys sing a song about the Irrawaddy river, and that's in Burma. So Myanmar or Burma it is. The story is that of Lila who is brought up by her father, Lalchand, the firework-maker. Lila wants nothing more than to follow in her father's foot steps and become a firework-maker too. The trouble is that as Lila grows up she discovers that her father expects her to get married, and not take over the family firework manufacturing. Worse that that, there is just one final lesson and piece of information that her father must impart to Lila, before she can become a firework-maker in her own right. Sadly, for both of them her father feels this is not for a daughter to know. Enraged Lila tells her friend, Chulak her trouble. Chulak, is the Royal Elephant's Special and Particular Groom. He is street-wise and worms the information out of Lalchand, who is totally unaware. He tells Chulak that all firework-makers have to possess the three skills, and that if they want to be true firework-makers must travel to the Grotto of Razvani, the Fire-Fiend of Mount Merapi, and bring back some Royal Sulphur. Now even angrier at her father's chauvinistic ways, Lila sets off the next morning with only a small backpack to climb the mountain, find the grotto and bring back some Royal Sulphur,leaving her father only a terse note.
When her father finds out she has gone alone to search for the Royal Sulphur he sets off after her. But the city streets are full of crowds because of a procession. Lalchand can hardly move but he sees Chulak, and shares the news of Lila's disappearance. Lalchand tells Chulak that Lila is in danger because all firework-makers who make the journey to take Royal Sulphur from Razvani the Fire-Fiend should take a flask of magic water from the Goddess of the Emerald Lake, which protects them from harm. Lila knew nothing of this, so Chulak and his friend, Hamlet the speaking elephant set off to catch up with her before it's too late.
On her way Lila meets a bunch of foolish river pirates who attempt to kidnap and rob her, who she save from being eaten by a tiger by throwing one of her fireworks. Chulak with Hamlet in tow bumps into his Uncle Rambashi (a former pirate), requests help from the Goddess of the Emerald lake, and helps save Lila from being burnt alive by bringing her some of the magic water. Then they all race back to the city in time to save Lalchand (temporarily) from being executed by the King. The book ends with a firework competition, which Lila and her father, Lalchand must win if the King is to spare Lalchand's life. Four firework displays will be prepared and the one that receives the most applause is judged the winner. Of course, in spite of a lack of resources, a much smaller budget than the other competitors from the USA, Germany and Italy respectively, and working alone as a pair without extra assistance, Lila and her father win.
Like I stated earlier this book is suitable for both KS1 and KS2. With KS1 I would use this book as a class reader to entertain the class at the end of the day, or when there is a spare few minutes, or to calm the kids down after some event or even before. Due to the subject matter it could be read up to Bonfire Night or even Halloween. As firework-makers Lila and her father can teach us, how fireworks are made; were made: can be made; and from what. Potential science class.
There is a strong female character, Lila, who knows what she wants to be and believes strongly in her self too. She resists and overcomes her father's narrow-mindedness, his stereotypical notions of what a girl can or cannot become, and I think for girls this is important, but for boys also.
Likewise the story is set in the developing world, in a fictional Burma of Philip Pullman's imagination. The finale pits Western technological and financial resources against Eastern ingenuity, understanding of materials, and innovation. This too is worth bringing to the multicultural classroom where a few, some or perhaps the majority of the students have family roots in the developing world. Where solutions to hundreds of thousands of problems every day are solved with those self same qualities.
Hamlet the talking elephant brings the natural world into the classroom and the minds of the children. This could be a starting point with KS1 or KS2 for a science, fact gathering and sharing project, in pairs or small groups. As much information is researched as possible about the elephant, Indian or African, presented and reported back to the class. Or each group choose an animal to research and report back to the class about.
Alternately, creative writing is the way forward from a reading of this book. If you were an animal what animal would you be and why? Or, if you could be befriended by any creature, what creature would it be and why? KS2 more than KS1, for the actual writing task, but for a purely imaginative and ideas forming action, this would work just as well with KS1. With KS2 reading and writing, with a strong look at grammar and how the writer puts together the sentences that together make up the book. How? By as I have suggested in previous reviews, writing the story or at least a few pages of it on the board, line by line. Then, word by word the structure and grammar is revealed, underlined, de-constructed and worked out. Occasional words erased to force the students to think which words could fit in each blank space.
This story is full of small riches; a girl refuses to let her father pigeon hole her, packs her bag and heads for the open road. Every child will be able to emphasize with this feeling of utter frustration with a parent. Thoughts and feelings around this can be shared and aired in the class. A young boy, risks his cushy position as the King's elephant keeper to try to save his friend. A father admits his mistakes, and works with his child as an equal. A king pardons a man due to be executed, and that doesn't happen very often. An elephant has a quiet talk with a king. A group of river pirates through several twists and numerous failures reform themselves into a successful accapella group. I could go on but it is late, so I'll just say that this is a pleasant but thought-provoking book, which would colour and enliven any primary classroom.

[John]

I haven't read anything by Philip Pullman before, but have READ much abut him. Pardon my sloppy editing skills.