The Centre of Magic
Title | The Centre of Magic |
Series Title | The Floramonde Books |
Author | Pamela Freeman |
Published by | Allen & Unwin |
Date of Publication | 1998 |
Teaching Resources
- The rock at the centre of Floramonde is a meteorite. If such a rock landed on Earth, where might it have come from? How many meteorites hit Earth every year? What's the difference between meteors and meteoroids and meteorites? Do meteorites have any special qualities? Some scientists think they have found evidence of extraterrestrial life inside a meteorite is the evidence strong enough? Click here for a link to NASA's discussion of this issue.
- Most of the names in the Floramonde books are from plants, usually herbs. Rosie has the lot! Acer and Betula have the scientific names of their trees, maple and birch, as does Salixia, the willow. Are there other plants which could be the source of names? (Answer, for example: Juniper, Saffron, Ash, Tilia, Cedar, Alder...). Look up books such as 'What Tree is That?' and 'What bush is that?' or herbals for ideas. Flower names have been traditionally popular for girls, and are making a comeback. Apart from those in Rosie's name, what flower names can you think of? (Answer, for example: rose, Lily, Violet, Florence, Myrtle, Blossom, Petunia, Pansy...)
- In choosing names for characters, most writers think about the meaning of the name as well as its sound. Colchis was taken from a poisonous plant, because he is the villain, but the name had to be changed slightly. What plant was that name taken from? (Answer: Autumn Crocus, Colchicum autumnale, also known as meadow saffron.) This type of plant is related to the plant which provides the spice saffron. Research the history of this spice, which is more valuable, ounce for ounce, than gold.
- Colchis belonged to the Guild of Wizards. Guilds have existed on Earth for thousands of years. Do they still exist? Medieval guilds had strict rules. Imagine that you were an apprentice to one of the guilds in England in Elizabethan times. What would your life have been like? Write an account of a typical day. (For older readers, see Pamela's book The Murderers' Apprentice, which is one of the Quentaris series.)