Writes Rachel Harrison, Assistant Librarian
This week’s Book Boffz session brought a slightly smaller group together, as many members were honouring other commitments, but our discussion was as lively and full of interesting ideas as usual.
Our focus was maps in fantasy and adventure literature. We discussed why they appear, what they contribute to a story and how they enrich the reader’s experience. The group concluded that maps are a familiar and important feature in many of the books we read. They help to anchor the narrative, giving readers a visual framework for the journey ahead and enable a deeper sense of immersion in the world the author has created.
The group were next challenged to identify ten different maps from popular fiction for junior readers. It is always difficult to outwit the Book Boffz, as they are so well read, so several maps were instantly recognisable, such as Treasure Island, Swallows and Amazons and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. However, others sparked discussion and competition as members raced to be the first to identify them. Maps from more recent fantasy adventures, such as Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures and J.J. Arcanjo’s Crookhaven: School for Thieves, proved challenging, pushing pupils to piece together clues and share their knowledge.
The Book Boffz then took part in a creative world-building activity to design their own fantasy maps, using dried beans to help shape islands and landmasses before adding features such as mountains, volcanoes, swamps and caves. Working with the dried beans made it easier within the time to create imaginative and varied shapes, rather than drawing free hand on blank paper.
Rafferty S. (U3rd) and Chase Y. (U3rd) collaborated on two interlinked maps, each featuring striking landscapes populated by alarming mutant dinosaurs and a bespoke compass rose that avoided traditional directions in favour of labels such as “Probable Death, Certain Death” and (thankfully) “Freedom.” Gwilym H. (3rds) began by producing an impressive hand-drawn map of Europe from memory, reflecting impressive knowledge, before moving on to design an archipelago of islands complete with a coded naming system. Joshua A. (U3rd) and Eashar S. (U3rd) created a map that combined traditional fantasy elements such as fire breathing dragons, goblins, a steam topped mountain and sea monsters. It also included the intriguingly named “Gralgans Gate” and” Mount Gyneren”, inviting ideas about the kinds of stories that could unfold there.
These inventive creations were a fun way to round off our discussion about maps and showed how pupils are thinking carefully about the stories they read. Book Boffz meet on Fridays after school, and all 3rds and U3rds are welcome to join us for future sessions, activities and biscuits.
