STEP BY WICKED

STEP

Curriculum Development
Division
 Background

 born on 7 December 1947 in Leicester, England

 graduated in politics from University of Warwick
 currently lives in County Durham, England
 a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and
was awarded an OBE in 2003
 best known for her children's books - written more
than 50
 appointed the second Children's Laureate (2001
to 2003)
 work has been translated into 27 languages
 Works
 novel Goggle-Eyes has won the
Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize
 Flour Babies won Britain’s most
covered award for children’s
literature, the Carnegie Medal and
the Whitbread Children’s Book of
the Year Award
 The Tulip Touch won the
Whitbread Children’s Book of the
Year Award
 Works

 20th Century Fox has filmed her

hugely popular novel, Madame
Doubtfire (Mrs Doubtfire), which
starred Robin Williams
 Both Taking the Devil’s Advice and
Telling Liddy have been broadcast on
BBC Radio 4, and Fly in the Ointment
is in development as a television film.
Synopsis
 five British school children from Mordanger School
arrive ahead of their classmates for a week-long field
trip at a "haunted" Old Harwick Hall
 two girls Claudia and Pixie and three boys, Robbo,
Ralph and Colin find a long-abandoned secret room
containing a mysterious journal, Richard Clayton
Harwick – My Story. Read and Weep’.
 the children uncover the story of a boy who runs away
from the sinister influence of a loveless stepfather.
 the journal’s tale triggers off, one by one, each of the
stories of the listening children, all of whom also have
"steps," or step-parents, to share their own sagas.
Plot Summary
 five stories within a story that are
induced by a story
 total of six stories in the book

 lacking in a principal plot

 serves as a forum for six various

stories of Richard Clayton Harwick,
Claudia, Colin, Ralph, Pixie and
Robbo.
Richard Clayton Harwick –
My Story. Read and Weep
 RCH’s father passes away, he was sent to Mordanger
boarding School for four long years - ‘there’s no
meaner place on earth’
 he returns to Old Harwick Hall, he could not get along
with his wicked and loveless stepfather, Reverend
Coldstone
 makes the decision to leave and become a cabin boy
 his decision has caused anguish in his mother and
sister, who have spent a fortune seeking for his return
 did not return to see his mother or sister until he read a
square print from Riddle & Flook which requested him
to claim his ownership to Old Harwick Hall
 he realises his decision to leave has changed the lives
of his family members.
Plot Summary

 Harwick's story prompts Claudia,

Colin, Ralph, Pixie and Robbo to tell
their own tales – a vignette :
descriptive passage within a larger
work (French, “little vine”)
Stories within a Story
Stories within a Story
Vignette Story Report
 Prepare the selected section
of the report in your group
towards the story of Richard
Clayton Harwick: Read &
Weep
 Present the report and your
group’s response to the rest
Character Cube

 Choose the main character from any

of the vignette
 Follow the instructions and answer the
questions on the Character Cube
template 1 and template 2 given
 Cut out the cube pieces along the
solid lines
Choose a character below
Template 1
Template 2
 Character Cube usage

 Hang a string across the classroom.

 Tie a paper clip to the end of a 10 cm
thread.
 Fasten the Character Cubes to the paper
clips.
Text Distribution

 Selangor
 WP Kuala Lumpur

 WP Putrajaya

 Negeri Sembilan

 Melaka
Good Luck!