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Do you like novels set in the past?
Are you a fan of detective novels?
Do you enjoy a story with an unsolved mystery?
Recommend
ed for age 10
and over.
London, England.
It is the summer of
1878,
and Verity Sparks is a
thirteen year old
orphan who lives with,
and works for a
milliner.
But Verity is no ordinary
girl.
She possesses a
special gift-
the gift of teleagtivism-
the ability to easily see and
find things which are lost.
When Verity is wrongly
accused of theft and
dismissed from her job, she
goes to live with an unusual
family called the Plush
family. The family run the
Confidential Inquiry
Agency, a detective agency.
Verity helps them to
solve cases and slowly
becomes one of the
family.
But snippets of the truth
about her past begin to
surface, along with the
special talent that she
has.
“My fingertips began to tingle
again. It felt like blood was fizzing
underneath my skin.”
Why do Verity’s fingers tingle?
What is so special about the ring, the
quilt, and the coin which Verity’s
mother gave to her before she died?
The Truth About Verity Sparks by Susan Green could be used to cross the
following different curriculum areas:
English-
Before reading The Truth About Verity Sparks look at the front and back covers.
What do you think the story will be about based only on these clues? Write a
synopsis of the story based on your own ideas of what the story is about.
Write a review of The Truth About Verity Sparks.
What are the steps that the Confidential Inquiry Agency takes to solve a mystery?
Draw a flow chart plotting each step they take to solve each mystery in the book.
Write your own mystery short story.
Write down what you think the term genre means. Draw a mind map of all the
different words and ideas associated with genre.
From your own research into genre, online and in your library, what do you think
the conventions of the following genres are: - mystery - historical fiction -
paranormal fiction.
The Truth About Verity Sparks by Susan Green could be used to cross
the following different curriculum areas:
History
• On page118, Mrs Morcom states “it is unusual for a woman to earn
her own living as I do.” Research women and gender roles in Victorian
England. What was a woman’s social and legal status?
• The Truth About Verity Sparks touches on many aspects of Victorian
English life including class systems, the city of London, poverty and
slums, art and culture, travel, scientific inquiry, justice systems,
working conditions and manners. Choose one of these areas to
research and write a report about what life in Victorian England was
like in respect to this aspect.
• How was life in the late 19th century in Australia, different to life in
England.
The Truth About Verity Sparks by Susan Green could be
used to cross the following different curriculum areas:
Religion/Values Education
The themes in the novel are honesty, belonging, feeling loved
and having a place in a family, and that money and class
shouldn’t define who you are.
• Explore the different ideas of what makes a ‘family’ . Draw
and describe your own family.
• Values Education- honesty and truthfulness- explore why
these are important values and are an integral part of the
Catholic faith.
References Green, S. (2011). The Truth About Verity Sparks. Australia:
Walker books.
Joplin, S. (1997). The Entertainer. On Classical Treasures-
Maple Leaf Rag . Madacy Special Products. (originally written
1902)
http://
britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/pointsofview/london-then-and-now
http://
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204508/Images-history-Rar
ely-seen-photographs-bring-1800s-London-life.html
http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Teachers