THE CASTLE CORONA - Sharon Creech

The Castle CoronaSetting the Scene1. In what ways is The Castle Corona a typical fairy tale? In whatways is it a different kind of fairy tale?When peasant children Pia and Enzio happen upon a pouch in the forest surrounding theCastle Corona, their lives become intricately entwined with the royal family’s, and manycharacters’ lives are transformed as a result. As a thief, two hermits, a wordsmith, and avillage gossip propel this fairy tale to an unusual “happily ever after,” the novel addressessome of life’s great questions. In The Castle Corona the privileged are far from perfect, theworlds of the rich and the poor have more in common than meets the eye, and discoveringtrue identity is at the bottom of it all.Before ReadingThe Castle Corona is an “illuminated” novel. Explain to your students what illuminatedmeans in this context. Show and discuss the types of illustrations in this book. What dothey add to the feeling of the novel?Discussion Questions6. What prompts Queen Gabriella to visit the village? Why didthis visit turn out the way it did?2. Pia is likened to an eagle because of her alertness andconfidence (p. 27). Enzio is likened to an antelope for hisswiftness (p. 66). Consider what you know about PrinceGianni, Prince Vito, and Princess Fabrizia. What animalswould you assign to represent each of them and why?3. What parts of the book did you find funny? What made thoseparts funny?4. On page 20, Queen Gabriella contrasts insignificant thingsthat people think about with “larger” things. In your life, whatare some of your larger concerns versus what you see asinsignificant?7. What do the palace garden and the hornbeam tunnel do forKing Guido and Queen Gabriella, respectively? Do you havea place like these?8. There are many instances of storytelling, daydreaming,gossiping, and conversing in this tale. What message ormessages does this novel have about stories and storytelling?9. In what ways does the saying “The grass is always greener onthe other side of the fence” relate to this story?10. Which characters have changed by the end of the story? Howare they different and what caused their changes?5. Signora Ferrelli refers to wisdom as “the wind in your face.”What does this mean? Do you agree?Art © 2007 by David Diaz

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