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17 Into the Unknown

C.C. Humphreys
British Columbia
Moira Young
United Kingdom
C.C. Humphreys,  British Columbia

C. C. (Chris) Humphreys is an actor-turned-playwright-turned-novelist whose love of history and drama comes out in dashing adventure novels. His books for young adults include The Runestone Saga, and most recently, The Hunt of the Unicorn; for adults, his latest is A Place Called Armageddon. Read more

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Moira Young,  United Kingdom

Moira Young attended the University of British Columbia before heading to the UK to study drama. After a few years of performing on the alternative comedy circuit and tap-dancing on a West End stage, Young returned to Vancouver, where she successfully trained as an opera singer. Returning to the UK, she sang in some of London's most prestigious venues. Young has now returned to her first love—writing—with her debut novel, Blood Red Road. Read more

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Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Performance Works
$17 / $8.50 for student groups

Unicorns, magical beasts, a two-headed translating snake, hellwurms, a post-apocalyptic world and a realm on the other side of a tapestry are all wondrously believable in the hands of newcomer Moira Young and seasoned author C.C. (Chris) Humphreys. But they also serve as great background for the development into mature heroes of Saba, in Young’s Blood Red Road, and Elayne, in Humphreys’ The Hunt of the Unicorn. Move over, fans of gothic vampires and sorcery school. Make way for new dystopian and fantasy novels that will catch the imagination of young adult readers and keep them turning the pages into the unknown.

Suitable for grades 8–10

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View the study guide for this event.

Into the Unknown

Unicorns, magical beasts, a two-headed translating snake, hellwurms, a post-apocalyptic world and a realm on the other side of a tapestry are all wondrously believable in the hands of newcomer Moira Young and seasoned author C.C. Humphreys. But they also serve as great background for the development into mature heroes of Saba, in Young’s Blood Red Road, and Elayne in Humphrey’s The Hunt of the Unicorn. Move over, fans of gothic vampires and sorcery school. Make way for new dystopian and fantasy novels that will catch the imagination of young adult readers and keep them turning the pages into the unknown.

Curriculum Connection:

  • Identify literary elements of the fantasy genre
  • Improve comprehension by interpreting, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating written text in order to categorize text into literary genres
  • Create a storyboard and write a story based on it

Activities:

1.  Discuss and brainstorm with students: what elements contribute to a book being perceived as fantasy instead of realistic fiction?

2.  How would you define "real"? How would you define "imaginary"?

3.  Pass out excerpts from Humphreys’ or Young’s book. Have the students read the text once for meaning. On the second try, have them underline aspects of the text that make it real or believable and circle aspects that make it imaginary or unbelievable.

4.  Writing fantasy doesn’t mean that anything goes. Every fantasy world has rules or laws that should not be broken.

a) Reading Humphreys’ and Young’s books, have students identify the rules and laws, and what the consequences are if they are broken.

b) Have students create a fantasy world and write a story set in it, starting with an outline:

  • What is the name of your world?
  • What does it look like?
  • Who lives there?
  • Describe a typical child in your world.
  • Is the world at peace or at war?
  • If at war, who is the enemy?
  • If at peace, what threatens that peace?
  • Who rules your world?
  • What are the ‘10 Commandments’ of your world?
  • What happens if someone breaks them?

c) Now ask them to write a story based on the answers to the questions above.

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