We love our June Book of the Month, Of Poseidon by Anna Banks. Here are some essay topics & project ideas you can use to bring this fantastic YA novel into the classroom:
Essay Topics:
* Study classic mythology about mermaids, Poseidon, and Triton. Look at how the influence of these myths can be found throughout Of Poseidon.
* Compare the “Syrena” in Of Poseidon to various myths about mermaids from around the globe. How are they similar? How are they different? Discuss how Anna Banks created her own mythology out of existing ideas.
* Love, honor, duty, family, betrayal. Explore these themes in Of Poseidon and how they are used in various ways.
*The Syrena in Of Poseidon have some very old-fashioned traditions, especially when it comes to marriage/mating. Explore historical marriage traditions and how they compare to those in Of Poseidon. Discuss why you think some critical readers have complained about how women’s rights are portrayed in the book.
Project Ideas:
* Create a painting or a collage that shows your idea of what the Syrena kingdom looks like.
* Of Poseidon takes place mostly along the Jersey Shore. Put together a collage box of items you’d find in the locations throughout the book.
* The cover for Of Poseidon is very striking, but it is similar to a trend of “girls in dresses” on book covers lately. Redesign another look for the book’s cover that you feels best represents the story.
* Of Poseidon is part of a growing trend in YA books featuring some kind of mermaid. Research other YA books about mermaids and create a poster, showing how they are similar and/or different from each other.
For the comments: Share more ideas for essay topics or project ideas in the comments below!
Novel Novice 