Discussion Guide Devious Prey By Scott Reintgen About the Book On the continent of Ten Tides, the wizard Marken Burke is accused of murder and escorted onto an airship by a warden and guards. Among the passengers are pig farmer Pearl Trask and her aunt, who are smuggling contraband in their merchant crates: a deadly dragoness and supplies to tame it. Marken plots his escape, but a storm crashes the airship onto a remote island. The dragoness escapes from her prison among the wreckage and is unleashed to hunt and kill the remaining crash survivors. Pearl and Marken team up to find a way home with their darkest secrets intact. Discussion Questions 1. Pearl first notices Marken because of his brightly colored jacket. What can you tell about someone based on their clothes? How does clothing reflect identity? Give examples from the text and from real life.
2. Marken describes the windmaster as having the "most meager, workmanlike magic that existed" and says that most people view him and similar magicians as a tool. (Chapter two) What do you think about how wizards are treated in Ten Tides? Why was the Guild''s formation necessary for wizards to gain respect? Discuss the magical hierarchy and how it must feel to be treated as tools rather than people. 3. Pearl felt duty bound to learn Aunt Hath''s smuggling business to support their family farm. Describe what duty means. Do you feel a sense of duty to your family? Should you? Explain your answer. 4.
Why did the guards rely on Pearl''s basic first-aid knowledge instead of helping the windmaster themselves? 5. One of the first things the survivors do is collect the dead and pay their respects through a funeral. In pairs, share your cultural death rituals. If you are unsure, you can discuss the examples from the book and why the crew prevented Kell from searching the pockets on the captain''s corpse. 6. When Aunt Hath suggests not telling people they smuggled the dragoness, Pearl thinks "Once a person got a bad taste in their mouth about someone, it stuck." (Chapter nine) Provide examples from your own experience to prove or disprove Pearl''s idea. How can a person go about changing someone''s perception of them? 7.
Do you think it''s ethical to try to manipulate a dragoness''s purpose? Is the dragoness correct about her opinion of humans? Explain your views, using current and historical events as examples. 8. In small groups, discuss the controversial method for how wardens are created and why they abuse the power they gain. 9. Helene speaks for the crew, accepting the bargain to distribute spears in exchange for keeping Marken bound. Does this make her the leader of the group? Explain your answer, and as a class, discuss the attributes of a leader. 10. Explain the principles of magic in Ten Tides and the inherent risks involved.
Why might a wizard want to keep their anchor point a secret? 11. Marken notices that Helene''s smile looks dangerous after Kell pushes the crew again. He notes, "Instinct and survival would become the new morals." (Chapter fourteen) What do you think this means? Discuss in pairs, then share as a class. 12. Marken claims the term deviant magic is "''just a fancy way of labeling them as other .''" (Chapter nineteen) Do you agree? What makes someone an "other"? Is being an "other" just a feeling or a tangible experience? Explain your answer. If you have ever been othered, please share with the class if you''d like.
13. Right before Helene surprised Marken, he had planned a series of spells to trap the dragoness and finally defeat her. Why did the wizard have to attack in a variety of formats? In small groups, discuss the strategy used, mapping out the spells and the scientific elements that made them work. 14. Share your reaction to the major plot twist in chapter twenty-five. Identify examples of foreshadowing in the text. 15. Marken''s light flowers were seemingly endless until a fire destroyed a huge portion.
Consider Pearl''s anchor point. What type of care and resources are required to keep her anchor point in existence? Did you ever fear her magic would run out? Explain. 16. In small groups, discuss your opinion on Pearl''s anchor point, including her way of viewing it as no different from butchering pigs for food. 17. How would the story change if Gemma''s character didn''t exist? Why does she share her identity with Marken so late in the book? 18. Marken, Pearl, and Kell are all deadly in their own ways and have undergone trauma. Identify their experiences using examples from the book, and compare how it shaped each character''s personality and capacity for empathy.
19. Why does Pearl feel sympathy toward the dragoness? According to Pearl, the dragoness is also a hatchling. Do you agree? Explain your answers. 20. What is Pearl referring to when she thinks "the world had made this decision for her"? (Chapter thirty-one) How would Pearl''s character be different if she felt safe sharing her full self with others? How does Ten Tides need to change to include those with deviant magic in their society? 21. Pearl asks herself what Marken is guilty of, bringing up another example of morality. What does morality mean, and who decides morals for a society? How would you answer her question? Extension Activities 1. Consider the risks of a magical anchor point and the types of magic available in Ten Tides.
Write a short essay explaining what kind of magic type you believe you''d have, including what you would choose as your anchor point and why. 2. Conduct a mock trial for Marken Burke regarding the West Lily tragedy, and determine his fate. Make sure to research the elements of a legal trial, and use plot points in the book to guide the case. 3. When the dragoness accuses the humans of being insensates, Pearl tries to convince her otherwise. Write a two-to-three-minute speech of what you would have said to convince the dragoness not to hunt you. 4.
While dragonesses may not exist in our world, dangers like natural disasters and mass violence do sadly exist. In small groups, choose an emergency situation and research what supplies and actions are needed to remain safe. Create a handout with information to share with others, including supplies to create a survival kit. 5. At the end of Devious Prey , the main characters seem to have a sea full of adventures to contend with. Draft an outline for a sequel including major plot points and character descriptions. 6. Write the following words on individual pieces of paper: Yes , No , and Maybe .
Tape them up around the room. Read the following statements aloud, and ask the students to stand near the word that aligns most closely to how they feel. Then ask students to explain their choice: a. A leader is someone with followers. b. Killing Withers in retaliation for killing Aunt Hath is justice. c. Humans are incapable of change.
d. Pearl was being selfish by keeping her magic a secret. e. You should not feel guilty for doing what it takes to survive. Guide written by Cynthia Medrano, Librarian at the Highland Park Public Library. This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. For more Simon & Schuster guides and classroom materials, please visit simonandschuster.
net/m/prek12-teachers-librarians/teaching-resources.