Introduction
Introduction:
A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin was published by Tor Books in 2015. Georgiana Fitzwilliam is a 16-year old girl with an inquisitive mind and none of the grace and charm that 1814 London society demands. After a risky experiment resulting in her father’s barn being burned to the ground, she is banished by her parents to Stranje House, a reform school known for using physical punishment and torture to mold rowdy girls into marriageable young debutantes. She is introduced to the foreboding headmistress Miss Stranje, the mysterious neighbor Lord Ravencross, the Devilish Lord Wycott and a gaggle of girls with more secrets than Georgiana has questions. We follow Georgiana in her quest to complete her experiment, discover what brought the girls to Stranje House, explore what it means to be in love, and possibly save the lives of thousands of men.
WebQuest by Jasmine Kirchner
Task
Goal:
The objective of this webquest is to use the novel A School for Unusual Girls to explore the historical fiction genre. This book will help give insight into why the Regency time period is so popular for romance novels and what about using a historical setting makes a plot more effective.
Process
Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O815ESo_hRw
This video introduces the plot of A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin and includes reviews from critics. It is a concise marketing tool to get young readers interested in the novel without giving away too much detail.
http://kathleenbaldwin.com/kathleen-baldwin-books/a-school-for-unusual-girls/
This website is the official website of Kathleen Baldwin. She offers more detail about A School for Unusual Girls and a blog covering topics ranging from writing romance and exploring historical human behavior. She also encourages readers to reach out to her with questions and comments. An interesting class activity would be to have each reader email her a question about A School for Unusual Girls or writing historical fiction novels.
http://www.history.com/topics/napoleon
This novel takes advantage of the political turmoil taking place in Europe in the early 1800s. Understanding Napoleon Bonaparte’s politics and rise and fall helps to better understand the time period and what is at stake for Lord Wyatt and Georgina. This website gives a great overview of Napoleon’s life and the setting of this novel.
This website introduces the time period and culture in which this story takes place. Because this is a historical fiction novel, it relies heavily on the time period and setting. This website helps introduce both the culture and political realm in which Georgina’s adventure takes place.
Etiquette is incredibly important in this book. Georgina’s lack of etiquette and charm is what lands her in the Stranje house. This article helps show why Georgina was considered an outsider and how society expected her to act.
Conclusion
Discussion Questions:
-The novel is narrated in the first person by Georgina Fitzwilliam. How do you think this point of view affects what readers learn about Stranje House, the politics of eighteenth-century Europe, and notions of love and trust? Is Georgina a reliable or unreliable narrator? Explain your answer.
-Do you think it was acceptable for Georgina’s parents to send her to the reform school? Discuss the dynamics of the Fitzwilliam family.
-At the end of chapter 4, Georgina notes, “I may be odd and peculiar, I may be freckled and unlovable, but there’s one thing I know for certain about myself, I am good at making plans” (p. 52). What do these lines tell readers about Georgina’s sense of confidence and about her insecurities?
-How does Georgina’s perception of Miss Stranje change in chapter 9?
-What surprising realizations does Georgina make while on her morning hunt for oak galls? How does Sebastian’s rescue of Georgina from the oak tree cause a shift in their relationship?
-Why isn’t Tess angrier about Georgina spying on her with Lord Ravecross?
-Describe the relationships between Georgina and Lord Wyatt, between Tess and Lord Ravencross, and between Miss Stranje and Captain Grey. What do you think forms the core connection for each of these couples? How does each couple deal with the tension between their attraction to each other and their sense of responsibility to the larger world?
-What does Georgina come to realize about her “home” at the end of the novel?
Credits
Bibliography:
Baldwin, Kathleen. A School for Unusual Girls. New York: Tor Books, 2015. Print.
Baldwin, Kathleen. "A School for Unusual Girls." Kathleen Baldwin. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. <http://kathleenbaldwin.com/kathleen-baldwin-books/a-school-for-unusual-…;.
Grace, Maria. "The High Stakes of Etiquette for Young Ladies in the Regency." Kim Rendfeld. N.p., 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. <https://kimrendfeld.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/the-high-stakes-of-etiquet…;.
"Napoleon Bonaparte." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/napoleon>.
Torforge. "Book Trailer: A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin." YouTube. YouTube, 21 May 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O815ESo_hRw>.
Woodard, Hannah. "Time Period and Culture." Time Period and Culture. N.p., Aug. 2008. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. <http://www.annemace.net/sample_websites/WOODARD%20M5%20Austen%20web%20p…;.
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Jasmine Kirchner
Juvenile Literature Spring 2016