Community Engagement Department - Discussion Questions

[Prof. Amy Lupin]

You knock on the door of the community engagement department and are prompted to enter. An elderly witch greets you with a smile and seems genuinely pleased you’ll be working with her this week. She explains that this is the publishing company’s newest department so she’s currently running things on her own.

Her main responsibility is building relationships with the broader Wizarding community. She often coordinates with the events department, but there are a handful of tasks that fall to her.

Her latest endeavour is working with book clubs to help grow the company’s audience. She gives you one of their books and asks you to help brainstorm some discussion questions that she can send out.

Task:

Come up with a book that would fit in with the wizarding world and share some information about it (it can be the same book used for other departments).

Then write 5 discussion questions that would be appropriate for a book club. Also share reasons why you’ve included those particular questions (such as how it will encourage readers to engage more closely with the book and/or subject matter).

Your explanation should be a minimum of 50 words (excluding the discussion questions and information about the book).

Post your discussion questions and explanations below by 11:59 PM on 26 October. You'll earn 20 beans for this task.

[Aisling Lestrange]

Whispers Beneath the Waxing Moon is a collection of ghost stories, magical folklore, and protective charms gathered from wizarding communities in the northern regions. Combining research with storytelling, Graeves preserves centuries-old traditions and tales that explore how witches and wizards have understood, feared, and interacted with the spirit world.

Book Club Discussion Questions:

• Which story from the collection felt the most authentic to your own magical experiences or family folklore?

• How do the protective charms and rituals described in the book reflect the communities that created them?

• What might we learn about wizarding history and everyday life from the ghostly encounters Graeves records?

• In what ways does Graeves show respect for the spirits and traditions she writes about, and why is that important?

• How can preserving magical folklore like this help modern witches and wizards maintain a connection to their roots?

These discussion questions encourage readers to connect personally with the text while thinking critically about wizarding culture. They invite comparisons between readers’ lived magical experiences and the folklore presented, prompting reflection on how tradition, belief, and community intersect. The questions also highlight the importance of preservation and respect for magical heritage, helping book club participants engage with both the emotional and historical depth of the collection.

[River Fenwick]

Continuing from The Mystic Menagerie, which is a novel based around Natasha Blackwood’s discovery of a hidden zoo in modern-day London, by Eliza Wheelsburgh.

1. Would the story have the same impact if it were set in a fantasy realm instead of modern-day London?
2. Which magical creature stands out to you most, and what might it symbolize for Natasha?
3. What motives do you think the main antagonist, the zoo owner, has?
4. How does Wheelsburgh balance wonder and darkness in the story’s tone?
5. How do you think the zoo maintained open, despite being hidden away?


These five questions will encourage a deeper analysis of the book’s themes, characters, and setting beyond what is expressed at the surface. They open readers to explore how the setting shapes the story’s tone and meaning, while allowing for a critique of the author’s ability to balance topics and convey tone. They encourage a personal interpretation of the characters and their relationships or motives. Also, they motivate readers to engage more with the mystery of the book’s theme and characters.

[Janne Halla]

Continuing the story of Auroras and Antlers, which also includes its description.

• How does Väinö’s journey to Lapland help him understand who he is and where he comes from?
• What role does Lapland’s magical landscape play in shaping Väinö’s identity and sense of belonging?
• The creatures Väinö meets all have roots in local folklore. How do they help him understand his connection to the land and his magical identity?
• The ancient ice spirit represents the dangers of forgetting or neglecting the past. How does Väinö’s confrontation with it reflect the need to balance tradition and progress?
• What can readers learn from Väinö’s efforts to balance curiosity and respect for magic, and how might that relate to connecting with one’s own history or culture?

These questions are meant to help readers look beyond the main events of the book and think about the deeper ideas of heritage, belonging, and identity that run through the story. They encourage discussion about how Väinö’s connection to his culture and the land helps shape who he is and the choices he makes. By focusing on how magical identity is tied to family roots and traditions, readers can see the importance of understanding where we come from while still growing into who we want to be.They also help readers appreciate different cultures and see how stories from the past can guide people in the present.