Grade 5 students make book club magic with help from fantasy novel Dragonfly Song

On Oct. 26, 2018 Grade 5 students at Wedgewood Junior School in Etobicoke, Ont. met with Dragonfly Song author Wendy Orr, whose book is one of five finalists for the $50K TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. 

• 13 Canadian works of fantastical fiction for young readers

Participating students read Orr's middle grade fantasy as part of a lunchtime book club, taking place at Wedgewood throughout the month of October. Together with their teachers, they explored Dragonfly Song's themes of mythology, community, magic and more. 

• The lesson Wendy Orr wants to share with readers: 'We're all stronger than we think we are'

Here and Now Toronto3:52Readers at Wedgewood Junior School dig into Dragonfly Song

Grade 5 students participate in a lunch hour book club at Wedgewood Junior School in Toronto, Ont.

Orr told students at Wedgewood about how she drew inspiration for Dragonfly Song from the mythology of ancient Crete, and shared details of a visit she took to the Mediterranean — stopping at many of the places that planted the seeds for the book. 

Before her visit, she spoke with Here & Now guest host Reshmi Nair, about some of those creative sources, and about how her own life experiences informed the book.