Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz Ages 9-11 Reasons for selection and synopsis In the first book in the number one bestselling Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, fourteen-year-old Alex is forcibly recruited into MI6. Armed with secret gadgets, he is sent to investigate Herod Sayle, a man who is offering state-of-the-art Stormbreaker computers to every school in the country. But the teenage spy soon finds himself in mortal danger. Before reading… Ask the children to look at the front cover. What do you think the book will be about? What things can you see on the front cover? What sort of story will it be? Who might enjoy it? Now read the blurb – where any of your predictions correct? How do the reviews on the back persuade you to read the book? How might the book have got its title? The following questions are designed as prompts only – allow the children to come up with their own questions and ideas. They will be much more engaged this way! Funeral Voices Vocabulary Why do you think the author said the light ‘bled slowly’? What is a will? What is a cemetery? Define ‘patriotic’. Infer ‘Alex already knew’ – what did Alex already know? Why didn’t Alex go to school? Why do you think the new arrival made Alex’s skin crawl? Why does Ian Rider’s lack of seatbelt make Alex wary? How did Alex know someone had been in the house? Predict Predict if Stryker and Sons will make any more appearances. Predict what will happen to Alex now. Explain What mood does the author set in this chapter? How does he achieve it? Retrieve At what time is Alex woken? How old is Alex? Who has died and how? What is the name of the housekeeper? Why do Mr Blunt’s lips twitch? What did the removal van say on it? Summarise Summarise your first impression of Alex in one sentence. Heaven For Cars Vocabulary Define ‘dismantler’. What are piles like if they are ‘tottering’? Define ‘din’. Infer Why would Brookland be a more challenging school? Why does Alex’s maths teacher sigh at him? Why does Alex pause at the advert? Why wouldn’t anyone know what had happened to Alex if the car got crushed? When did Alex escape from the man operating the machine? Predict Predict if the men will chase Alex. Explain How did the author create tension in this chapter? Retrieve How does Alex get to school? Which school does Alex go to? How did Alex know it was his uncle’s BMW? How did Ian Rider die? Where did Alex hide? What did Alex do to the man with the gun? Summarise Summarise the events of this chapter in fewer than thirty words. Royal & General Vocabulary What is a visa? Define ‘vaguely’. Define ‘retorted’. What does sentimental mean? Infer Why might Alex have chosen to take the tube? What did the lift do to Alex? How did the files show Alex that this is not a normal bank? Predict Predict what will happen next. Predict what stormbreaker is. Explain Did Alex make the right decision to try and jump between the offices? Retrieve Where is the bank? Which room did Ian Rider work in? Why did Alex pour the cola away? Why was Alex surprised to see a photo of himself? What was the last file labelled? Summarise Summarise the events of this chapter in fewer than forty words. So What Do You Say? Vocabulary Define ‘presumably’. What does ‘groggy’ mean? What does it mean if something is unparalleled? Define ‘ambushed’. Define ‘preposterous’. Infer Why does Alex stick to water? What was the bank a cover for? Why won’t they just let Alex go? Why does it seem Ian Rider was killed? How will Alex meet Herod? In what way is Alex blackmailed? Predict Predict whether Alex will go through with the training. Explain How did this chapter get its name? Retrieve How did Alex know he was still alive? Why did he think he was in the country? What has Ian Rider’s job been? Where is Herod Sayle from? How did Herod Sayle stop being poor? What does Herod Sayle intend to do with Stormbreaker? Summarise Summarise Blunt’s proposition in fewer than fifty words. Double O Nothing Vocabulary What is a rendezvous point? Define ‘hostile’. Define ‘eerie’. What does ‘bully for them’ mean? Infer Why had time begun to dissolve itself? What does this mean? Why weren’t Unit K happy to see Alex? Why do they call Alex ‘Double O Nothing’? Why was Wolf so horrible to Alex? Why didn’t Alex say what Wolf had done to him? Predict Predict if Alex’s matches will make the others be kinder to him. Explain How does the author make you root for Alex in this chapter? Retrieve What does it mean to be binned? How many days has Alex been training? Which unit did Alex join? Why didn’t Alex take part in the Killing House? What did Alex give to Wolf at the end of the chapter? Summarise Summarise the events of this chapter in fewer than forty words. Toys Aren’t Us Vocabulary Define ‘coup’. What does it mean if your arms are rigid? What is a ‘piece de resistance’? Infer How has Ian Rider been secretly preparing Alex? How might it be helpful if Alex was killed? Why did Alex kick Wolf out of the plane? What is Smithers’ job? Why did Alex try and print Yassen’s face in his mind? Why does Wolf shake Alex’s hand? Predict Predict if we will meet Wolf again. Explain How does the author redeem the character of Wolf? Retrieve What would be the pros and cons of Alex having target practice? What is Alex scared of on the plane? Why doesn’t Alex jump? What does the yoyo do? What does the zit cream do? What does Speed Wars do? What pseudonym will Alex be using? Summarise Summarise this chapter in three words and explain your choice of words. Physalia Physalis Vocabulary Define ‘idling’. What is a ‘complex’? Define ‘distorted’. Infer Why was there a woman there to see Alex off? Why isn’t Port Tallon pretty for fish? What mistake does Alex make early on? Why did Sayle become so animated? Why did Mr Grin call himself that? Predict Predict what will happen next. Explain What is your first impression of Herod Sayle and why? Retrieve Why did Alex ask for John Lennon? What was surprising about the aquarium? What creature was in there? How did Mr Grin get his scars? How did Alex know someone had been in his bag? How did Alex find the bugs? Summarise Summarise this chapter in fewer than twenty-five words. Looking For Trouble Vocabulary Define ‘surpassed’. What does the word ‘swivelling’ tell you about the security camera? Define ‘amplified’. Her voice was poisoned honey – what does this mean? Infer Why wouldn’t anyone have seen the triangle of white? Why do you think Vole took Alex’s phone? Why did Alex ignore the sandwich? Why did Alex leave the room? Predict Predict what Alex will say to Sayle at dinner. Explain How does the author create tension in this chapter? Retrieve What did Alex spot straight away? What was on the paper? What was the woman’s name and where was she from? How did Alex open the door? Summarise Summarise the events of this chapter in fewer than forty words. Night Visitors Vocabulary What is snooker? What does it mean to be snookered? Define ‘snooping’. Define ‘inconsolable’. Infer When saliva flecks Sayle’s lips, what does this show us? Why does Alex consider Sayle to be a ridiculous man? Why might Sayle recognise Alex? Why did Alex throw himself on the ground? What does Yassen’s reaction tell us? Predict Predict if Alex will pot any balls. Predict what is in the boxes. Explain How does the author create tension in this chapter? Retrieve What was Sayle doing when Alex re-entered the room? How much does Sayle bet against Alex? What does Sayle do with the snooker table when he loses? Why did Alex get up in the night? How many trucks are there? Which is Alex in? How did Alex know they were at the sea? What came out of the sea? Who came out of it? How did Yassen react to the guard dropping the box? Summarise Summarise the events of this chapter into one sentence. Death In The Long Grass Vocabulary Define ‘indignant’. What are ‘instincts’? What does ‘clambered’ tell you about Alex’s movements? Define garrotting. Infer Why was Alex certain the boxes didn’t have packed lunches in them? Why was there now a guard outside Alex’s room? What is strange about Mr Grin making a phone call? Why was it hard to find somewhere to hide? Predict Predict what Alex will do next. Explain How does this chapter set future predicaments for Alex? Retrieve What feedback on the drawing did Alex receive? What did Alex start to hear? Why did Alex call it the killing field? How were the bikers attempting to kill Alex? How does Alex take down the first man? What was the second man carrying? How does Alex take down the second man? Summarise Summarise this chapter in one word and explain your choice of word. Dozmary Mine Vocabulary Define ‘inevitable’. What is sabotage? What does it mean if something is intercepted? Define ‘submerged’. Infer Why did the village appear to be asleep? How did Alex know he’d found the entrance? Why might Ian Rider have left the padlock looking locked? Why did Alex put an X on the wall? What made it difficult to swim through the water? Predict Predict where the tunnel has led Alex.