RANDOM HOUSE TEACHERS’ RESOURCE KITRed Rocks
Rachael King
While holidaying at his father’s house, Jake
explores Wellington’s wild south coast, with its
high cliffs, biting winds, and its fierce seals.
When he stumbles upon a perfectly preserved
sealskin, hidden in a crevice at Red Rocks, he’scompelled to take it home and hide it under his bed, setting off a chain of events thatthreatens to destroy his family.
Red Rocks takes the Celtic myth of the selkies,
or seal people, and transplants it into the New
Zealand landscape, throwing an ordinary boy
into an adventure tinged with magic.
With its beautiful writing and eerie atmosphere, junior readers will be thrilled andmoved by this captivating story.
Rachael King is the authorof two novels for adults:
Magpie Hall and The Soundof Butterflies, which won
the award for the best firstnovel at the 2007 Montana
Book Awards and has been
published in ten languages.
In 2008 Rachael was theUrsula Bethell Writer inresidence at Canterbury
University, and she has
lived in Christchurch eversince. The idea for Red Rocks came to her as she walked
her first baby son around Wellington’s wild south coast andthought it a place where magic could happen. It is her firstnovel for children.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Imprint: Random House NZClassification: NZ YA Fiction
Publication: June 2012
ISBN: 9781869799144
RRP: $19.99
Format: Paperback
Extent: 254pp
Readership: 10+

RESOURCE KIT CONTAINS:• Before reading• Language• Characters• Themes• Creative responses

Price (GST inclusive) and author details are correct
at the time of writing but are subject to change
without notice. Visit www.randomhouse.co.nz for
up-to-date information.

Published by Random House New Zealand Ltd • Private Bag 102950, North Shore, Auckland
Tel: 09 444 7197 • randomhouse.co.nz • facebook.com/randomhousenewzealand • twitter.com/rhnz

Before reading
1. What does the cover picture indicate thatthe book is about?

3. What does the title suggest to you?

2. When and where might the story be set?

Language
1. What do you think the genre of this book
is? List the aspects that are indicative of
this genre.

(p. 69). Write a poem or descriptive paragraphusing personification about other forces ofnature.

2. The story is told in the third person. Why
do you think the author chose to do this?
Was it effective? Choose a passage in thebook and rewrite it in the first person
narrative.

6. The author uses animal imagery in somesimiles. For example, ‘only its little face poked
out, like a marsupial in a pouch’ (p. 32) and‘the island emerged like a giant crouchingturtle’ (p. 118). Think of ten other animals
and create a simile for each.

3. Figurative language is used to convey
ideas that might otherwise be difficult toexpress. Two examples of figurative
language are similes and metaphors.
An example of a simile is ‘a row of seals . . .
watched him, like a row of sentries
guarding the sea’ (p. 99). An example of ametaphor is ‘Her eyes were black coals
throbbing in her face’ (p. 196). Find more
examples of each type of figurative
language from the book.
4. The author uses symbolism in the book.
Explain what the following phrases might
symbolise:

7. Jake uses a simile from nature to describe
Cara when he says ‘she shone like the sun’(p. 70). Find some love poetry and list thetypes of similes used. Write your own lovepoem.
8. What figure of speech are the words ‘bumpand lurch’ (p. 32) examples of? Find five
more examples of this figure of speechfrom the book. Write a poem or descriptive
paragraph which includes these words.
9. Find definitions for the following words fromthe novel and write one sentence using each:•‘made him see red’ (p. 15)•tentatively (p. 11)•‘danced like a whirling dervish’ (p. 110)•fissure (p. 13)‘her voice made a beeline for myheart’ (p. 179)
‘as happy as a clam’ (p. 242)

•taunting (p. 32)•emanated (p. 77)•

incredulous (p. 78)

5. The author uses personification todescribe elements of nature. For example,‘Waves battered the beach, chatteringto the stones as they receded’ (p. 7) and‘the wind, and the cliffs behind the house,
which stretched and leaned in and moaned’•

impediment (p. 87)•sombre (p. 89)•abated (p. 94)•diluting (p. 193)•

mesmerised (p. 194)•		•Characters
1. Think of three adjectives to describe Jake.
2. List the qualities of Jake’s personality andfind examples of when he displays each ofthese qualities.
3. Choose an important event from thenovel and describe Jake’s reaction to it.
4. What do you think Jake learns in thisbook? How do you think he has changedby the end of the book? How do you thinkhis view of himself has changed?

6. Draw a picture of one of the characters
based on their physical descriptions. Forexample:•Ted (p. 11)•Jessie (p. 61)•Dan (p. 149)

7. Write a character summary of Jake, Ted,Dad, Cara or Jessie.
8. Which character did you particularly likeor dislike? Why?

5. How does the relationship between Jakeand his dad develop though the book?
What are the main events which contributeto the development?

Themes
1. Discuss the following themes and findexamples from the book which illustrateeach one:•animal cruelty•

bullying•

helping others•
		the definition and importance offamily relationships•

fairytales and mythology•

betrayal and power

Creative responses
1. Jake thinks about his family in Auckland
and what they might be doing (pp. 8–9).
Write a description of what the membersof your family might be doing right now.
2. Jake mentions the places where his family
live in New Zealand (pp. 8–9). Find other
New Zealand places that are in mentioned
in the book. Locate these places on a mapof New Zealand. Choose one of the places
mentioned. Create and design an entry fora travel book for your chosen place. Include
information such as population, geography,
history, sites of interest, weather, etc.
3. Jake talks about having a half-brother (p. 8).
Draw his family tree. Draw your own familytree.

4. Jake imagines what he will be like as agrown-up (p. 10). Write a description ofwhat you think you will look like as agrown-up and then draw a picture basedon this description.
5. Because Jake had been enjoying scienceat school he thinks he could be aconservationist and work for Forest andBird or Greenpeace (p. 10). What are theseorganisations? Where are they based?
What do they do? What is their mission?
Where would you like to work when you
grow up? Which subjects will you need?
What would your work entail? See if you
can arrange to be an intern or shadow aworker at the company of your choice.
Write a report of your experience andpresent it to your class.
6. Jake feels the tug of living near the sea
even though he lives in the city (p. 10).
Where would you like to live and why?
7. The author includes many descriptions ofexteriors and interiors throughout thebook, including:•

Ted’s shack (p. 10 and p. 41)•

Dad’s house (p. 16)•The cottage with the windmills (pp. 28–29)•

Dad’s writing shed (p. 54)• Mum’s house in Auckland (p. 91)
Draw one of these places based on theirdescriptions in the book, then describe
and draw an interior and exterior space ofyour choice.
8. Jake stops to watch fish, starfish and sea
anemones in a rock pool (p. 13). Write adescriptive paragraph or poem aboutanother animal you might find in a rockpool.
9. Jake finds the seal skin in ‘a mini cave, perfectfor hiding pirate’s treasure!’ (p. 13.) Find abook about pirates, such as Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson. Write a book/author study about the book you have chosen.

10. The cruelty of the people who club baby
seals to death makes Jake ashamed to behuman (p. 15). What makes you ashamed
to be human? Find out about an organisationthat relates to this. Write a letter, create a
campaign or design a website to help makeyour cause known.
11. Dad writes books about New Zealandwildlife (p. 17). Use a publishing company’s
website to find out about how to write abook proposal. Choose some wildlife foundin your local area and write a book proposal
on your chosen subject.
12. Jake imagines stories of ‘mermaids and sailingships, of sharp-toothed fish and whales thesize of houses’ (p. 33). Find a traditional taleor story about the sea which includes oneof the items from Jake’s imaginings. Re-write
the tale then make it into an illustrated
children’s book or graphic comic.
13. Jake would like to find a boat then ‘jump
in it and let the sea carry him wherever it
liked’ (p. 33). Look at a map of the world.
Where would you like to travel to? Findout if you can get there by boat and howlong it would take. Chart your route andwrite an imaginary travel log or journal ofyour nautical adventure.
14. Jake imagines the woman from the fishand chip shop floating away (pp. 33–34).
Draw or paint this scene.
15. Ted compares his cottage to Grand Central
Station (p. 42). What is this building? Where
is it located? What other famous buildings
and landmarks are in this city? Choose one
to study. What famous buildings andlandmarks are there in your local area orcountry? What is their purpose?
16. Jake expects that Ted may have ‘some crazycake that if he ate it would make him growas tall as a house, or maybe shrink down
to the size of a garden gnome’ (p. 42). Whatfamous story does this refer to? Find thestory and read it.

17. There are a lot of crossword puzzle books
in Ted’s house (p. 45). Make up your own
crossword using answers and clues takenfrom the book.
18. Dad and Ted talk about seals and little
blue penguins (p. 62–63). Find otheranimals mentioned in the book andresearch them. For example, what do theylook like, what are their habitats, calls, etc?
Write an illustrated report of your findings.
19. Jake teaches Jessie how to play card games,such as poker (p. 73) and Snap (p. 92). Design
an instruction manual describing the rulesof one of your favourite card games. Teachthe game to your classmates.
20. The book is full of dramatic, suspense-filled
action sequences, for example:
a. when Jake is attacked by the seal		 (pp. 76–77)
b. Cara’s frenzied search for the skin		 (pp. 195–197)
c. Jake returning the skin (pp. 208–214)
d. Write a dramatic action scene about		 something that has happened to you.
21. Jessie tells Jake about selkies or seal people(p. 81). What other mythical creatures can
you think of? If you were a mythical creature
what would you look like and which magicalpowers would you choose to possess?
Briefly describe how you came to havethese powers.
22. Jake’s ancestors come from Ireland (p. 81).
Research where your ancestors came from.
23. Listening to the rain falling on the corrugatediron roof is usually a comforting sound for
Jake because it reminds him of holidays
with his father (p. 89). Sounds can evoke
memories. Think of a sound and the memories
it evokes for you. Write a poem about it.
24. The author describes Jake and Dad’sfishing trip (pp. 106–111). Write an extended
description of something you like doing.

25. Jake wonders if the seal is really showing him
and his dad the way home (p. 117). Find an
example of when animals have helped
people. Write your findings up as either as
newspaper article or a news broadcast.
26. Jake feels truly happy sitting with his fatherby the fire (p. 121). Write a descriptive
paragraph about a time or situation when
you have felt or do feel truly happy.
27. Dad tells Jake that the selkie story comesfrom Celtic cultures (p. 122). Find anothertraditional Celtic story. Write it out andthen tell it to your class.
28. If he could be transformed into anothercreature Jake would like to be a bird or adolphin (p. 125). Imagine you could turninto an animal for a day. Which would
you choose and why? Write about yourtransformation and your day as the animalof your choice.
29. In the car park at the beginning of thebeach is an unmanned information centre(p. 148). Design and create an information
centre booth for your local area. Include
information on the local wildlife, geology
and myths, etc.
30. There is so much Jake wants to ask Jessie
about being a selkie (p. 224). Divide intopairs. Imagine one of you is Jake and write
a questionnaire as him, and imagine theother of you is Jessie and answer Jake’s
questions as she might.
31. Jake will always remember the road out toRed Rocks as ‘windswept and sullen’ (p. 244).
Write a haiku about a place in nature that is
special to you.
32. Design a health and safety pamphlet on theissues below that are mentioned in the book:a. stranger danger (p. 12 and p. 50)
b. bullying (p. 31 and p. 166)c. outdoor education and survival		 (p. 38 and p. 113)
d. water safety (p. 37 and p. 105)

33. Without speaking, act out a character
doing something from the book. See how
quickly the class can guess who you are
and what you are doing.
34. Design your own cover for the novel.
35. Imagine the novel is going to be turned
into a stage play. Design the costumes foreach character and one or two stage sets.
36. Imagine the novel is going to be turned
into a film. Look at some movie posters.
Notice the pictures and the words. Designa movie poster to advertise the film of thisnovel.
37. Get into groups of two or three. Choose ascene from the novel. Write a script andact it out in front of the class.

38. Write a review of the book, aiming it at
the readership of your favourite magazine,
newspaper or website.
39. Write your own version of the back cover
blurb.
40. Choose one of the descriptive passages
in the novel which you find particularly
effective and use it to set the scene or themood for your own piece of descriptive
writing. Quote the passage as the epigraphfor your work and clearly state the source(title, author, publisher, date, chapter andpage number).