Click-Clack the Rattlebag

Click-Clack the Rattlebag

Click-Clack the
Rattlebag

Written by author Neil Gaiman in 2015.

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Open Ended

Have you ever heard of Neil Gaiman before? If so, what do you know?

Share Out!

If you have heard of him
before, please raise a hand
to share a fun fact. After
this, we'll watch a quick
video to learn more…

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Click-Clack the
Rattlebag
by Neil Gaiman (2015)

Neil Gaiman is a British-born fiction writer who
has written novels, comics, graphic novels,
nonfiction, and screenplays. His work has received
various awards, including a 2009 Newbery award.
"Click-Clack the Rattlebag" is included in a
collection of short stories titled Trigger Warning:
Short Fictions and Disturbances.

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Open Ended

What are 2 interesting facts you learned about Neil Gaiman from the video?

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Open Ended

Based on what we've learned about Neil Gaiman, and the title "Click-Clack the Rattlebag", make a prediction about the short story.

Let's Get Ready To Read

"Click-Clack The Rattlebag"

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes a theme within the story?

• Beware of large old homes.

• Do not leave children with strangers.

• Things are not always what they seem.

• Always tell young children bedtime stories.

Multiple Choice

How does the line "We walked out of the warm and cosy kitchen into the hallway of the big house, where it was chilly and draughty and dark" (Paragraph 21) help develop suspense in the story?

• It hints at how the author's tone changes.

• It marks a change in the narrator's mood.

• It confirms that danger is ahead of them.

• It describes a change in the atmosphere.

Multiple Choice

What does the word unsettling mean, as used in Paragraph 24?

• annoying

• miserable

• confusing

• uncomfortable

Multiple Choice

Which piece of evidence best supports the idea that the narrator was possibly near or around a Click-Clack?

• "We were climbing wooden steps now." (Paragraph 53)

• "There was that precocious amusement again." (Paragraph 58)

• "He pushed open the door to the attic room." (Paragraph 59)

• "I heard things rattle gently, like dry bones in thin bags"(Paragraph 59)

Open Ended

In this story, the author uses a first person point of view, which allows the reader to share the experience with the main character. How does reading a story from a narrator's point of view and perspective enhance the feeling of suspense?

Open Ended

Although not explicitly stated, we can assume the author begins to become suspicious of the boy throughout the story. Can you recall a time you were suspicious of someone? How did you behave? How was your behavior similar to the narrator's behavior? How did it differ?

Open Ended

What do you think happened to the narrator at the end of the story? Explain your answer with support from the text.

Poll

 

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