Reading Rocks

Activity worksheet
The Chime Seekers

Author: Ross Montgomery

Nov 2021 UKS2

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Synopsis:

The Chime Seekers is the story of a magical world that exists

alongside our own – a world where faeries rule and nothing is
quite as it seems. On nights when the veil between this world
and our own is thin, anything can happen. Darkness creeps in,
tricks are played, babies stolen and lives changed.

When Yanni’s family moves to Fallow Hall, he hates everything

about it - the house, the village, the fact that his parents
seem to care more about his baby sister than him. Life is
terrible. Yanni’s anger grows and this flawed main character
wishes for the unthinkable – that his little sister had never
been born. He just wants life to go back to the way it was
before. He never expects someone to show up who will
actually make his wishes come true.

Realising his horrible mistakes, Yanni and his cousin, Amy,

must set off on a quest to defeat an evil faerie and put
everything back the way it should be. They face challenges at
every turn in this exciting story of goblins, magical necklaces,
changelings, talking ravens and grumpy signposts. The power
of love proves stronger than the power of lies and tricks –
and there is nothing more powerful than a name.

The Chime Seekers is the perfect story for anyone who loves
the idea of faeries living alongside us. Those who have heard
their music and spotted a magical creature or two at twilight
will recognise many of the characters in this brilliant tale (and
may just try some of the protective charms themselves).

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Themes:

British Folklore / Faeries

Trickery
Family / Siblings
Loneliness
Protection
Love / Hate
Change

Content warning:

The Chime Seekers centres around Yanni’s jealousy

of his new baby sister. He is very angry and wishes
things could go back to the way things were before
she was born. He blames her for his unhappiness, the
family house move and the lack of attention from his
parents. When he wishes she’d never been born, the
baby is abducted by an evil faerie.

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National Curriculum Links:

The Chime Seekers is just right for readers in Upper Key Stage
Two and Key Stage Three. The vocabulary is ambitious at
times which adds to the theme of the faerie trying to
outsmart Yanni.

Set at Hallowe’en, it is the perfect story for an Autumn term

class read aloud.

The Chime Seekers explores British Folklore and the stories

surrounding All Hallows’ Eve. For centuries, people have
believed there is another world that runs parallel to our own,
full of faeries and other magical creatures. Many events in the
human realm have been explained through the actions of
these good or malevolent beings. A study of these stories and
traditions links to the National Curriculum:

“Pupils should be taught to maintain positive attitudes to

reading and an understanding of what they read by increasing
their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths,
legends and traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our
literary heritage, and books from other cultures and
traditions.”

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If you enjoy this you'll enjoy...

The Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery

In Darkling Woods by Emma Carroll

Otherland by Louie Stowell

The Clockwork Crow Trilogy by Catherine Fisher

The Lost Magician by Piers Torday

The Storm Keeper Trilogy by Catherine Doyle

The Last Spell Breather by Julie Pike

The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

A Pinch of Magic series by Michelle Harrison

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Key vocabulary

1) The New Hours: 2) The Gift:

ignition injustice
writhing superstitious
infested dreading

3) Fallows Hall: 4) The Gift:

dolmen incantations
Neolithic lurid
imperceptible runes

5) The Visitor: 6) A Turn of Events:

threshold clambering
klaxon straining
demeanour faerie

7) The Visitor: 8) A Turn of Events:

threshold clambering
klaxon straining
demeanour faerie

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Key vocabulary

9) Hallow Fall: 10) The Dark Tower:

incessant condemned
wither wager
desolate radiation

11) Lorde Renwin: 12) The Wager:

petrified discordant
decadent cascades
inferno shackle

13) Gustiver: 14) The First Task:

forfeited shame
recompense reproachful
infraction inventory

15) Gobbrox: 16) The Goblin Fortress:

intruders breastplate
unconscious insubordinate
relentless befuddled

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Key vocabulary

17) The Goblin Queen 18) The Pale Stranger

adder eroded
assassins clench
escalated miasma

19) The Enchanted Ruin 20) The Fountain

monologue amplified
elixir excruciating
indignation vial

21) The Sleeping Guard 22) A Cry in the Dark

paralysed possessed
agonising bemused
pawn snicker

23) The Black Piano 24) The Galleon

derelict insignia
meddling tendrils
audacity horizon

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Key vocabulary

25) The Final Task 26) The Broken Crown

carousel respiring
brume totem
gossamer brined

27) The Drowned Erlking 28) The Dream

taut beckoned
disintegrated molten
crescendo headland

29) Victory 30) The Name-Taking

gulf contemplate
sallow gilded
mouldering revelation

31) Alone 32) The Raftsman

eternity desiccated
tolling rasp
pathetic stronghold

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Key vocabulary

33) The Stronghold 34) The Reckoning

swaddling revulsion
ancient scrutinising
mechanism retort

35) The Last Hand 36) The Eyes Behind

the Eyes
gleamed
despise warping
gibbet transmogrified
pinwheeling

29) Victory 30) The Name-Taking

gulf contemplate
sallow gilded
mouldering revelation

37) Larry 38) All Hallows’ Day

rocky outcrop gnawing

fathomless garland
companions awkward

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Welcome to Fallow Hall

1. Why does Yanni hate his new house so much?

2. Why has Yanni’s relationship with his parents changed recently?
3. How would you describe the character of Yanni? Is he a likeable
character?
4. The fireplace is an important feature of the story. What does it look
like when they first arrive at the house? (p.17) What does Yanni’s dad
do to it? (p.24)
5. Why is Yanni’s mati so important to him? (p.23)
6. What is the village of Fallow Hall like at the beginning of the story?
(p.30)
7. What is the dolmen in the centre of Fallow Hall? (p.31)
8. Fallow Hall has suffered many tragedies. What happened to John?
(p.35)
9. Do you think Yanni is going to enjoy living in Fallow Hall?
10. It’s All Hallows’ Eve. Why is the date so important in the story? (p.45)
11. When she comes to babysit, what does Amy do to ward off roaming
spirits? (p.45)
12. What game does Amy enjoy playing? Why does she like it so much?
(p.46)
13. How would you describe the visitor to Ari’s bedroom? The author
writes, “Everything about the man’s beauty was wrong somehow.”
What does this mean? Have you come across a character like this in
any other stories? (p.51)
14. The chapter entitled The Visitor is the key scene in the story. What is
happening inside Yanni’s mind? What effect is the strange man
having on him? What happens at the end of the chapter? (p.60)
15. How do Yanni and Amy know the creature left behind is not Ari?
(p.62)
16. How did the faerie get into the house? (p.74)
17. What do Yanni and Amy find on the other side of the fireplace?
(p.76)

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Welcome to Hallow Fall part 1

1. Which two characters do Yanni and Amy meet when they first enter
Hallow Fall? Describe them. Are they similar or different? (p.89)
2. What advice does the signpost give Yanni and Amy? (p.94)
3. What is the significance of the sound of the chimes? (p.94)
4. What will happen at midnight? (p.96)
5. What item does Amy have in her backpack that she thinks will help
them? Do you think it will be helpful? (p.97)
6. The author describes Lorde Renwin’s tower as “It split the sky in two
like a crack in a mirror, so tall it almost seemed to pierce the moon.”
What does this description suggest about the tower? (p.99)
7. How does the Changeling feel about going into Lorde Renwin’s
tower? (p.102)
8. Describe Lorde Renwin’s tower the first time Yanni and Amy visit.
What is it like on the outside and the inside? (p.99 / p.102)
9. Who is Gustiver? (p.106)
10. Yanni is desperate to get Ari back. What does he propose to Lorde
Renwin? What are the stakes? (p.113)
11. Lorde Renwin tricks Yanni when he says he’ll let him take someone
else with him on the challenge. What does Lorde Renwin do? Do you
think this is going to help or hinder Yanni? (p.120)
12. What is the significance of the blackthorn log? (p.126)
13. What is Yanni’s first challenge? (p.128)
14. Is Yanni and Amy’s “inventory” likely to be very useful? How so?
(p.139)
15. Who do the goblins remind Yanni of? What does this suggest about
them? (p.142)
16. Why is Gobbrox so proud of himself? (p.146)
17. Why is Amy so successful at outwitting the Goblins? (p.150)
18. When in disguise, how does Amy convince the other Goblins that she
and Yanni are really Goblins? (p.158)

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Welcome to Hallow Fall part 2

1. What three names does the Goblin Queen call Lorde Renwin? (p.164)
2. How do Yanni and Amy manage to negotiate for the Toadstone? (p.
168)
3. How is Lorde Renwin’s tower different when they arrive back with
the Toadstone? Why might this be? (p.174)
4. What does Yanni notice about the paintings inside the tower? (p. 175)
5. What is Yanni’s second challenge? (p.182)
6. How is the Changeling similar to or different from Ari? What does
Yanni realise about his relationship with Ari? How does he feel about
the way he treated Ari? (p. 190)
7. What is significant about the statues in the graveyard? (p.193)
8. Who are the Sleeping Guard? (p.201)
9. How does Yanni escape the Sleeping Guard? Who could it be? Where
was the voice coming from? (p.211)
10. How is Lorde Renwin’s tower different when they arrive back with
the Elixir of Life? Why might this be? (p.218)
11. What does Yanni notice about the paintings inside the tower? (p. 219)
12. What is the significance of Lorde Renwin’s piano? (p.224)
13. What is happening to Ari as she spends more time with Lorde
Renwin? (p.226)
14. How is Yanni similar to Lorde Renwin? (p.226)
15. When they reach the galleon, Amy rolls her eyes at Yanni and says,
“Anyone can be kind…” Why is this an important statement? (p.231)
16. The ghosts in the galleon are not as Yanni first expected. Who are
they? What do they want? (p. 234)
17. How is the character of Amy changing as she completes each task?
What is causing this change? (p. 237)
18. What is Yanni’s dilemma about the Changeling? (p. 239)
19. What is Yanni’s third challenge? (p.241)
20. Why do the ghosts want Yanni to wear the golden glass n

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Welcome to Hallow Fall part 3

1. The Erlking is too powerful for them. What is the one thing Yanni and
Larry can use to defeat him? Why? (p.260)
2. When Yanni is drowning, he has a dream about Ari. What are the two
key pieces of information she gives him to help him defeat Lorde
Renwin? Why do you think it was Ari helping him? (p. 267)
3. Why do you think is it so important that Yanni wear his mati? (p.267)
4. How is Lorde Renwin’s tower different when they arrive back with
the broken crown? Why might this be? (p.272)
5. How does Lorde Renwin surprise Yanni when they arrive back with
the final item? Is this fair? (p.276)
6. Why does Lorde Renwin punish Gustiver? (p.279)
7. Gustiver had two secrets. What are they? (p.242/280/281)
8. When the last of the blackthorn log burns away, Yanni knows he has
failed. Does he have any chance of rescuing Ari and returning home
with Amy? Explain what you think is going to happen next. (p.281)
9. What gives Lorde Renwin the power to transform Amy into a raven?
(p.283)
10. Why does Lorde Renwin want to know Ari’s name? What happens to
him when he learns both Amy and Ari’s names? (p.286)
11. What is the final wager Yanni makes with Lorde Renwin? What does
Yanni have to do? What happens if he succeeds? What happens if he
fails? (p.290)

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The Lower Kingdoms part 1

1. What do you notice about the tower and the chimes as Yanni leaves
for his final challenge? Why is this? (p.295)
2. When Yanni sets out to find the Lower Kingdoms, he is faced with a
choice. What is the choice? What would you choose to do? (p. 299)
3. Why is it significant when the frog says, “You don’t know what it’s
like, having something precious taken away from you.” (p.301)
4. When someone finally helps Yanni find the way to the Lower
Kingdoms, it’s quite surprising. Who helps him and why is it
surprising? (p.302)
5. How does being in the Lower Kingdoms affect Yanni? Why? (p.
309/311)
6. At the beginning of the story, Yanni wishes Ari had never been born.
When faced with what life would be like if that were true, how does
he feel? (p.316)
7. What causes Yanni to realise that he isn’t really in his old house with
his mum and dad? (p. 317)
8. How do items in Yanni’s inventory help him in his final challenge?
(p.302/306/319)
9. What does Yanni discover in Lorde Renwin’s stronghold? (p. 321)
10. When faced with a mirror in Lorde Renwin’s stronghold, Yanni
realises the truth about himself. What does he come to understand?
(p. 326)

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The Lower Kingdoms part 2

1. How is it that Lorde Renwin has been able to see everything that
goes on in Hallow Fall? (p.332)
2. What has happened to Yanni as he’s spent time in Hallow Fall?
(p.333)
3. How does Yanni trick Lorde Renwin when he returns from the
stronghold? (p.338)
4. What power does the mati hold that allows Yanni to defeat Lorde
Renwin? (p.344)
5. Lorde Renwin changes throughout the story. What does the sentence
“The last of his veils were falling away” suggest about his character?
(p.345)
6. What is Lorde Renwin’s real name? Why do you think this is? How
does this connect to Yanni on page 49? (p.348)
7. What do Yanni and Amy ask the faeries for in return for saving
Hallow Fall? Why is the faerie surprised at their requests? (p.353)
8. What is the symbolism of the shackle that tied Yanni and Larry
together? How did it change during the story? (p. 355)
9. What is the significance of the cracks in the mirrors, windows and
Amy’s glasses disappearing? (p. 357)

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Home:

1. Why is it special that Ari’s first word is Yanni’s name? (p.

365)
2. How has the village of Fallow Hall changed? (p.366)
3. Why does Yanni need to pay the shopkeeper a pound? (p.
368)
4. Whose grave does Yanni find in the churchyard? Why does
he have mixed feelings about seeing it? (p. 369)
5. How does Lari send Yanni a message from another world?
(p. 370)
6. Even though Amy can’t remember their adventure in
Hallow Fall, she has changed. How is she different? (p.
371)

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After Reading

This is a story of change:

1. How does Yanni’s character change as he completes Lorde

Renwin’s challenges?
2. How does Yanni’s relationship with Amy change during the
story? Do you think they will continue to be close once
everything goes back to normal?
3. How does Yanni’s relationship with the Changeling change
during the story?
4. How does Yanni’s relationship with Ari change during the
story?
5. Mirrors are an important part of this story. What do they
symbolise? What do they reflect?
6. Which genre best fits this story? Explain your choice.
(folklore / fantasy / gothic / horror)
7. How does Lorde Renwin trick Yanni throughout the story?
Why is Yanni able to finally trick him in the end?
8. Why are names so powerful? What is special about your
own name? Can anyone ever actually take your own name
from you?
9. How is the theme of protection developed in this story?
What protection does Yanni have as he travels through
Hallow Fall? Why does it protect him against hatred? How
does Yanni protect others?
10. How is the theme of love developed in this story? Think
about Yanni’s family, his grandparents, why he chooses to
stay in Hallow Fall to rescue Ari and the power of the mati
throughout the story.

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After Reading part 2

This is a story of change:

1. Which setting from the story can you picture the most
clearly? Why is this?
2. Which character do you relate to the most? Why?
3. How did this story make you feel? Were there key
moments when your emotions changed?
4. What is the most memorable part of the story? Why has it
stuck with you?

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Writing ideas:

Write a scene from Lorde Renwin’s point of view. What

does he want? Why is he doing this? What are his hopes
and dreams?
Write an incantation to ward off roaming spirits on All
Hallow’s Eve.
Come up with a list of challenges Lorde Renwin could set
for Yanni.
Invent a new object for Yanni to find in Hallow Fall.
Write a setting description of Lorde Renwin’s tower each
time Yanni visits it.
Yanni meets many unusual creatures in Hallow Fall.
Choose one to describe.
Tell the story of one of the minor characters in The Chime
Seekers: the toad, the signpost, the Goblins, the Erlking,
the Raftsman.
Tell the story of when Lorde Renwin came to power and
took over Hallow Fall.
Write an advertisement persuading people to visit Fallow
Hall (at the end of the story).
Write a non-chronological report about the folklore of
faeries in Britain or beliefs about specific plants.
Write a newspaper report about John going missing from
Fallow Hall in 1953.
Write an argument – Does Yanni deserve to be forgiven for
what happened to Ari?

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Writing ideas continued:

Write an interview with one of the characters. What would you

ask them? What would their answers be? Would different
characters have different answers to the same questions?
Write a book review of The Chime Seekers. What did you like
about it? Who else would enjoy it?
Write a blurb for the back of the book. Make it intriguing without
giving away the plot.

Cross-Curricular Links

Investigate the folklore around specific trees and plants. Why did
Amy bring Rowan branches into the house? Why was blackthorn
used in Lorde Renwin’s fire?
Investigate the folklore of specific metals. Why was the fireplace
cover made of iron?
Design a fireplace cover with runes and other magical symbols.
Amy loves the game “Orc’s Quest”. Find out about Dungeons and
Dragons type games. Design your own board game with
characters and tasks from the Land of Fae / Hallow Fall.
Find out about the Greek mati. What does it symbolise? What
are the traditions surrounding it?
Create two maps – one of Fallow Hall on plain paper and one of
Hallow Fall on tracing paper. Think carefully about which
locations overlap. (p.89/134/185)

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