The School For Good and Evil

The School for Good and Evil

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade; fantasy; adventure
• Originally Published: 2013
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 830L; grades 5-7
• Structure/Length: 29 chapters; approximately 544 pages; approximately 13 hours, 45 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The story follows best friends Sophie and Agatha at the School for Good and Evil, a mythical institution where children are trained to become fairy tale heroes or villains. Sophie, who dreams of a prince and happy endings, believes she's meant for the School for Good, while Agatha, with her black dresses and wicked cat, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil. When they are placed in opposite schools, their friendship is tested, and they must confront their preconceived notions about good and evil.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Peril and danger; themes of friendship conflicts; mild violence

Soman Chainani, Author

• Bio: Born 1979; American author and filmmaker; graduated from Harvard University; his debut novel, The School for Good and Evil, was his first foray into children's literature and launched a successful series; explores themes of fairy tales, identity, and the blurred lines between good and evil in his work
• Other Works: A World Without Princes (The School for Good and Evil Book 2, 2014); The Last Ever After (The School for Good and Evil Book 3, 2015); Quests for Glory (The School for Good and Evil: The Camelot Years Book 1, 2017)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Friendship and Betrayal
• The Complex Nature of Good and Evil
• Coming of Age and Identity

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the genre of fairy tales, which shapes the lives of Agatha, Sophie, and other characters.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Friendship and Betrayal, The Complex Nature of Good and Evil, and Coming of Age and Identity.
• Plan, design, and present a class for the School of Good and Evil that draws upon conflicts and major lessons of the novel, based on text details.
• Analyze and evaluate the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the power dynamic between Sophie and Agatha, the school’s culpability, and other topics.