A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him. A compelling fantasy looks at issues of privilege, protest, and justice. All light in Chattana is created by one man — the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright orb light, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong’s prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free. Nok, the prison warden’s perfect daughter, is bent on tracking Pong down and restoring her family’s good name. But as Nok hunts Pong through the alleys and canals of Chattana, she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always held dear. Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, Christina Soontornvat’s twist on Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a dazzling, fast-paced adventure that explores the difference between law and justice — and asks whether one child can shine a light in the dark.

A Wish in the Dark

Overcome adversity and find the light within. This resource incorporates before sheets for teaching and reviewing vocabulary with after sheets for evaluating students’ understanding of the chapters. Put yourself in Pong’s shoes and determine whether you would leave your friend behind when escaping prison. Recall what Father Cham’s last blessing for Pong was. Answer multiple choice questions about Pong’s time in the Mud House. Learn about your family tree, similar to Nok’s own discovery of her past. Create a brochure advertising the Great March that Ampai is organizing. Write down ten things that happened in the story on a timeline. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, our worksheets incorporate a variety of scaffolding strategies along with additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key. About the Novel: A Wish in the Dark follows a young boy who escapes prison and grows up to help free his city from an oppressive ruler. Pong was born in Namwon Prison. He is serving the remainder of his deceased mother’s sentence. However, life in the prison is too much for him. One day, he decides to escape, leaving behind his friend—Somkit. He escapes to a monastery and becomes a monk. Years later, Pong is discovered by the prison warden’s daughter, and is forced once again to flee. He finds himself back in the city of Chattana, where the citizens are ruled by a man who magically returned light to them after a devastating fire. The light comes in the form of orbs, and are used to segregate the rich from the poor. While the poor devise ways to gain equality, the ruler will do anything to keep the status quo.

A Wish in the Dark - Literature Kit Gr. 3-4

A Wish In The Dark

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A Wish in the Dark

A Wish in the Dark - Literature Kit Gr. 3-4

A Wish in the Dark

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