The Impossible Race: Cragbridge Hall, Volume 3 (43 page)

As always, I have a lot of other people to thank:

Shelly, my amazing wife, my first reader, the one who picks up the slack in the family while I’m trying to hit a deadline and runs our home while I’m touring the nation: I love you. Thanks for letting me chase this dream.

My kids, aka the five most important reasons I write: Thanks for loving books, and thanks for loving mine. Oh, and I’m definitely grateful you were excited and not embarrassed when your dad came to do an assembly at your school.

My parents, brothers, and sisters: You couldn’t be more supportive. Thanks for spreading the word, and driving for hours to surprise me at signings. You rock!

The schools I visited: Whether you were in Las Vegas, LA, Utah, Kentucky, Indiana, or any of the other great spots, thanks for letting me visit. I kind of love speaking to kids about books and dreams.

Brandon Mull: I loved touring with you. Plus, it was a great excuse for old friends to hang out. Thanks for leading me on adventures to find unique places to eat. And thanks for calling my hotel room to wake me up when I totally would have snored right through our signing. (We were both running on only a couple of hours of sleep.) I owe you.

Chris Schoebinger and Heidi Taylor: Thanks for continuing to believe in Cragbridge Hall! And thanks for the feedback to make it better.

Karen Zelnick and Mary Beth Allen: Thanks for setting up my book tours. You put in a ton of work and do a great job.

Brandon Dorman: Awesome cover and inside illustrations. You’ve got a gift! Thanks for helping my story come alive.

Richard Erickson: Thanks for the design and great use of your talents.

Derk Koldewyn: Thanks for all the editing help. I really need it. You make me look better and improve my crazy stories.

My agent, Rubin Pfeffer: Thanks for your thoughts, guidance, support, and work.

My beta readers: Kirtlan Morris, Matt Crawford, Dan Reed, Jessica Moon, and Matthew and Owen Hatch: Thanks for shooting through my manuscript and giving me feedback. Thank you. Thank you.

And you: Thanks for reading! Thanks for giving me a shot. I hope you loved the ride.

Discussion Questions

1. Through the device that looked like Saturn, Derick learned about his future. Would you like to receive a message about your future? Why or why not?

2. Derick made a virtual samurai world as a possible event in the Race. If you went to Cragbridge Hall and could design any event or challenge using any of the inventions that exist there, what would it be?

3. Abby wasn’t invited to be part of a team for the Race. She also wasn’t invited to dance. How would you feel if you were in her place? Have you ever felt left out or lonely? How does Abby change by the end of the book? What do you think helped her change?

4. Throughout this book, the students of Cragbridge Hall participated in the Race. What competitions do you participate in? If you were able to participate in any of the challenges in the Race in this book, which would it be? Why?

5. When Derick practiced how to fly as a falcon, the Crash pressured him to stoop. Do you think it was okay that he gave in to the pressure? When is it okay to do what your friends want you to, and when isn’t it?

6. Each member of the Crash had different talents in addition to being great with the avatars. For example, Maria was a good dancer and Malcolm was smart at geography. What are your talents? What subjects in school are you good at?

7. What did you learn in this book about Joan of Arc or Nathan Hale? Do you think you could do something you believed was right, even if you knew it would end in your death?

8. Anjum was an intense leader. He demanded the best from those on his team. What did you think of his leadership style? What were some of the advantages? What might be some of the disadvantages?

9. During the labyrinth challenge, Carol was able to guide and give advice to Abby, while Piper helped Derick. If you had to face a difficult challenge and could choose anyone to be your guide, who would you pick? Why?

10. Grandpa Cragbridge taught that the future is never certain; we can always make choices to make it better. Do you believe your choices can change the future? Why or why not? What is one thing you can do that might improve the future?

11. In one of the virtual challenges, Derick discovered that Rafa did not have to face the dragon alone. Derick could help. All of his team could help. How do your friends help you? How can you help your friends?

12. If you could design a Race in your school using the equipment and technology of today, what kinds of challenges would you invent? Who in your school would you choose to be on your team?

Recommended Reading

For more information about Nikola Tesla:

McPherson, Stephanie Sammartino.
War of the Currents: Thomas Edison vs. Nikola Tesla.
Minneapolis, MN: 21st Century Books, 2012.

Rusch, Elizabeth. Oliver Dominguez, illustrator.
Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World.
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2013.

For more information about falcons:

George, Jean Craighead.
My Side of the Mountain Trilogy.
New York: Dutton Juvenile, 2000.

Laubach, Christyna M., René Laubach, and Charles W. G. Smith.
Raptor! A Kid’s Guide to Birds of Prey.
North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2002.

For more information about dinosaurs:

Lessem, Don. Franco Tempesta, illustrator.
National Geographic Kids Ultimate Dinopedia: The Most Complete Dinosaur Reference Ever.
Washington, DC: National Geographic Children’s Books, 2010.

Signore, Marco. Matteo Bacchin, illustrator.
Giant vs. Giant: Argentinosaurus and Giganotosaurus.
New York: Abbeville Kids, 2010.

For more information about Mount Everest:

Blanc, Katherine, and Jordan Romero.
The Boy Who Conquered Everest: The Jordan Romero Story.
Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2010.

Venables, Stephen.
To the Top: The Story of Mount Everest.
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2003.

For more information about Benjamin Franklin:

Frandin, Dennis Brindell. John O’Brien, illustrator.
Who Was Ben Franklin?
New York: Grosset and Dunlop, 2002.

Krensky, Stephen.
DK Biographies: Benjamin Franklin.
New York: DK Publishing, 2008.

For more information about Joan of Arc:

Wilkinson, Philip.
Joan of Arc: The Teenager Who Saved Her Nation.
Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 2007.

Yeatts, Tabatha.
Sterling Biographies: Joan of Arc, Heavenly Warrior.
New York: Sterling Publishing, 2009.

For more information about Nathan Hale, the first American spy:

Hale, Nathan.
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy.
New York: Amulet Books, 2012.

Olson, Nathan. Cynthia Martin and Brent Schoonover, illustrators.
Nathan Hale: Revolutionary Spy.
New York: Capstone Press, 2006.

For more information about Greek myths and the minotaur:

Jennings, Ken.
Greek Mythology.
New York: Little Simon, 2014.

Limke, Jeff. John McCrea, illustrator.
Theseus: Battling the Minotaur.
Minneapolis, MN: Graphic Universe, 2008.

For more information about robots:

Davis, Barbara J.
The Kids’ Guide to Robots.
North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2009.

Jones, David.
Mighty Robots: Mechanical Marvels That Fascinate and Frighten.
New York: Annick Press, 2005.

For more information about Beowulf:

Marshall, Henrietta Elizabeth.
The Story of Beowulf.
New York: Dover Publications, 2007.

Morpurgo, Michael. Michael Foreman, illustrator.
Beowulf.
New York: Candlewick Press, 2006.

About the Author

If Chad Morris were to compete in the Race in this book, he doesn’t know how well he would do. As a kid, he once hit a triple in late innings, but then again, he also completely botched the spelling bee. (Curse you,
butterscotch
. You were so delicious, but hard to spell.)

However, as a writer, Chad has found success with the first two books in the Cragbridge Hall series,
The Inventor’s Secret
and
The Avatar Battle,
and spends his time imagining all the cool places he would go and the people he would meet if he had access to a time machine.

Chad loves hanging out with his wife and throwing balls at his children while they jump on the trampoline.