Kids' Activities
Jane Lind presents ...
You Don't Mess With Mozart
By Janet Craig James
Theme: Social Relationships, Young Adult
You Don't Mess With Mozart
Megan, a teenager who is a gifted pianist, goes off to a summer music
program and then on tour with the Young Peoples Orchestra through the North.
The story begins when Megan gets on the bus to go to Ralston College and
meets Bronwyn and Slope, also in the YPO.
Besides staring as the piano soloist and accompanist with the orchestra,
Megan becomes part of a country group that Slope organized, "The Leftovers."
This group brings out a different side of Megan, who has spent most of her
life wrapped up in classical music, mainly Mozart.
Megan is totally dedicated to her music and is obsessed with Mozart, and at
the summer music program she learns the discipline of playing the music as
it was composed instead of going off on little musical tangents of her own.
When a famous singer comes to give a concert with the YPO, an accident
prevents the singer's accompanist from playing and Megan is asked to fill
in. She does so successfully, and is even offered the opportunity to travel
with the singer and her accompanist through Europe to be available as a
stand-in case the accompanist becomes ill. It seems a glamorous possibility,
until Megan realizes that there is a chance she would never even play. Megan
turns down the offer to pursue her dream of being a soloist and playing
mainly Mozart.
The characters are full of the enthusiasm and liveliness typical of
teenagers, but they come through with distinct personalities, true to life.
The staff at the college, from the matron to the music professors, all stand
out as people you might know from somewhere, and work together to fill out
the entire scenario.
Questions
These questions apply to four books:
Jeremy Gates and the Magic Key
You Don't Mess with Mozart
Riding High
Patrick and the Actors
1. In these four books, which two characters, or groupings of characters,
have the most genuine friendship? Explain your choice.
2. Write a paragraph or two to describe the relationship between Corrie and
Crystal in Riding High.
3. In what way was Corrie important to Meg's accomplishments?
4. What technique did the author use in Patrick and the Actors to create
suspense?
5. In Mozart, Bronwyn and Megan had very different families. How did that
affect their friendship? Do you think it is easier to be friends with
someone who is similar or different from you?
6. Explain how conflict in the relationships of the characters affects the
development of the story plots in each of these books.
7. Choose one of these four books and write a different ending.
from the
Theme Catalogue and Teaching Guide for Children's Books
written for Penumbra Press by Jane Lind
© Jane Lind
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