The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk
Glenda Millard
1. Look at the cover of the book.
After you have read the story, describe what is shown on the cover.
Go to this site and answer these questions: http://www.scool.scholastic.com.au/schoolzone/toolkit/Tender_Moments_of_Saffron_Silk.pdf
2. What is the name of the series that The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk is part of?
3. What number book is it in the series?
4. How many children in the family? How many are girls? How many boys? Who is the foster child?
5. Who is the grandmother?
6. What are Saffron’s ‘tender moments?
7. What colour is saffron? What does that colour make you feel like?
8. What problem does Saffron face?
9. These are the themes covered in the book: The themes in this book include: Imagination,
Families, Grief, Reflection (Time to Dwell and Think on Things), Individual Choice and
Responsibility, Fear, Curiosity, The Value of Reading, Love, Wishes, Cooking and
Recipes as Shared Memories. Choose 2 of these themes and provide an example from the book where they are reflected. For example: Ben sits on his Seat of Wisdom under a skylight in the roof of his shed so he could see birds flying and clouds passing – this is an example of
Reflection .
10. Scroll down to Author Background . Give an example of something where Glenda used her imagination as a child.
11. Name 3 books Glenda has written, find an image of their cover and add them to this document.
Don’t forget to Text Wrap, Tight .
12. Name 2 Awards Glenda has been shortlisted for.
13. “ Her books are beautifully written, and are an inventive mixture of whimsy and reality ” – what does whimsy mean?
14. Scroll down to Illustrator Background. Who is the illustrator? What did he dream of doing as a child?
15. What childhood illness did he suffer and how did this affect his later life?
16. What media does he like to use for his drawings?

17. Does Stephen’s style of drawing suit Glenda’s style of writing. “ Ben is an artist and Perry loves to draw as well. Look at some of the drawings in this book. The artist Stephen Michael King uses watercolour overlaid on very fluid drawings .
” How does the artist create a sense of movement?
Give a reason for your answer.
18. Name 3 books Stephen has illustrated.
19. Name 2 awards Stephen has been shortlisted for.
20. Glenda Millard uses beautiful descriptive language in her writing. In this example she uses an extended metaphor : ‘He gazed at her starfish fingers, seashell ears, pearly nails and rockpool eyes. He watched her salty lashes sweep slowly open and shut like sea anemones and tried to imagine what sort of person his tiny girl might grow up to b e.’ (p 8) Find another example of descriptive writing in the book, including the page number.
21. Glenda also uses similes as part of her writing.
‘Often she spun a web like a fairy’s hammock between the veranda posts.’ (p 31) On page 40 Glenda uses another simile – what is it? What does it mean? Write your own simile to describe how Saffron feels when she is having a bad headache.
22. Glenda uses poetry in her writing. Find an example of a poem in the book and add it this document.
Briefly explain what the poem is trying to say.
23. Choose one chapter heading . Say what it is. How does the title of the chapter relate to what actually happens in that chapter.
24. When Saffron gets to the city her parents give her all the things her siblings have made for her, as messages of love and comfort. What are those things?
25. Change the heading of this document using Word Art . Use a Theme (from Home tab.) Add a picture of the author and illustrator. Use picture frames . Add a border . Insert a Cover Page
( Insert, Cover page ) Add a picture of the cover, your name and class.
26. Create an Animoto (ask Mrs Crawford to log in for you) on the book, The Tender Moments of
Saffron Silk. Use information about the series, the author and illustrator to include in your Animoto.
Capture your text (in larger writing in a text box) to be able to add some text as images. Add images of the author, illustrator, books in the series to your Animoto. Email your completed document with your Animoto link included to Mrs Crawford: Suzanne.crawford@det.nsw.edu.au