Will they make a dog's breakfast of it?

'Far away, but closing in, something shrieked. Something roared. Varjak's heart thudded in his chest as he turned to face it. The shrieking, roaring noise grew louder. It was a pack of dogs, live ones, and they were coming down the road towards him...'

Write the next part of the story, in third person, as the author S.F. Said.

Could these be dogs?

Write a descriptive passage as Varjak (in the style of the author) describing how Varjak sees the traffic. Post it below.

City life

Draw a map of the story so far with the Contessa’s house, the wall, the park and the city. This will help you form a clearer picture of Varjak’s experience and the contrast between his secluded life with his family and life in the city. When you have done it I will post it underneath.

Standing on the edge of the world...

Before you write on the blog, print off this picture and draw your own version of what Varjak sees when he finally gets to the top of the wall.

Here is your final piece...

Afterwards, write a description as if you are Varjak. Describe what he sees. Remember, he has never left the house/garden before so he may not know what things are or what they are called.

Varjak's predicament

Varjak has to make an important decision in Chapter 3. Should the family of cats stay in the house or should they consider leaving?

Write a letter to Varjak from an anonymous friend advising what he should do. Remember to include persuasive language, logical connectives and powerful adjectives. You may also want to use short sentences for emphasis.

In the middle of his family Varjak felt friendless and alone

Heart racing, Varjak bent back his head [...] it was a man Varjak had never seen before.

Write a diary entry in first person as Varjak Paw as he settles to sleep that night.  Remember to include interesting details, personal thoughts, reactions and emotions. 

Our next book will be...

Varjak Paw by SF Said

Now, look carefully at the front cover. Use all of the information you see to make predictions about the story...

Think about:
- Where is the story set? How do you know?
- Who might the main character be? What is he/she like?
- What adventures might happen in the story? (I think Varjak Paw will..., This story will be about...)
- What do you think ‘This cat must learn to fight’ means?