A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking

Analyze the protagonist Mona. In what ways is she a compelling and/or fully realized character? In what ways does she fit and resist common character types in young adult fantasy? Discuss using examples from the text.

Compare/contrast the three adult women in Mona’s life, Aunt Tabitha, the Duchess, and Knackering Molly. How do their differing roles/positions in society influence both their characterizations and the impacts they have on Mona? In what ways are they different and the same, and how might these comparisons contribute to the book’s themes?

Of the two antagonists, Inquisitor Oberon and Elgar the Spring Green Man, which one is the primary antagonist? Which is the more dangerous and/or compelling? Discuss using examples from the text.

Using examples from the text, explain what Bob the sourdough starter and the gingerbread men contribute to the overall narrative in terms of plot, tone, characterization, or themes.

Discuss how the theme of Difference and Prejudice, in the context of magic, might apply to real-world contexts in the United States or elsewhere. How does the symbolism of magic apply to broader concerns?

How do the themes Obligations of Those with Power and Leveraging One’s Talents interact and/or complicate each other? Discuss using examples from the text.

How might the argument to be creative in using one’s abilities in service to others apply to your own life? Discuss using examples from the text and your own experiences.

Using examples from the text, make a case for or against defining heroism as its own theme in the novel rather than a component of the other themes.