English KS1 / KS2: The Firework-Maker’s Daughter' by Philip Pullman

BBC Teach > Primary Resources > English KS1 / English KS2 > Bringing Books to Life 1

SAIRA KHAN: I LOVE this book. It's called The Firework Maker's Daughter and it's all about a girl called Lila. Now Lila has always dreamed of being a firework-maker. Just like her father. You know, fireworks can be dangerous and you have to be very careful around them. But luckily for Lila, she's got an expert teacher, her dad, and he shows her how to make some eye-popping fireworks, like Leaping Monkeys and Golden Sneezes.

SAIRA KHAN: Honestly, before I started reading this story, I'd never thought about who actually makes a firework. That those explosions in the sky are actually the dreams and ideas of people like Lila, bursting into life. The stories that I like the best are those of personal challenges and I reckon the writer of this book, Philip Pullman, would agree, because Lila goes on a very dangerous adventure. Lila may have done her apprenticeship, but in order to become a proper firework maker she has to travel to the Grotto of Razvani, the Fire-Fiend, to bring back some Royal Sulphur.

FIREWORKS FIZZING

SAIRA KHAN: Razvani lives in the smouldering centre of Mount Merapi and the journey to get there is a long and gruelling one for Lila. Finally she comes face-to-face with the Fire-Fiend, Razvani. This is one of my favourite parts of the story. Lila is in the Grotto watching the flames rise around her.

SAIRA KHAN: "And then into the heart of the light and the fire and the noise leapt Razvani himself, the great Fire-Fiend, whose body was a mass of flame and whose face a mask of scorching light. Thousands of fire imps scattered as he landed, and even the blazing flames bowed down to him. And so did Lila. In a voice like the roar of a forest fire, Razvani spoke.

SAIRA KHAN: 'By what right have you come to my grotto?!' She swallowed hard. It was difficult to breathe, because she seemed to be taking fire into her lungs as well as the air. 'I want to be a firework maker' she managed to say. He laughed a great laugh. 'YOU? Never!"

SAIRA KHAN: Now, any firework maker visiting Razvani needs to bring three special gifts, and also needs the protection from the goddess of the Emerald Lake. Poor Lila! She doesn't know any of this. She left in such a hurry. Razvani shows her the ghosts of previous firework makers who failed before her.

SAIRA KHAN: The ghosts were so pale and transparent that Lila could hardly see them. But she heard them wailing.

SAIRA KHAN: "'Beware! Look at me! I came without the three gifts. Alas! Take warning from me! I hadn't worked at the craft and I wasn't ready. Maiden, turn back. I was arrogant and headstrong. I didn't seek the water from the goddess, and I perished in the flames.' 9 SAIRA KHAN: Wailing and weeping, the ghosts passed across the lake of fire and vanished into a crack in the opposite wall.

SAIRA KHAN: 'That's what happens to those who don't come prepared,' said Razvani 'But now, you must submit yourself as they did. Walk into my flames, Lila! You have come for the royal sulphur? Receive it from my hands!"

SAIRA KHAN: Poor Lila, she must be terrified! In this book, I have to admit, I absolutely love Lila. She is such a strong person. She's determined to become a firework maker. And even when everything is going against her, she doesn't give up. And that's what I found inspiring about this story. That, actually, if you put your mind to it, you never give up, you're determined and brave, you can achieve anything.

SAIRA KHAN: I almost forgot to tell you. On her quest, Lila does get some help from the worst and funniest pirates you'll ever get to read about. Oh, and her best friend, Chulak, and his talking white elephant, Hamlet. But I'm not going to tell you how Lila's encounter with Razvani ends, or how she tries to save somebody's life with the most spectacular firework display.

SAIRA KHAN: With this adventure, like any other story you want to read, grab yourself a book, open it up, and let your imagination fizz.

FIREWORK WHOOSHES

FIREWORKS POP

TV presenter Saira Khan encourages us to read her favourite children’s book, The Firework-Maker’s Daughter by Philip Pullman.

She explains that she loves this story of a brave young girl called Lila who has to go on an exciting adventure to fulfill her dream of becoming a Firework-Maker like her father.

Lila goes in search of Royal Sulphur from Mount Merapi, as all Firework-Makers must, and comes face to face with Razvani the Fire-Fiend.

Saira gives a dramatic reading of the encounter, with animation to bring the story to life.

This clip is from the series Bringing Books to Life.

Teacher Notes

This clip can be used in illustrating the work of Philip Pullman and with older children when looking at the work of significant authors.

Alternatively it could be used to start a story.

Children could work in small groups to predict what could happen next. How will Lyla escape? How does she get the royal sulphur?

Ideas could be taken from other stories they have read where the main character has had to solve a problem to use in their own writing.

Can be used to highlight the huge range of reading experiences available to young people and to explore how students imagine and interpret the books they have read.