Ross MacKenzie - The Nowhere Emporium

Orphan Daniel Holmes stumbles upon the mysterious Nowhere Emporium in Glasgow by accident. The ‘shop from nowhere’ and its owner, Mr. Silver, draw Daniel into a breathtaking world of magic and enchantment. This action-packed story by Ross MacKenzie is an excited and imaginative read!

Genre: mystery, fantasy, action 

Themes: Bullying, Life and Death, Creativity and Imagination, Friendship, Love and Courage

Age: 9-10 years old

The Nowhere Emporium by Ross MacKenzie book cover

Activities

  1. Research and create a profile for one of the cities mentioned in the book (Rome, Edinburgh,  Cairo, Paris). What’s the city’s History? Are there any famous landmarks or attractions? Has anyone famous come from there? What language do they speak? What country is it in? How far is it from you? What is the weather like? What wildlife do they have? What’s the cuisine like? (CC links: Geography, History, Science, ICT)
  2. Design and build a souvenir from your chosen city. This could be done using materials, paper, cardboard but it must link to something the city is renowned for. (CC links: Design Technology, Science, Art)
  3. Write a ‘Wonder’ to go into the Book of Wonders. What memory will the room represent? What shape and size will it be? What will be inside? How will it feel? (CC links: English)
  4. Create your own Book of Wonders. Research book covers, typography, images and layout for their own book. Encourage pupils to design their covers with their entry in mind and include links and clues to this on the outside. (CC links: Art, Design)
  5. Create a gingerbread character for one of the characters. On the inside describe their feelings, thoughts and emotions and on the outside describe their actions, behaviours and what they say. (CC links: English, PSHE) (Use ‘Gingerbread character’ resource)

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