BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSPong and Somkit are nine-year-old orphans who have never set foot outside Namwon Prison, where they were born and raised among the women inmates. Across the water lies Chattana, a city where every lamp and every machine runs on the magic of one man, the Governor, who saved the city after the Great Fire. When the Governor visits Namwon, Pong stands up for his small, weak-lunged friend and gets singled out in front of everyone. The Governor presses a glowing orb into Pong's hand, closes his fist until the light dies, and tells him that those born in darkness always return to it. Those words follow Pong when he hides in a basket of trash and slips out of the prison for good, and they follow him into a city where the light does not shine on everyone equally. Behind him comes Nok Sivapan, the warden's daughter and a gifted spire fighter, determined to bring the escaped boy back.
Free Battle of the Books questions for A Wish in the Dark
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about A Wish in the Dark. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a glowing glass ball handed to a boy go out minutes later?
✓ Answer
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
The Governor gives Pong a beautiful golden orb in front of everyone, then whispers that those born in shadow always return before squeezing his fingers and snuffing it out. That cruel moment breaks Pong's hero worship and haunts him for years.
- First half
In what book does a young monk answer "What boy?" to shield a little thief from arrest?
✓ Answer
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
Pong lets the child run and then refuses to give Nok his name, having deliberately avoided using it the whole time. The flicker of defiance in his eyes is what makes Nok realize she has seen this boy somewhere before.
- First half
In what book does a boy build a black box that drinks in sunlight to fill glass balls?
✓ Answer
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
Somkit calls his invention the Catcher and runs the stored light through copper wires into an orb up in his rooftop workshop. He has not shown it to anyone yet, and it quietly threatens the Governor's total control over light.
- Second half
In what book does a woman pull a faded red and gold braided bracelet down from her sleeve?
✓ Answer
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
Ampai shows Pong that she wears the very same rare bracelet Father Cham gave him. She grew up in Tanaburi as one of the basket babies who floated downriver after the Great Fire, and hers came with the blessing that her courage would never falter.
- Second half
In what book does a boy say, "Good thing it was hot pink or I never would've found you"?
✓ Answer
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
Somkit tracks down the beat up water taxi Yai and Yord got for Pong and leaps aboard, furious that his best friend was sneaking out of town without saying goodbye. The ugly boat is the only reason he spotted him on the river.
- Near the end
In what book does a boy mistake a black column of smoke for the sunrise?
✓ Answer
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
Pong and Somkit are walking home at dawn when the air turns chalky and Somkit starts coughing. What Pong thought was the sun coming up in the east is the Mud House burning.
