The Missing Magician, Discussion and Resources

The Time-Jinx Twins, Book 2

Ozzie tells the twins you can’t travel to a time where you already exist. Why do you think that rule exists? RL.4.1, RL.4.3
Ozzie also says that fixing an accidental disruption to a timeline is allowed. Imagine ways a time traveler might cause a disruption to a timeline. RL.4.1, RL.4.3
The twins learn that multiple timelines can exist at once. In time-travel this is known as the multiverse theory, or many-worlds theory. What does that mean for the choices people make? RL.4.1, SL.4.1

In 1323, a person thought to be a devil or a witch could be hanged. Would there be a trial first? What kind of justice system existed in fourteenth-century England? RL.4.1, RL.4.3
Lady Montworth feeds her villagers when crops fail and lets them hunt on her land. Does that change how you think about the gap between rich and poor people in the Middle Ages? RL.4.1, RL.4.3
In 1323, most people couldn’t read. What things be hard to do in a world without reading or writing? RL.4.1, RI.4.1, RI.4.3, RI.4.9
Old Thomas communicates through gesture, drawing, and sign language. What challenges would that create in daily life in 1323? What advantages might it give him as a magician? RL.4.1, RL.4.3

Ozzie finds the twins by searching genealogy records and time-traveler databases in 2074. Does it bother you that someone in the future might already know things about your life? Why or why not? RL.4.1
Kat uses an app called FindYourFam to trace her family back to 1055. What kinds of proof does she find? Are some records more reliable than others? RL.4.1, RI.4.1, RI.4.6
Ozzie tells Ellie that in 2074, children are not taught to read because they don’t need to. Do you think that’s a loss or just a change? What skills that exist today might disappear in the future for the same reason? RL.4.1, RI.4.1

Ellie assumed Zondra marked her late on purpose because of what she saw with her own eyes. She turned out to be wrong. What are some ways to check whether what you observe online or in real life is actually the whole story? RL.4.1, RI.4.3, RI4.8
Lady Montworth reads a prophecy she believes refers to her family’s future. It turns out Myrddin got the prophecy from the twins themselves. Can something be both a prediction and a result at the same time? RL.4.1

Ellie nearly forgets that she can bail anytime—press the Home button and return instantly—when she’s chased through Ackenbury. Why do you think she forgot? What does that tell you about how people behave in a crisis? RL.4.3
The fortune teller Mistress Rue uses helpers to gather information before announcing her “predictions.” Is that dishonest, or just entertainment? RL.4.3
The constable spread a false rumor on purpose—that Lady Montworth was broke—hoping to protect her from the Farwells. It backfired. Can you think of a real-life situation where a lie told for good reasons caused harm instead? RL.4.1, RL.4.3, SL.4.1
Ellie realizes that having a secret as big as time travel means she has to lie to her closest friends. Is there a difference between keeping a secret and lying? RL.4.3, RL.4.1
Mom finally went to the future without telling the twins. Was she wrong to go alone? Was she wrong not to tell them? RL.4.3, SL.4.4
At the end of the book, Ellie thinks: “Eventually, together with Mom and Kat, she would figure out how to be loyal to friends while leading a completely separate, secret, extraordinary life.” Do you think that’s possible? RL.4.3, SL.4.1

PBS Space Time. “Why the Multiverse Could Be Real.” YouTube video, July 31, 2025.

Scoles, Sarah. “Is Time Travel Possible?” Scientific American, April 26, 2023.

“Genealogy Activities for Kids!” National Archives. Last updated May 10, 2022.

Boatner, Kay. “Spotting Fake News.” National Geographic Kids. N.d.

“Magic Science Experiments.” Science Fun: Kids Zone. N.d.

Teller. “Teller Reveals His Secrets.” Smithsonian Magazine, March 2012.