1. The Dark Is Rising was the Newbery Honor book in 1974, and The Grey King won the Newbery Medal in 1976. Each book received other awards as well. Over Sea, Under Stone received excellent reviews, but won no major awards. Do you think Over Sea, Under Stone is a prize-deserving novel? Why or why not?

2. In chapter six, Barney tells what he knows about King Arthur. What could Barney add to his telling to help us better understand Over Sea, Under Stone and the other novels in The Dark Is Rising series?

3. Simon and Jane are near the standing stones when they hear what they think is an owl, "a friendless, inhuman, Oversea, Under Stone desolate sound," in chapter eight. Then, in chapter thirteen, they and Barney again hear this sound from near the beach. In both cases, the cry is not...