1. Overview
Title: Custodians of the Stone Circle
Author: Nighet Nasim Riaz
Stage: Primary 6–7 (Second Level) in Scottish schools
Context: Suitable as a class novel or IDL context over 6–8 weeks.
Short description
Custodians of the Stone Circle follows five children, their families and their grandparents, Professors Noor and Riaz, in and around Pitlochry and the Pass of Killiecrankie. A mysterious box, an ancient map and a stone circle in a nearby field draw them into “in-between” corridors that connect different worlds and times. Along the way, they meet djinn, confront difficult choices and learn what it means to be custodians of powerful knowledge and places.
Global citizenship framing
The novel is used to explore what it means to be a global citizen: someone who recognises connections between people and places, values justice and rights, and acts responsibly with the power they hold. Custodianship in the story becomes a way for learners to think about their own responsibilities to people, places and stories locally and globally.
2. Key Themes
You do not need to cover all of these. Choose what fits your context.
- Custodianship and trust (amanah) — The map, key and corridors are treated as an amanah – a trust or responsibility – passed down through generations. Learners explore how power and knowledge should be used and shared.
- Global connections and interdependence — The map links Scottish landscapes to other places and histories, including ancient Mesopotamia. The corridors between worlds become a metaphor for global connections and the impact of our choices beyond our own communities.
- Identity, representation and belonging — The central characters include Muslim Scottish children, a mixed-heritage family and white Scottish neighbours, all sharing the adventure. This allows discussion about whose stories are usually centred and why representative stories matter for global citizenship.
- Ethics, justice and museums — Professor Noor and Professor Riaz work with artefacts and sites of historical and spiritual significance. The book raises questions around who owns objects, how they were obtained, and how they should be cared for.
- The unseen and “the Other” — Djinn are presented as another creation with their own choices, tests and diversity, not simply “monsters”. This can support discussions about how we treat groups we do not know or understand, and how stereotypes form.
- Family, memory and migration — Noor and Riaz, and the wider families, carry memories, secrets and migration histories that shape their decisions. Pupils can link this to their own family stories and Scotland’s place in wider global stories.
3. Curriculum for Excellence Links (Second Level)
Use or adapt the following Es+Os and experiences.
Literacy & English (LIT/ENG 2)
- LIT 2-11a / ENG 2-17a: Engage with a novel, using the text to support understanding and discussing characters, setting and events.
- LIT 2-20a / ENG 2-31a: Create texts, including imaginative writing, using aspects they have learned from their reading.
- LIT 2-09a: Use talking and listening to explore ideas and share understanding of global citizenship themes.
Social Studies (SOC 2)
- SOC 2-02a / 2-04a: Explore how past civilisations and cultures influence Scotland and the wider world today (e.g. Mesopotamia, archaeology, empire).
- SOC 2-07a: Describe and locate key features and places in Scotland and beyond (Highland landscapes, Killiecrankie, global connections).
Religious and Moral Education (RME 2) / RERC equivalents
- RME 2-01b: Explore beliefs about God, creation and the unseen in Islam, including djinn, trust and responsibility.
- RME 2-09d: Consider moral questions and ethical dilemmas and discuss how people make decisions.
Health and Wellbeing (HWB 2)
- HWB 2-01a / 2-03a: Explore feelings and relationships, including friendship, courage and fear.
- HWB 2-10a / 2-16a: Reflect on personal values, making safe and fair decisions, and managing risk.
Learning for Sustainability / Global Citizenship
Supports development of learners as global citizens through understanding interconnectedness, diversity, rights, justice and sustainable futures.
4. Global Citizenship Lens
Use this simple enquiry question across the unit:
“How can we be good custodians of people, places and stories in a connected world?”
Suggested global citizenship strands:
- Interdependence: How are people, places and histories connected in the story and in real life?
- Diversity and identity: Who is represented and how? Whose stories have been missing?
- Rights and justice: Who has power over artefacts, corridors and knowledge? Who does not?
- Power and action: What choices do the children and adults make? How could we act as custodians in our own community?
These strands align with Education Scotland’s guidance on global citizenship as part of Learning for Sustainability.
5. Unit Outline (6–8 Weeks, P6/7)
You can compress or extend this structure.
- Block 1 (Weeks 1–2): Whose stories? Whose worlds?
- Block 2 (Weeks 3–4): Custodians of objects and places
- Block 3 (Weeks 5–6): The unseen and the Other
- Block 4 (Weeks 7–8): Taking action as custodians
6. Block 1: Whose Stories? Whose Worlds? (Weeks 1–2)
Reading focus: Prologue and Chapter 1–3 (up to and including opening the box and revealing the map).
Global citizenship focus: Representation, identity, being on the edge of a story.
Learning intentions (pupil-friendly)
- I can identify and describe the main characters and settings in the novel.
- I can recognise how this story is similar to and different from other fantasy stories I know.
- I can begin to discuss whose voices and identities are centred in the book and why that matters.
Suggested activities
Character and setting introduction
Read aloud the Prologue and “The Last Bell” for each child: Amelia (Glasgow), Ava (Edinburgh), Musa and Ivy (Pitlochry), Noa (Bothwell). Pupils create “character cards” with: Who am I? What do I care about? What makes me different/similar to other characters?
Bookshelf audit
Learners list or look at other novels they have read in class, noting main character identities (race, gender, religion if known, country), then compare with Custodians of the Stone Circle. Discussion: “Whose stories do we usually hear? Whose stories are missing? Why might it be important to hear a wider range of stories?”
Personal thresholds writing
After reading about the last day of school and the journey to Pitlochry, pupils write a short piece titled “A threshold in my life” – a moment where they felt something was changing. Link to the idea of stepping over the threshold of the stone circle later in the story.
Differentiation
- Provide character templates with sentence starters for less confident writers.
- Offer challenge tasks: compare the narrative voice for two characters and discuss how the author shows their differences through language.
7. Block 2: Custodians of Objects and Places (Weeks 3–4)
Reading focus: Chapters 2–5 (House of Stories, Map in the Box, conditions, walk to the stone circle).
Global citizenship focus: Artefacts, museums, empire, local–global links.
Learning intentions
- I can describe how Professor Noor and Professor Riaz treat artefacts and the map.
- I can discuss why some objects and places are considered sacred or special.
- I can begin to question who should decide what happens to powerful objects and why.
Suggested activities
House of Stories walkthrough
Read the living room description: shelves of books, maps, cabinets of artefacts, Qur’anic calligraphy, prayer mat, rugs. In groups, pupils create a floor plan or “museum map” of the room, labelling areas with how Noor and Riaz might describe them.
Amanah and conditions
Read the dinner scene where Noor and Riaz explain the conditions for seeing the map: curiosity not greed, respect not fear. Class discussion: Why put conditions on the map? How is this similar to or different from rules in real museums, archives, or sacred spaces? Global citizenship link: when countries and communities ask for artefacts to be returned, what conditions might be involved?
Museum label challenge
Show images of generic “artefacts” (a clay tablet, a key, a bangle). In pairs, pupils write two labels for the same artefact: a “traditional” museum label (short, age and materials only) and a “custodian” label considering the community it came from and why it matters today. Compare and discuss which feels more respectful.
Custodian Code
Learners draft a “Custodian Code” of 5–6 rules Noor and Riaz might follow when dealing with powerful objects. Later, they can revisit this to see whether the children honour or break the code in the corridors.
8. Block 3: The Unseen and “the Other” (Weeks 5–6)
Reading focus: Early “in-between” chapters (corridors, stations, caretaker’s voice, hints of djinn).
Global citizenship focus: Othering, difference, shared humanity and diversity.
Learning intentions
- I can explain how the book presents djinn and the “in-between” spaces.
- I can talk about why it is important not to stereotype groups we do not know well.
- I can use drama and writing to explore different perspectives on the corridors and the map.
Safeguarding note
Be sensitive to pupils’ own beliefs and experiences. Offer opt-out from particular scenes if needed. Emphasise that djinn are presented here as another creation with complex choices, not horror-film monsters.
Suggested activities
First impressions of the corridors
Read the scene where the children step through the stone circle and into the corridor for the first time. Ask: “What do we notice? What is strange? What feels familiar?” Pupils sketch or describe the corridor, focusing on how it makes them feel.
Djinn and stereotyping
Without going into graphic detail, discuss how djinn are often portrayed in media, then compare with how they appear in the book: varied, not all good or bad, linked with responsibilities. Link to global citizenship: how easy is it to turn groups into “monsters” in stories or news?
Station roleplay
Split class into three groups: Custodians, djinn guardians, and “the station” itself. Each group prepares a short roleplay or freeze-frame showing how they feel about humans using the corridors. Debrief: what fears does each group have? What hopes?
Perspective writing
Pupils write a diary entry from the point of view of a djinn watching humans in the station, or the map itself reacting to the children. Encourage them to think about what that being values and fears.
9. Block 4: Taking Action as Custodians (Weeks 7–8)
Reading focus: Later chapters bringing the first major arc to a close: returning home, consequences, reflections, Noor and Riaz’s explanations.
Global citizenship focus: Action, solidarity, everyday custodianship.
Learning intentions
- I can explain how the main characters have changed by the end of the story.
- I can identify how ideas of custodianship apply in my own life and community.
- I can help plan and carry out a small action that shows global citizenship in practice.
Suggested activities
Character change maps
For each main character, pupils create a before/after chart: “At the start I thought/believed…” and “By the end I think/believe…”, focusing on responsibility, courage, honesty and how they see the corridors and djinn.
Classroom Custodian Charter
Return to the Custodian Code created earlier. As a class, create a “Class Custodian Charter” with 5–6 commitments to looking after people, places and stories.
Small action project
Agree on a modest but real action: improving a shared outdoor space, writing to a local museum or gallery with thoughtful questions about how they present artefacts, or sharing learning with another class or parents in an assembly or display.
Final reflection
Pupils complete a short reflection: “One thing I learned about being a global citizen from this book is…” and “If I had the map, I would use it to…” Optional: record audio/video reflections for a class blog or digital portfolio.
10. Assessment Ideas
Formative assessment
- Observation of group discussions, roleplays and presentations.
- Exit tickets and reflective jotter entries on key lessons.
- Marking of short writing tasks: character diaries, perspective pieces, descriptive paragraphs.
Summative assessment (choose one or two)
- A polished piece of imaginative writing: an extra chapter, a diary entry after a key event, or a scene from a djinn’s point of view.
- A persuasive or reflective piece: “Who should decide what happens to powerful objects?” or “What does it mean to be a Custodian and a global citizen?”
- A group project: poster, digital presentation or display showing connections between the story and global citizenship themes, mapped onto CfE Es+Os.
11. Practical Notes for Teachers
Reading approach
- The book works well as teacher read-aloud with regular pauses.
- Provide copies for small groups or individuals where possible, especially for confident readers.
Language and pronunciation
- Build a “word wall” with Urdu/Arabic phrases and key terms (amanah, Bismillah, insha’Allah, djinn, corridor, Custodian).
- Invite pupils who speak Urdu/Arabic to support with pronunciation if they are comfortable.
Inclusion and sensitivity
- Be mindful of pupils’ religious and cultural backgrounds.
- Avoid treating Muslim pupils as spokespeople, but give space for voluntary contributions.
- Offer opt-outs for specific scenes if pupils are particularly anxious about djinn stories.
Adapting length
If time is short, focus on the Prologue and early chapters (setup and map), a selection of corridor / station scenes, and key explanation / reflection scenes towards the end. Use chapter summaries to bridge gaps.
A Note for Muslim Parents and Educators
This story includes djinn and the unseen because these concepts exist in the Qur’an and in everyday Muslim family conversations. However, the book is fiction, not religious guidance.
- The unseen elements – corridors, stations, maps – are symbolic tools for exploring responsibility, justice, and the weight of family choices. They are not rituals, spells, or methods for interacting with the unseen.
- Throughout the story, the children turn to Allah, Qur’anic verses and dua for protection. Djinn are never called upon, prayed to, or treated as helpers. They are portrayed as another creation with their own moral tests, in line with mainstream Islamic belief.
- Every Muslim family has its own comfort level with stories involving the unseen. This book is offered with respect for that diversity, and with the understanding that Islamic guidance in real life comes from the Qur’an, Sunnah and qualified scholars, not from fiction.
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