Plot
What is the name of the camp where Louis gets his first job?
Camp Kookooskoos
"He climbed steeply, like a jet plane, then leveled off, flying high and fast towards the northeast."
Simile ("like a jet plane")
How old is Sam at the beginning of the book?
11 years old
What is a baby swan called?
A cygnet
What grade is Sam in when Louis goes to school with him?
Fifth grade (Louis goes to first grade)
Identify the device:
"The warm springs that fed the lakes kept the ice from covering them."
Personification (spring can't actually "feed" lakes!)
Why is Serena so important to the plot?
Louis wants to win Serena's affection, and his inability to communicate makes this very difficult for him. His desire to communicate with her motivates many of his actions.
What is giving animals human characteristics called?
Anthropomorphism
How does Louis store his money?
In a waterproof drawstring moneybag that hangs around his neck.
Identify the literary device:
"Besides, my life is a catastrophe."
Hyperbole
What character trait does Louis show by insisting on paying back the money?
Responsibility and honesty. Even though he didn't steal the trumpet himself, he wants to make sure he pays the shopkeepers back.
How much money does Louis make to pay off the trumpet?
By the end, Louis has $4,420.78
Why does Louis go to Boston?
To get a job playing his trumpet and earn money to repay the debt.
Identify the literary device:
"Bom!" went the drum.
onomatopoeia
What are the names of the three swans at the Philadelphia Zoo?
Curiosity, Felicity, and Apathy
What is the name of the lake where Louis's family spends the winter?
Red Rock Lakes in Montana
What happens when Louis first tries to communicate with the other swans using his writing?
He discovers that the other swans cannot read, so his writing doesn't help him communicate with them.
Identify the device:
"The sky," he wrote on his slate, "is my living room. The woods are my parlor. The lonely lake is my bath."
Metaphor
Also, personification ("lonely lake")
How does the cob show his love for Louis throughout the book?
He talks to him often (and learns he is mute), steals a trumpet for him, returns to the shop to pay back said trumpet, and is supportive of all of his son's endeavors.
What does “pinioned” mean in the story?
Having a bird's wing clipped so it cannot fly away.