Characters & Relationships
What nickname does Emily give Morgan, and what does it suggest about how Morgan acts around other people?
Ghost. Morgan tries to go unnoticed and often keeps her distance from others.
What do Morgan and Eli discover when they staple the drawing on the attic wall?
Snow/wind begins coming out of the drawing, revealing that it is a portal to another world.
What is the name of the animal who helps Eli and Morgan in the new world?
Ochek, the fisher.
What does Morgan's reaction to the moccasins suggest about how she feels about her identity and her new home?
She feels uncomfortable with the attempt to connect her to her Indigenous culture and struggles to accept the changes in her life.
What is one major problem the people of Misewa are facing?
The land is stuck in winter, and food is becoming scarce after the Man took the summer birds away.
What is one thing James does to try to make Morgan and Eli feel welcome in their new home?
He makes their breakfast into a smiley face to cheer them up and help them feel at home.
Why does Morgan enter the portal after Eli disappears through it?
She wants to find Eli and make sure he is safe.
What is the name of the village where Ochek lives?
Misewa
How are Eli's drawings connected to the world of Askí?
The drawings can connect the children's world with Askí, allowing them to travel between the two worlds.
What is one way Ochek's community depends on the natural world?
They depend on animals and the land for food and survival.
How does Morgan show that she cares about Eli, even when she does not always act like it? Name 3 ways.
She walks him to school / to his locker, spends time with him, shows him her "hideout" / the attic, replaces his sketchpad, and goes into the portal to look for him.
Put these events in the correct order: Morgan follows Eli, Morgan reacts to the moccasins, the drawing becomes a portal, and Ochek finds Morgan.
Morgan reacts to the moccasins → the drawing becomes a portal → Morgan follows Eli → Ochek finds Morgan.
What was life like in Askí during the Green Time?
Food and animals were plentiful, and the land provided what the community needed to live.
In Morgan's dream, she hears the word kiskisitotaso. What message does this give her?
“Don't forget who you are.” (her identity, background, family, culture)
How are the Man's actions different from the values followed by Ochek's community?
The community takes what it needs and respects nature, while the Man takes more than he needs and harms the balance of the environment.
Why might Morgan push away people who are trying to be kind to her?
Her past experiences have made it difficult for her to trust others. She may push people away to protect herself from being hurt again.
What happens to Morgan after she enters the new world, and what does this show about the journey?
She becomes exhausted and collapses. This shows that the journey is physically demanding and dangerous.
How did the arrival of the Man change life for Ochek's community?
The Man began taking more than he needed, causing food supplies and animal populations to decrease. The community began to starve and fear him.
Why might David Robertson (author) include Morgan's dream about a woman and a toddler?
The dream may connect to Morgan's identity, memories, family, or cultural roots. Students should support their interpretation with details from the novel.
What lesson about greed can readers learn from the story of the Man?
Taking more than you need can harm other people and the environment. Greed can eventually threaten everyone's survival.
Compare Morgan and Eli. How do their different personalities affect the way they deal with difficult situations?
Morgan often reacts with anger or tries to avoid people, while Eli is generally quieter and uses drawing to express himself.
How does Morgan's decision to enter the portal show a change in her priorities?
Although Morgan often tries to avoid emotional connections, she risks her own safety to find Eli. This suggests that their relationship matters deeply to her.
Why did Ochek's community banish the Man instead of allowing him to stay?
His greed was harming the community and reducing the food available to everyone. They banished him to protect the village and its survival. He takes the summer birds with him.
Eli's sketchpad is important for more than just drawing. Explain two deeper reasons why it matters to him.
It connects him to his family and memories, and it represents his identity, culture, and sense of home. Drawing also gives him a way to express himself. It was a gift from his dad.
How does the novel connect the idea of belonging to both Morgan's life and the life of the community in Misewa?
Morgan struggles to trust others and feel at home, while the people of Misewa depend on their community and the land for survival. Both storylines explore connection, identity, and the importance of relationships.