Brian
How old is Brian?
13 years old
What kind of aircraft is Brian riding in?
A small bush plane (Cessna 406).
What is Brian desperately looking for when the plane begins running out of fuel?
A safe place to land the plane.
What does Brian call the painful information he knows about his mother?
The Secret.
What swarm of insects viciously attacks Brian as the sun comes up after the crash?
Mosquitoes and blackflies.
Where is Brian traveling to at the start of the book?
Canada (to visit his father).
Who is flying the plane at the very beginning of the journey?
The pilot (Jim or Jake).
What specific natural feature does Brian choose as his landing target?
An L-shaped lake.
Who is the Secret entirely about?
Brian's mother.
What are the three basic human needs Brian must find in the wilderness to stay alive?
Food, water, and shelter.
What important gift does Brian have attached to his belt?
A hatchet.
What does the pilot briefly allow Brian to try doing during the flight?
Fly or steer the plane.
What does the plane violently hit right before reaching the water?
The tops of trees.
What did Brian see his mother doing at the mall while he was riding his bike?
He saw her in a car kissing a man with short blond hair.
What is the single physical tool Brian possesses that might help him survive?
His hatchet.
Who gave Brian the hatchet?
His mother.
What medical emergency happens to the pilot?
He suffers a massive heart attack.
Where does the plane finally come to a rest?
At the bottom of the lake.
Why does the Secret cause so much inner turmoil for Brian?
It causes him intense emotional pain because it is the root cause of his parents' divorce.
ame one positive character trait Brian displays during the initial crisis.
Courage, determination, quick thinking, or perseverance.
What major emotional burden is Brian struggling with during his trip?
He is struggling with his parents' divorce and the heavy burden of "The Secret."
What does Brian try to use repeatedly to call for help after the pilot collapses?
Brian tries to use the plane's citizen's band (CB) radio to call for emergency help.
What physical actions does Brian have to take to save his own life immediately after the impact?
Brian has to unbuckle his seatbelt, escape through the shattered windshield, and swim to the surface.
Does Brian ever tell his father the truth about the Secret before the plane crashes?
No, Brian keeps the Secret entirely to himself and never mentions it to his father.
Why is the hatchet likely going to be the most critical item for Brian's future?
The hatchet will be essential because Brian can use it to build shelter, chop firewood, and hunt or fish for food.