The Basics
Who is the author of the story?
Kathleen Thompson
Who is the main character?
Abby Sunderland
What is a trek?
A [rough/dangerous] journey.
What happens at the beginning of the story?
The author gives us background on Abby and how she has sailed her whole life.
How did Abby keep in touch with others while in the middle of the ocean?
Using a computer telephone service.
Is the story based on real events? What is the word you would use to describe that?
Yes! Nonfiction.
Name three minor characters
Abby's father, Zac Sunderland, Jesse Martin, Jessica Watson (name 3)
What does 'to crew' mean in the context of this story?
Help sail a boat.
What did Abby do while sailing?
talked with her mother and wrote a blog. She also kept up with friends on a social-networking site.
How old was Zac when he sailed around the world?
17
What point-of-view is the story told from?
Third-Person
How old was Abby when she began her journey?
16
What does the author mean by "emotionally healthy" on page 118?
She was not in distress, upset, or worried. She was calm and patient.
What happened in May?
Jessica completed her journey.
Why did Abby's family move?
They moved to an island so that they could all sail more.
How many paragraphs are in the story?
13
Which peer did Abby connect during her journey?
Jessica Watson
What are beacons?
Small devices that can be triggered from anywhere to request help.
Why did Abby give up on her journey?
A 3-story wave hit her boat in 40-50 mile per hour wind and broke her mast.
Why were people outside of the Sunderland family upset about Abby's journey when they heard?
Because she was only sixteen and alone.
What is the setting of this story?
Wild Eyes sailboat, around the world, in 2010.
Why did the Sunderlands decide to let Abby sail around the world solo?
They wanted their kids to have adventures in life and they were sure that she was prepared to do so. If something went wrong, she was ready!
Choose one of our four vocabulary words this week and say it in a sentence that would give someone an idea of what it means.
Answers will vary.
Ex: The wind gusted so powerfully that my kite broke!
Explain the order of the plot and how it may be different from other stories we read.
The story begins with the climax and then resets to the beginning of the journey.
Why did Abby suspect people outside of her family were upset about her trip and not her brother's? (3 reasons)
1. Because he had been a year older
2. Because he was a boy
3. Because he had completed his trip without incident.