Shipwreck Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
Shipwreck has 18 chapters · 129 pages
Book 1 of the Island series
Six kids, Nick, J.J.
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Inside the journal: 18 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Chapter by chapter Each question is about its own chapter.
Why is Luke being sent to the sailing program, and how does he feel about it? Use details from the chapter to explain your answer.See all 18 questions ↓
About the book
Six kids, Nick, J.J., Will, Lyssa, Charla, and Ian, are thrown together against their will on a small boat that will make a one-month journey on the Pacific Ocean. They have all been sent for different reasons. Luke is taking his only choice besides being sent to a juvenile detention facility for a crime he didn't commit. Will and Lyssa are quarreling siblings sent by their parents, who hope the trip will teach them to get along better. J.J. was sent by a movie-star father after he pulled one two many pranks.
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Shipwreck questions by chapter
We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. One question per chapter, across all 18 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.
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Chapter 1
Why is Luke being sent to the sailing program, and how does he feel about it? Use details from the chapter to explain your answer.
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Chapter 2
What first impressions do you get of the other kids on the boat? Choose one character and describe what you notice about their personality.
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Chapter 3
The program is called Charting a New Course. What do you think that name means, and how might it connect to the kids’ lives?
Example answer: I think Charting a New Course means more than just sailing in a new direction. It also means the kids are supposed to change their behavior and make better choices. Many of them have made mistakes or have problems they need to face. The name fits because the boat trip is like a second chance for them.
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Chapter 4
How does the captain try to control the kids on the Phoenix? Do you think his rules are fair, too strict, or not strict enough? Explain your opinion.
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Chapter 5
What problems do the kids face as they begin learning how to work on the boat? How do these problems affect the mood of the story?
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Chapter 6
Which character seems to have the hardest time adjusting to life at sea so far? Give examples from the chapter to support your thinking.
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Chapter 7
What do you predict will happen if the kids do not learn to work together? Explain what clues in the story helped you make that prediction.
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Chapter 8
Choose a sailing or ocean-related word from this chapter. What does it mean, and how does understanding it help you picture the scene?
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Chapter 9
What lesson about teamwork is starting to appear in the story? Describe one moment that shows this lesson.
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Chapter 10
How does the setting of the open ocean make the characters’ problems more serious? Use details from the chapter in your response.
Example answer: The open ocean makes every problem feel bigger because the kids cannot just leave or get help easily. If something goes wrong on the boat, they are far away from land and have to depend on each other. I think this makes the story more tense. It also shows that the characters have to be responsible, even if they do not want to be.
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Chapter 11
Pick one character who surprises you in this chapter. What do they do that is unexpected, and what does it show about them?
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Chapter 12
If you were on the Phoenix, which character would you trust most in an emergency? Explain your choice with evidence from the story.
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Chapter 13
What signs show that the situation on the boat is becoming dangerous? How do the characters react to those signs?
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Chapter 14
How does the storm change the way the kids think and act? Give at least one example from the chapter.
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Chapter 15
What does this chapter show about courage? Choose one character and explain how they are brave, even if they are scared.
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Chapter 16
Why is it important for the kids to make quick decisions after the ship is damaged? What might happen if they wait too long?
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Chapter 17
How have the kids changed from the beginning of the book to this point? Choose one character and describe their growth.
Example answer: I think Luke has changed a lot since the beginning. At first, he seemed angry and upset because he felt like he did not belong in the program. By this point, he is thinking more about survival and helping the group. I can tell he is becoming stronger because he does not only focus on himself anymore.
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Chapter 18
At the end of the book, what questions or worries are left for the characters? What do you predict will happen next?
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How to use this Shipwreck reading journal
At home, as a discussion guide
After each chapter your reader writes a few lines on that chapter’s question. Read the answer together at bedtime: it shows what they understood and gives you something real to talk about, without a quiz.
In class, as a novel study
Print a class set (booklets fold from plain letter paper) and use one question per chapter as the reading-response or literature-circle prompt. The example answers at the front show what a full answer looks like.
Homeschool
One booklet covers the whole book, 18 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for Shipwreck. Reword any question before printing to match your reader.
Printing
The booklet PDF prints on ordinary 8.5 × 11 paper: print double-sided (flip on the short edge) at 100%, fold the stack in half and staple on the fold. There is also a one-page-per-sheet PDF and A5 binder pages.
Where the questions come from
Each question is about its own chapter. We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.
Browse: All books by Gordon Korman