The Voyage of the Frog
About
David thought he was alone, that the ocean around him was all there was of the world. The wind screamed, the waves towered, and his boat, the twenty-two foot fiberglass FROG, skidded and bucked and, each moment, filled deeper and grew heavier with sea water. But in fact, David wasn't alone at all. He'd had the FROG as a partner from the beginning. Plot contains sexual content.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Describe the main character.
Page 1 — His name is David, his uncle has just died of cancer, 14 years old, only child in his family, close to his uncle, who taught him to sail
1
Who gave David the sailing boat the Frog and why didn’t he want it?
Page 2 — His uncle; he’d rather have his uncle
2
What did David’s uncle’s request of him?
Page 7 — To have David take his ashes in the Frog so far out in the ocean he couldn’t see land, then spread them in the water
7
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Why was David so eager to know all about the Frog?
Page 12 — The memory of Owen his uncle
12
What was in the small box David brought with him onto the boat?
Page 13 — His uncle’s ashes
13
Why did David decide to sail that night instead of the next morning?
Page 15 — He thought they were perfect sailing conditions; it was his uncle’s favorite time to sail
15
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
What simile does the author use to describe the swells of water on page 19?
Page 19 — A hand cradling and holding the Frog
19
How long did David need to travel to meet his uncle’s wishes?
Page 20 — All night long
20
What beautiful path was David going to follow into the night?
Page 21 — The golden light of the sun reflecting on the sea as it went down
21
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What did Owen want to spend his time doing when he was alive?
Page 24 — Studying
24
What created the lights David saw in the water?
Page 26 — small marine animals
26
What word did the author use to describe David’s feelings of being out of sight of land on page 29? What does it mean in this context?
Page 29 — Sober; marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor
29
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Why was David angry at the small box that held the ashes?
Page 33 — It could hold his uncle
33
How did the thread hooked on the cabin save David’s life?
Page 34 — Because of the thread he turned and saw the storm barreling in on him
34
What hit David in the head during the storm?
Page 37 — the boom
37
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
When David woke up what did he have to do to stop the boat from sinking?
Page 41 — Close the hatch
41
Why did David have a hard time thinking clearly when he woke up in the night?
Page 42 — He had a concussion
42
Describe how you would feel if you were injured, lost on the ocean, your boat’s heavy with water, and your all alone?
Page 48 — Listen to your child’s thoughts
48
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Describe where the phrase “one hand for the sailor, one hand for the ship” came from and what it means.
Page 53 — In the old sailing days when the sailors had to climb up high onto the wooden yard, they would be terrified to let go and take care of the sails. One hand is to take care of yourself and the other is to take care of the ship
53
Why did David tell himself, “one hand for the ship”?
Page 53 — His life depended on the Frog and if he didn’t stop worrying about himself and take care of the ship, she would sink
53
How did David drain the water from the cabin?
Page 54 — A water pump
54
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Explain why David felt some things were better not to know and to just let them be on page 58.
Page 58 — Listen to your child’s answer
58
What woke David in the night?
Page 60 — A shark bumping and scraping against the boat
60
What did David have that helped him get through this situation?
Page 65 — Knowledge
65
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Why was David surprised to see himself covered with so many cuts and bruises?
Page 69 — He didn’t realize he’d been beaten up during the storm
69
Who could David relate to when he analyzed his hunger?
Page 72 — A man in the store looking at the food on the shelves and not being able to eat it
72
How did David get the thoughts of hunger out of his mind?
Page 73 — Distracted himself by getting to work
73
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Why did David call his boat the “rag boat”?
Page 78 — Dishrags, cloth, cushions, drying sails, ropes, rags, and towels had been tied all over the boat to dry, and it reminded him of a Chinese boat in the harbor at Hong Kong with several families living on it doing laundry
78
Why did David decide to keep his trash instead of throwing it overboard?
Page 79 — He realized it might come in handy
79
Why didn’t David want to keep reading the Frog’s log?
Page 83 — It was a personal journal of his uncle and had intimate experiences in it. He felt like he was prying
83
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
What woke David in the night?
Page 86 — A huge tanker plowing toward him
86
Why couldn’t anyone hear or see David as the tanker went by?
Page 88 — The engines were too loud, and it was dark; no one was looking
88
How would you feel if you saw hope disappear like David did?
Page 91 — Listen to your child’s thoughts
91
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What emotion was David feeling at the beginning of this chapter?
Page 92 — Hate
92
What did he realize about that emotion?
Page 95 — It didn’t help his situation, and it festered more hate
95
How did David know a change was coming?
Page 97 — The swells were different
97
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
What happened when David ate the other half of the canned stew?
Page 101 — He got sick
101
Why did David call the wind “homewind” at the end of this chapter?
Page 106 — This wind was taking him toward home
106
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
What surrounded David as he sailed toward home?
Page 108 — 4 killer whales
108
How did the whales show him they were friends?
Page 110 — They didn’t hurt him, they stayed in a formation around his boat, like they were protecting him
110
Find a word or phrase to describe how David felt on page 111 when there was a good wind.
Page 111 — Listen to your child’s answers
111
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
What did David almost crash into while sailing in the dark?
Page 119 — Land; a beach
119
How did he know it was land?
Page 119 — He could hear the surf
119
How did he know it wasn’t California?
Page 120 — There weren’t any city lights
120
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Why was David frustrated at finding land?
Page 122 — The land he was expecting to find was California/home, this land was barren with no sign of life
122
Why did David feel safe in the bay?
Page 126 — It was sheltered from the wind
126
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
What woke up David as he slept in the bay?
Page 128 — A strong stench from the whales blasting water out of their blowholes
128
Why couldn’t David stay in the bay after the whales left?
Page 13 — He appreciated and enjoyed their company and didn’t want to be in the bay alone
13
When David realized the storm was coming, why didn’t he go back to the bay to ride it out?
Page 131 — He didn’t know when the storm was coming, and he didn’t want to lose precious sailing time
131
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
Why couldn’t David let the sea take the Frog again?
Page 134 — The Frog was a part of who he was now, and he didn’t want to abandon her by going inside during the storm again
134
What did David see as the storm passed and what did it mean?
Page 136 — Another boat coming his way; he knew he was saved and could go home
136
Why didn’t David let the researchers save him?
Page 139 — The rescuers couldn’t take the Frog with them and he couldn’t leave the Frog behind after everything they had been through together; it had saved him
139
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