Stranded

The book, Stranded, is a contemporary realistic fiction novel written by Jeff Probst and Chris Tebbets in 2013, for ages 8 to 12 years old. This amazing book is about four young step-siblings on a boat expedition for family vacation to while their newly married parents are on a honeymoon. They were supposed to be getting to know each other better, but their vacation ended up in disaster when they encountered an unexpected storm. Unfortunately, the four siblings end up alone, with no adults, and shipwrecked in the middle of the ocean. They now have to try to survive this storm together. They have no one else to rely on but each other. The children have to learn about survival and how to be a team player.  

This is a chapter book was without many illustrations but the text is so descriptive that you can visualize the happenings without pictures. The text is exciting and it keeps the reader’s attention from the beginning until the end. The characters are described in great detail, which really draws the reader into the story. This book should definitely be used in the classroom because it teaches teamwork, preparedness, and survival.

 

Discussion Questions:

Describe the main characters of the story.

Do you think that the adults will be found?

How did the characters develop?

What do you think the characters could have done differently?

Do you think that you would be able to survive this type of disaster?

Which character do you most relate to?

 

Preparedness/Survival Activity:

You and your family are on a plane going on vacation. Your plane has electrical problems. The radio stops working before you can get out a distress message. You manage to land safely. Below is a list of gear on the plane. Your task is to rank order them in terms of their importance. Place the number 1 by the most important item, the number 2 by the second most important, and so on, through 15, the least important.

• 2 Jackets
• Canteen
• Matches
• Map and compass
• 2 boxes of Pop Tarts
• First Aid Kit
• Plastic tarp
• Knife
• 50 feet of nylon rope
• 2 cans of beans
• Signal flares
• Walkie-Talkie
• Comic books
• AM/FM radio  

Something Interesting About the Author:

Jeff Probst was the host of the reality show Survivor.

 

Other Books By Author:

Stranded: The Complete Adventure

Amazing Places

Outrageous Animals

Forbidden Passage

Trial By Fire

 

Resources:

Probst, Jeff. (2013). Stranded. Puffin Books Publishing.