Surviving alone on an island with no adults is a difficult feat, but the children manage it. How do the characters (such as Jinny, Ben, Joon, Oz, Eevie, Jak, Nat, Sam, and/or Ess) each contribute in unique, individual ways to ensure the group’s well-being? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

On the island, the children keep their limited supply of books in a special cabin, listen to the Elders read aloud each night, and even bury the “dead” (worn-out) books in a cemetery. What does this suggest about books and what they symbolize to the children? Use details from the novel to support your argument.

The Elders are supposed to teach their Cares useful skills in general but must teach them three specific things: to swim, to cook, and to read. Why are these three skills viewed as most important for the children on the island? Use evidence from the text to develop your argument.