The Great Quest
on Goodreads (80)
What’s inside...
The story opens in Massachusetts in 1826. After Neal Gleazen unexpectedly returns to town, he involves childhood friend Seth Woods and Seth's nephew, twenty-year-old Joe, in a dangerous sea journey to retrieve a hidden treasure. But everything is not as it seems and Joe and Seth must come to terms with the truth and make the right choices or all will be lost. A Newbery Medal Nominee. Swashbuckling Adventure
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
6-12
Length
278 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think motivated the characters to embark on their quest, and how does that inspire you?
How did the characters change throughout their journey? What do you think caused those changes?
What challenges did the characters face, and how did they overcome them? Have you faced similar challenges?
How do you think teamwork played a role in the story? Can you think of a time when teamwork helped you?
If you could change one part of the story, what would it be and why?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to relate their personal experiences to those of the characters, enhancing empathy and understanding.
Discuss the moral and ethical choices made by the characters, guiding your child to think about what they would do in similar situations.
Use the discussion as an opportunity to explore the book's setting and historical context, which can provide a deeper understanding and appreciation of the storyline.
Ask your child to predict what might happen next after key events, which can help develop their analytical and critical thinking skills.
Encourage your child to draw scenes or characters from the book, allowing them to express their understanding and interpretations creatively.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Perseverance in the face of challenges
Explanation: In 'The Great Quest', the characters undertake a challenging journey that requires determination and resilience, teaching children the value of persisting even when obstacles arise.
Real-World Application: Kids learn to not give up easily, whether it’s completing a difficult school project or learning a new skill.
Example Lesson: Value of teamwork
Explanation: Throughout their adventures, the characters must collaborate and leverage each other's strengths to succeed, illustrating the importance of cooperation and mutual support.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by working together with their peers in group projects or team sports, understanding that collective effort often leads to greater achievements.
Example Lesson: Importance of critical thinking
Explanation: The protagonists face various problems that they need to solve creatively and logically, showing the necessity of thinking critically to navigate tricky situations.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to use reasoning and problem-solving skills in their daily life, from figuring out puzzles to making informed decisions.
Example Lesson: Learning from mistakes
Explanation: As the characters in the book sometimes make wrong choices, they learn and grow from these experiences, which underlines the importance of viewing failures as learning opportunities.
Real-World Application: Kids comprehend that making mistakes is a natural part of learning and that each error is a step towards mastering a new concept or skill.
Example Lesson: Empathy towards others
Explanation: The story portrays characters from different backgrounds, which helps in teaching children to understand and empathize with people who might be different from themselves.
Real-World Application: This lesson assists children in developing a sense of empathy and respect towards their classmates and others, fostering a more inclusive environment.