QUESTIONS TO TALK ABOUT

COMPREHENSION AND RECALL

1. What strategies does Miyax use to make friends with the wolves? (learns their signals, lets them see kindness in her eyes, is patient)

2. What kind of wolf is Jello? (He is a lone wolf; he's fearful and has no friends.)

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING SKILLS

3. How does cooperation enable the wolves to survive? (work together to hunt caribou, care for pups, protect one another, teach one another)

4. The wolves go after the old and weak. Why is this necessary? (survival—enables the wolves to eat, keeps the strong members of a species alive)

5. What words would you use to describe Miyax? (Possible: resourceful, brave, determined, clever, skilled)

6. Why does Miyax sing to herself?. (to keep from being scared, as reassurance, for comfort) What would you do in this situation?

LITERARY ELEMENTS

7. Do you think this story could have taken place in a different setting? Why or why not? (most likely not; the story depends on the Arctic setting and animals in it)

PERSONAL RESPONSE

8. The book says that Eskimo hunters think the riches of life are intelligence, fearlessness, and love. What are the things you would call the riches of life? Why?

9. In what ways is Miyax like you? How is she different?

QUESTIONS TO TALK ABOUT

COMPREHENSION AND RECALL

1. What is Eskimo life at seal camp like? (They do Eskimo things—scrape hides, mend boots, make boats, carve walrus tusks, sing and dance.)

2. How does Miyax's life change when she goes to live with Aunt Martha? (She attends school, is called Julie, writes to a pen pal, dresses and acts more like Americanized Eskimos.)

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING SKILLS

3. Why do Amy's letters become so important to Julie? (She sees San Francisco as a place to escape to.)

4. In the story why are tourists important in Fairbanks? (provide income for people)

5. Why does Julie throw her i'noGo away? (Her schoolmates make fun off it.)

6. Why does Julie agree to marry Daniel? (Her father had arranged it; it was the custom to marry young; she wanted to get away from Aunt Martha.)

LITERARY ELEMENTS

7. The events in this part of the book happen before those in Part I. Why do you think the author didn't begin the book with this part of the story? (Possible: it is more exciting and dramatic this way.)

PERSONAL RESPONSE

8. Do you think Julie should have left Barrow? Explain your answer.

9. Do you think a character like Julie could exist in real life? Why or why not?

QUESTIONS TO TALK ABOUT

COMPREHENSION AND RECALL

1. How does Miyax respond to Jello's first attack? (She acts like a wolf leader.)

2. Why does Amaroq turn on Jello? (Jello took Miyax's food; wolves tolerate a lone wolf until it takes meat from pups.)

3. Why does Miyax send Kapu and the other wolves away? (So they won't be killed by hunters.)

4. How does Miyax take Amaroq's spirit with her? (She asks him to enter her totem—the carving she made.)

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING SKILLS

5. Why does Jello attack Miyax's home? (He was left behind; he's jealous of her.)

6. How does Miyax make the cold work for her? (freezes grass to make tent poles; freezes caribou skin to make sled)

7. Why does Miyax dance by herself in the wilderness? (She feels at one with her world, is content, has Kapu's love and food.)

8. Why isn't Miyax thrilled to see the oil drum even though it means she is near civilization? (She has become self-sufficient and has mixed feelings about returning to civilization; she likes the simplicity of the world of her ancestors.)

9. Why is Kapugen dead to Miyax? (He has adopted some Americanized ways; she feels betrayed.)

LITERARY ELEMENTS

10. As Miyax heads toward Kangik to find Kapugen, the author writes: “... and Miyax pointed her boots toward Kapugen.” The last line of the story says: “Julie pointed her boots toward Kapugen.” Why did the author use Miyax in one sentence and Julie in the last sentence? (Answers will vary. Possible: Julie goes with the changed Kapugen; Miyax goes with the old Kapugen. What does Miyax conclude at the end of the book? (the hour of the wolf and the Eskimo is over; the old ways are changing.)

PERSONAL RESPONSE

11. Did the book end the way you thought it would?

12. What did you like best about the book?