Narrative Critique: Boy Overboard

Narrative Critique: Boy Overboard

6 Emerald 2020

MORRIS GLEITZMAN

• English-born

• Australian author

• Children's and young adult fiction 

• 67 years old

• Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year: Younger Readers - Soon

• The Toad series, The Once series, Two Weeks with the Queen

Multiple Choice

Where was Morris Gleitzman born?

• Australia

• Afghanistan

• Spectrum Hall

• England

Multiple Choice

Where does Morris Gleitzman live?

• England

• Australia

• France

• Italy

Multiple Choice

How old is Morris Gleitzman?

• 77

• 76

• 67

• 66

Multiple Choice

Morris Gleitzman is an award-winning author.

• False

• True

Multiple Choice

Which company published Boy Overboard?

• Omar Publishing

• Penguin Publishing

• World Industries

• 20th Century Fox

Multiple Choice

In what year was Boy Overboard first published?

• 2020

• 2002

• 2013

• 2001

Multiple Select

Select the novels that Morris Gleitzman has written.

• Girl Underground

• Misery Guts

• The Dark Wild

• Bum Face

Multiple Choice

How does Morris Gleitzman structure the chapters in Boy Overboard?

• Cliffhangers at the end

• In stanzas like in poetry

• He begins each chapter with a joke

• He tells the story backwards

Boy Overboard - Plot Summary

Boy Overboard tells the story of an Afghan family's struggle to escape the horrors of life in a ravaged country under a callous regime. In a fast-paced tale of escape and exile, bravery is set against brutality, peace is set against persecution, and, set against fanaticism, there is football! Jamal, who narrates the story, has to content himself with playing football with his friend Yusuf, an amputee, amidst a flotsam of fighting: abandoned tanks, unexplded landmines and rocket craters. His nine-year-old sister Bibi - a spirited soul and exclaimer of earthy effusions - refuses to content herself with staying indoors. When the secret school their mother runs is discovered by the authorities, the family are forced to flee both their home and their homeland. Will Jamal and his family make it to freedom or is all hope lost?

Multiple Choice

Boy Overboard starts of the story in which country?

• Afghanistan

• Iraq

• Pakistan

• United Arab Emirates

Multiple Choice

From which character's (first-person) perspective do we experience the story through?

• Bibi

• Jamal

• Mr. Nassar

• Rashida

Multiple Choice

When we are writing our own Plot Summaries. We MUST NOT do what?

• Use TEEL paragraph structure

• Use comple sentences

• Tell funny jokes

• Give away the ending

Multiple Choice

How does the author of this summary describe Bibi's character?

• a naughty girl

• an amputee

• a spirited soul and exclaimer of earthy effusions

• a great soccer player

Multiple Choice

What LITERARY DEVICE is used to end this summary?

• personification

• rhetorical question

• alliteration

• onomatopoeia

STRUCTURE OF CRITIQUE

• 1. Introduction

• 2. Plot Summary

• 3. Statement of Theme

• 4. Character Analysis

• 5. Device Used

• 6. Evaluation and Recommendation

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT a part of the critique structure?

• Character Analysis

• Devices Used

• Statement of Theme

• Order of Operations

Multiple Choice

In which section of my critique do I write about the author, publisher and date of first publication?

• Character Analysis

• Devices Used

• Statement of Theme

• Introduction

Multiple Choice

In which section of my critique do I write about similes, metaphors and idioms used by the author in this novel?

• Character Analysis

• Devices Used

• Statement of Theme

• Introduction

Multiple Choice

In which section of my critique do I use quotes and describe people in the book.

• Character Analysis

• Devices Used

• Statement of Theme

• Introduction

THEMES

1. Conflict
2. Relationships
3. Power vs. powerlessness
4. Survival

Multiple Choice

Select the THEME that the following quote from the book relates to.

‘Our people are not liked by many of the other people in this country. This has been going on for hundreds of years… Our problems are many. They started long before this government.’ (p.39-40)

• conflict

• survival

• relationships

• power vs. powerlessness

Multiple Choice

Select the THEME that the following quote from the book relates to.

‘I remember what Mum told me about her ancestors. Fierce brave desert warriors, tall and proud in the saddles of their mighty Arab steeds. She also told me about Dad’s ancestors, honest hard-working bakers, baking bread so that those fierce warriors had something to mop up their gravy.’ (p.15-18)

• conflict

• survival

• relationships

• power vs. powerlessness

Multiple Choice

Select the THEME that the following quote from the book relates to.

‘If a person gets really good at soccer, so good that he inspires the government to start a national team and do really well in the World Cup, do you think the government would stop being cross with that person’s parents even if that person’s parents had been running an illegal school?’ (p.39-40)

• conflict

• survival

• relationships

• power vs. powerlessness

Multiple Choice

Select the THEME that the following quote from the book relates to.

‘For the millionth time since we set sail, I remind myself why we’re doing this. Freezing on a hard deck all night. Roasting all day. Watching poor little children and old people suffer even more than us. Australia. Laughing people. A kind government. Mum and Dad and Dubbo Abattoirs United.’ (p.107-109)

• conflict

• survival

• relationships

• power vs. powerlessness

CHARACTERS

Jamal
Bibi
Omar
Rashida
Yusuf
Mum and Dad
Andrew

Multiple Choice

Which character said the following quote?

'My ancestors were bakers… They had really hot ovens. Hot enough to melt a dumb tank.' (p.18-19)

• Rashida

• Bibi

• Omar

• Jamal

Multiple Choice

Which character said the following quote?

'This place is a bum boil.' (p.24-27)

• Rashida

• Bibi

• Omar

• Jamal

Multiple Choice

Which character said the following quote?

'In English, the word overboard also means to do something that is bold, wild, dangerous and daring.' (p.35-38)

• Rashida

• Bibi

• Yusuf's Grandfather

• Jamal

Multiple Choice

Which character said the following quote?

'Fuel is expensive. It’s six more days of fuel to Australia, only three days of fuel to go back. You choose.' (p.105-107)

• Rashida

• Bibi

• Yusuf

• Chief Smuggler

Multiple Choice

Which character said the following quote?

'I hate what we’re doing to you people. This isn’t what I thought we’d be doing and I hate being here and I’m so sorry.' (p.141-143)

• Rashida

• Andrew

• Yusuf

• Chief Smuggler

Multiple Choice

Which character said the following quote?

'Selfish camel-snot.' (p.139-141)

• Rashida

• Andrew

• Yusuf

• Mum

LITERARY DEVICES

• Similes

• Metaphors

• Personification

• Idioms

• Hyperbole

• Onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

Which literary device is the following an example of?

I want to give a desert warrior whoop and smack the ball with all my strength and watch it whiz past Yusuf like a Scud missile. (p.7-9)

• personification

• simile

• idiom

• onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

Which literary device is the following examples of?

'Eeek,' croaks Aziz p.(7-9)

• personification

• simile

• idiom

• onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

Which literary device is the following examples of?

'My brain shrivels with fear.' p.(12-14)

• idiom

• simile

• metaphor

• onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

Which literary device is the following examples of?

'My heart has a missle attack.' (p.12-14)

• metaphor

• simile

• idiom

• onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

Which literary device is the following examples of?

'I freeze.' (p.12-14)

• onomatopoeia

• simile

• idiom

• metaphor

Poll

What star-rating do you give the book out of 5?

• 5

• 4

• 3

• 2

• 1

Poll

Did you find the ending of Boy Overboard satisfying?

• Absolutely

• Yes

• Not really

• Not at all