Module 2: The Wreck of the Zephyr

Written and Illustrated by
Chris Van Allsburg

After a visitor to a small fishing village sees remnants of a sailboat away from any waves at the edge of a cliff, an old man tells him that people say the waves were too high one day for the ship, but offers another story of how this occured. Years ago, a boy who was a talented sailor sails his sailboat, the Zephyr, is knocked unconcious by the stormy sea and is washed up onto unknown shores. Amazingly, the boy then sees sailboats sailing above the waves in the air. A sailor then tried to teach the boy to sail above the waves after he pleaded, but the boy did not do it until later that night after the sailor was fast asleep. The boy sailed through the wind to his village when the Zephyr crashed into the ground. As a result, the boy's leg was broken and on top of that, the villagers called him a crazy liar. The old man then limped with his cane toward the harbor.

Impact on me
This is the first book throughout my summer reading schedule that I have not connected with. The illustrations, while breathtaking, did not spark my imagination, perhaps because of the somber color scheme that Allsburg created. I was not interested in the overall story and found myself re-reading each page a couple of times because I could not pay close attention to the words.

Reviews
Rich design and a subtle use of color conjure the changing aspects of light as they support a haunting story of a boy touched by magic who momentarily became the greatest sailor ever.
Jones, T. N. (1983). The Wreck of the Zephyr (Book Review). School Library Journal, 29(9), 33.

If the story is less successful than its predecessors, the full color pastel illustrations more than make up for any deficiencies. To the voluptuous forms and rich design which mark his black-and-white work.. van Allsburg has added colors which conjure the changing aspects of sunlight, moonlight, shadow and storm on water and air.
French, J. (1983). The Wreck of the Zephyr (Book Review). School Library Journal, 29(9), 67.

In a library
This book can be used for students in grades 2-8 and would probably appealto the male students more since the main characters are males. This book could be used in conjunction with a lesson from a science teacher about the ocean, weather or even gravity. The librarian can read it to students and students can recall their learned facts and discuss why the actual wreck of the Zephyr could not be possible. As an alternative idea, after the librarian reads a class the Zephyr, students brainstorm other possible "impossibilities" (such as a bicycle peddling through the air or a bus driving on the ocean floor) in groups or individually and discuss with the class or even create their own book. This mini-lesson provides an enjoyable way to achieve a higher level of Bloom's (to create).

Allsburg, C. V. (1983). The Wreck of the Zephyr. Boston : Houghton Mifflin.