Kensuke’s Kingdom

Lesson 1
Before you read…
Before you read:
1. Look at the front cover of the book and read the blurb.

2. What genre of book do you think this is?

3. Why do you think the book is this genre? Use the front
cover and blurb to support your answer.

4. What do you think this book will be about?

5. What clues on the front cover and in the blurb tell you
what might happen in the book?

6. Are you looking forward to reading this book? Why?

or Why not? (Give at least 3 reasons)
New vocabulary…
Have you come across any of these words before? Do you
know what they mean?

exhilarating
savaged
scarcely
disbanded
regularity
revel
undisputed
fanatic
deliberately
disdain
lunacy
inculcated
exhilarating savaged
(feeling very happy, animated, (attack ferociously and
or elated) maul)

disbanded
scarcely (broke up)
(only just and almost not)
regularity fanatic
(the state of being regular) (person with an obsessive
interest in and enthusiasm
for a particular activity)

revel undisputed
(get great pleasure from)
(accepted or not disputed)
deliberately lunacy
(consciously and intentionally; (the state of being a
on purpose) lunatic; insanity)

inculcated
disdain (instil an idea, attitude, or
(unworthy of one's habit by persistent
consideration) instruction)
Now read Chapter 1
 Chapter 1 Summary
Chapter 1 ‐ Peggy Sue (page 1‐16)

Chapter 1 begins with Michael telling us that he disappeared the night before his twelfth
birthday.
In this chapter we learn why Michael wants to tell his story. We learn about his family,
friends and school life.
Michael has a dog named Stella Artois. He goes to St Joseph’s School (his dad calls it
‘monkey school’). At school his best friend is Eddie Dodds. Michael has two other
friends ‐ Matt and Bobby. They all play in a football team called the Mudlarks. On the
weekends Michael has a job at Mr Patel’s corner shop doing paper rounds. Every
Sunday, Michael's family go dinghy sailing on the reservoir.

Both Michael's mum and dad worked at the brickwork factory before sadly losing their
jobs. That’s when Michael’s dad plans their sailing trip and buys Peggy Sue. Michael
and his family learn how to sail a boat in classes with Bill Parker (who Michael's
family call Barnacle Bill).

Michael's family set sail on September 10, 1987.

 Chapter 1 Questions
Answer these questions in your book in full sentences.

1. Give two reasons why Michael has decided to tell his story now.

2. Why did Michael’s father call St Joseph’s School ‘the monkey school’?

3. Explain why the Mudlarks won more matches when they played at home.

4. Look at page seven. ‘…her eyes filled with fierce tears’.

What does the adjective ‘fierce’ suggest about how mum is feeling?

5. Why were Sundays special to Michael’s family?

 Chapter 1 Response
Michael’s father decides that the family will sail around the world together.
Do you think that it would be a good idea for your family to do something like this?

Think of reasons for and against this. Draw a chart in your book like this to present
your reasons.
 Chapter 1
Finally for today, give yourself a quick test on the definitions of these words.
Maybe look for them in the book to read them in context.

exhilarating
savaged
scarcely
disbanded
regularity
revel
undisputed
fanatic
deliberately
disdain
lunacy
inculcated