The Voyage of the Frog

Written by Gary Paulsen in 1989, The Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulsen depicts a young boy’s coming of age through an adventure in the wilderness. Fourteen-year-old David Alspeth sets sail out into the Pacific to fulfill his uncle’s last wishes and ends up lost and alone at sea. Paulsen was an avid outdoorsman who spent a great deal of time sailing the Pacific Ocean, and his nautical experience is evident in the details of David’s adventure.

Gary Paulsen has written over 175 books for children and young adults and is best known for Hatchet, which won the Newbery Honor and inspired several sequels. The Voyage of the Frog has also garnered several notable awards, including the ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and the AL/YALSA Quick Pick for Young Adult Readers. The novel provides a sensitive, in-depth portrayal of grief and loss, the development of independence, and the importance of survival skills—all of which are relevant themes for younger readers. Other works by this author include Canyons, Liar, Liar, and Northwind.

This study guide refers to the 2009 Scholastic Paperbacks reprint edition.