Chapters 1-3

Reading Check

1. She died after giving birth to Caleb. (Chapter 1)

2. He has placed an advertisement in the newspaper for a new wife. (Chapter 1)

3. Matthew’s wife from Tennessee (Chapter 1)

4. William (Chapter 1)

5. Her house is near the sea and is tall with gray shingles. (Chapter 2)

6. A sea stone and snail (Chapter 3)

Short Answer

1. Anna’s love for her brother is complicated because his birth caused her mother’s death. She has buried her grief to raise Caleb in the absence of a mother. (Chapter 1)

2. Jacob is a hard-working man and a caring father. However, he is lonely and needs help raising his children, so he posts the advertisement in hopes of finding a new partner. (Chapter 1)

3. Sarah Wheaton is an independent, confident woman who is open to leaving her home and seeking adventure in a new life. She is kind to the children and patiently answers all their questions about herself and her life in Maine. (Chapters 2-3)

Chapters 4-6

Reading Check

1. She keeps them on her windowsill and teaches the children how to hear the ocean in them.