The 21 Balloons

The Twenty-One Balloons 

• Genre: Fiction; children’s literature; fantasy/adventure 
• Originally Published: 1947 
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1070L; grades 4-7 
• Structure/Length: 10 chapters and introduction; approximately 180 pages; approximately 3 hours, 20 minutes on audio 
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Professor William Waterman Sherman intends to spend a year in a hot air balloon flying across the Pacific Ocean but instead lands on the fictional island of Krakatoa. The story unfolds with his discovery of a wealthy and inventively eccentric community living on the island, and the central conflict arises with a catastrophic volcanic eruption that threatens the islanders’ utopian life.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Stereotypes of Indigenous people; mild peril related to a volcanic eruption; themes of survival and adventure 

William Pène du Bois, Author 

• Bio: Born 1916; died 1993; American author and illustrator of children's books; celebrated for his inventive storytelling and distinctive illustrations; grew up in an artistic family and was influenced by his father’s work as an artist; served in World War II; contributed significantly to children’s literature with a unique blend of humor and fantasy 
• Other Works: The Flying Locomotive (1941); Bear Party (1951); The Giant (1954)
• Awards: John Newbery Medal (1948)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Balancing Risk and Planning
• Building Community
• Ingenuity as an Engine of Happiness

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Explore background information on utopian literature and satire to increase their engagement with and understanding of The Twenty-One Balloons.
• Read/study paired texts and other brief resources to deepen their understanding of themes related to Balancing Risk and Planning, Building Community, and Ingenuity as an Engine of Happiness.
• Demonstrate their understanding of setting and characterization in The Twenty-One Balloons by creating an explorer’s journal entry for each of Sherman’s days on Krakatoa.
• Analyze the significance of various elements of the text, such as irony, symbolism, characterization, and imagery, and construct structured essay responses regarding Professor Sherman’s characterization, the residents of Krakatoa, the symbolism of the balloons, and other topics.