Abel's Island

We recently finished reading Abel's Island by William Steig aloud with Easton and Kiana so I thought I would join in with Amy's Read-Aloud Thursday.  I say "we" because Alan started it and then a few chapters in, I decided to read the book (silently) to see what it was about because he had been reading it while I was busy and I didn't want to miss out on the story.  The kids saw me reading it and begged me to read it to them, even as I explained that I was just catching up.  When the children are happy to have the beginning chapters read to them again, even before they've finished the book, you can suspect you have a winner.

And a winner it was indeed.  This adventurous tale of a dandy mouse who was swept off to an island during a big storm is filled with description, delightful vocabulary (somnolent!  seriously--what other children's book uses that word?!), and examples of perseverance and diligence.  The children loved his many ideas and attempts to escape the island and get back to his beloved wife and I loved his ingenuity and can-do spirit.  I also appreciated his resourcefulness in scavenging food sources due to his former reading experiences which helped him identify edible plants (I never miss a plug for lifelong learning and the benefits of reading!)

As he does whatever it takes to survive, escapes predators (by building a spear--how much fun is that?!), and discovers his life's vocation (sculpture), Abel grows in confidence and character.  "The Abel who was leaving was in better fettle, in all ways, than the Abel who had arrived in a hurricane, desperately clinging to a nail" (104).

I will mention that there are a couple things I didn't particularly like, but that's the joy of reading aloud--I can skip over those parts.  He met a frog who used expressions like "Holy Bloater" and "shucks" that I didn't read.  There was also a part when he found the feather of an owl who was trying to eat him and he chanted incantations against the owl with the feather but it provided an opportunity to discuss it.  Other than that, this was a delightful story of well-crafted prose to share with our younger children.

I will also insert that the illustrations are quite fun and this book received a Newbery Honor award in 1977.