Module 2: Classic Children's and Young Adult Literature
September 7-13
September 7-13
The Book of Three
By: Lloyd Alexander
Grades 5 and Up
Summary:
Exciting and thrilling are very descriptive words that simply do not go far enough in expressing the adventure and suspense the reader feels when reading this classic young adult book. The Book of Three is the first book in a series of five Lloyd Alexander entitles The Chronicles of Prydain. The reader meets the bored and frustrated Taran, who is an assistant pig keeper in the much too peaceful land of Caer Dallben. Taran longs for adventure and to become a hero. When the evil Horned King seeks Hen Wen, the pig Taran is in charge of, she runs off. Taran is quickly thrust into the life of hero as he sets off to find Hen Wen. He quickly discovers that the life of a hero is not as glamorous as he expected. He faces peril and terror at each and every turn. He makes some wonderful friends along the way like Gurgi, Eilonwy, Fflewddur Fflam, and his new mentor Gwydion. He makes terrible mistakes such as always managing to offend his fellow companion Eilonwy, but he also learns some powerful lessons such as "there are times when the seeking counts more than the finding."
My Impressions:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was completely taken aback. When I selected it, I had no idea what it was about. I was pleasantly surprised and found the book to be interesting and was completely engrossed by the second chapter. I loved the relationship between Eilonwy and Taran, and found myself laughing at the direct and pointblank statements she frequently threw out at Taran. Eilonwy always spoke her mind and I really loved this character. I will definitely continue the series at some point because it is so well written and entertaining. I realized later that the Disney movie, The Black Cauldron is based on the second book in the series. I am anxious to watch this movie again and see if the characters illustrated by Disney match the pictures in my head.
Reviews:
"Lloyd Alexander's The Book of Three is a rousing tale of fantasy. Set in the imaginary kingdom of Prydain, Alexander incorporates both elements of Welsh folk tales and intriguing fantasy. Together these form an engaging story for readers of all ages. The tale itself centers around a boy, Taran, who is an Assistant Pig-Keeper to the oracular pig Hen Wen. Taran experiences internal conflict because of his great desire to become a hero, and external conflict when he is thrown into a great adventure inadvertently. The characters are extraordinary as they battle to save the land in a classic tale of good versus evil. This book is highly recommended to all readers young or old. A pronunciation guide is an added bonus to this wonderful book. Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades 5 and up. -Cassidy Burleson (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews Vol. 12, No. 3"
This is such a creative and imaginative book full of magical and interesting characters, kingdoms, and creatures. Students should be encouraged to create artwork to depict the various people, places, and events that take place in the novel. The best artwork could then become a part of a display in the library. Hopefully other students would be inspired by the artwork and become interested in reading the book as well.
Exciting and thrilling are very descriptive words that simply do not go far enough in expressing the adventure and suspense the reader feels when reading this classic young adult book. The Book of Three is the first book in a series of five Lloyd Alexander entitles The Chronicles of Prydain. The reader meets the bored and frustrated Taran, who is an assistant pig keeper in the much too peaceful land of Caer Dallben. Taran longs for adventure and to become a hero. When the evil Horned King seeks Hen Wen, the pig Taran is in charge of, she runs off. Taran is quickly thrust into the life of hero as he sets off to find Hen Wen. He quickly discovers that the life of a hero is not as glamorous as he expected. He faces peril and terror at each and every turn. He makes some wonderful friends along the way like Gurgi, Eilonwy, Fflewddur Fflam, and his new mentor Gwydion. He makes terrible mistakes such as always managing to offend his fellow companion Eilonwy, but he also learns some powerful lessons such as "there are times when the seeking counts more than the finding."
My Impressions:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was completely taken aback. When I selected it, I had no idea what it was about. I was pleasantly surprised and found the book to be interesting and was completely engrossed by the second chapter. I loved the relationship between Eilonwy and Taran, and found myself laughing at the direct and pointblank statements she frequently threw out at Taran. Eilonwy always spoke her mind and I really loved this character. I will definitely continue the series at some point because it is so well written and entertaining. I realized later that the Disney movie, The Black Cauldron is based on the second book in the series. I am anxious to watch this movie again and see if the characters illustrated by Disney match the pictures in my head.
Reviews:
"Lloyd Alexander's The Book of Three is a rousing tale of fantasy. Set in the imaginary kingdom of Prydain, Alexander incorporates both elements of Welsh folk tales and intriguing fantasy. Together these form an engaging story for readers of all ages. The tale itself centers around a boy, Taran, who is an Assistant Pig-Keeper to the oracular pig Hen Wen. Taran experiences internal conflict because of his great desire to become a hero, and external conflict when he is thrown into a great adventure inadvertently. The characters are extraordinary as they battle to save the land in a classic tale of good versus evil. This book is highly recommended to all readers young or old. A pronunciation guide is an added bonus to this wonderful book. Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades 5 and up. -Cassidy Burleson (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews Vol. 12, No. 3"
This is such a creative and imaginative book full of magical and interesting characters, kingdoms, and creatures. Students should be encouraged to create artwork to depict the various people, places, and events that take place in the novel. The best artwork could then become a part of a display in the library. Hopefully other students would be inspired by the artwork and become interested in reading the book as well.
Alexander, Lloyd. The Book of Three. New York: Holt, 1999.
Burleson, Cassidy. "Children's Literature Reviews: The Book of Three". Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. September 6, 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment