Dahl, Ronald. Esio Trot. New York : Viking, 1990.
Plot: Old, retired Mr. Hoppy loves two things: his flower-covered patio and his neighbor, Mrs. Silver. The widow remains ignorant of his affection, though she does love her pet tortoise, Alfie. Unfortunately, Alfie does not seem to grow, much to his mistress's distress. Realizing his chance to gain her affections and become her hero, Mr. Hoppy offers her a foolproof plan to make Alfie grow quickly. He gives her some words to encourage Alfie to increase in size, but, unbeknownst to her, continues his plot with the help of a tortoise-grabber, a canvas sheet, and one hundred forty tortoises.
Genre: Animals, Humor, Unexpected Heroes
Reading Level: Grades 4-7
Similar Titles: Miss Daisy is Crazy!, The Invisible Moose, The BFG
Personal Thoughts: A somewhat unusual novel for Dahl, the story examines a man's quest to become a hero in his beloved's eyes. Like many of Dahl's protagonists, though, Mr. Hoppy can only succeed through the use of his wits and his kindly nature. The story is simple, sweet, and cleverly written, providing an excellent light read.
No comments:
Post a Comment