The story teaches so many things. Super! | Abel's Island (Newbery Award & Honor Books)

Interesting in a tedious way. | Abel's Island (Newbery Award & Honor Books) | William Steig

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	• Abel's Island (Newbery Award & Honor Books) William Steig Square Fish, 2007 - 128 pages average customer review:based on 56 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

whimsical

Ah, Mr. Steig has done it once again.

Like A.A. Milne, Steig makes the mind pleasantly drunk with fictional animal characters. Their most endearing trait is an ability to achieve innocent ecstasy in response to just being alive in nature. Even though they are blessed with a sense of wonder and a perception of links between the magic and the mundane, the characters, amazingly, ring true.

They also nudge us gently toward our better selves.

The story teaches so many things. Super!

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

Abel didn't know that when he and his wife Amanda went out for a picnic, he wouldn't be home for a year. Who could have guessed that they would get caught in a storm and that when he went to retrieve her scarf, he would be swept away and trapped on an island?

In this wonderful illustrated middle reader book we see the evolution of Abel, an educated mouse of high society, as he comes of age in his adulthood. I loved that he came back to his mouse-like roots, using his teeth and his gathering instinct. He discovered himself. He found that he was far more than the society mouse, well taken care of by his mother's money. He was talented at sculpture, he could fend for himself, and though he despaired, he never gave up hope that he would get off the island.

This is an awesome vocabulary-xtending book for children. It would make a great read aloud or a stretcher for a young self reader. The illustrations leave a bit to be desired as they are dark and busy. Busy is good when there is a lot of color, but the black and white seemed almost blurry. However, they were appropriate to the text and children will still enjoy their presence.

All in all, I would say that this book is a good one to add to your library. It has great themes and vocabulary, and though it starts slow it also propels the reader through. And the finishing line--perfect.

Armchair Interviews says: Another great addition to your middle reader's library.

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Interesting in a tedious way.

I enjoyed this one more than my son did. I think he missed the point that Abel was and had changed quite a bit. The reference is subtle and I just don't think he got it. I think he thought it was a bit tedious. I enjoyed it quite a bit and felt that it could have gone into more detail of the changes Able was going through. Unfortunately the book was to advanced for my son and not advanced enough for me. It also reminded me of that movie with Tom Hanks where he is trapped on an island. I found that movie boring and tedious too. Might be better for a little older audience than my 8 year old, therefore I would recommend it for ages 10-12 years.

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KCS abels island

What would you do if you were a mouse stuck on and island in the middle of a river? You must find a way off, but every way you can think of has failed. You must live on this island until rescue. How would you survive? read Abels Island to find out.
Abel is a mouse who decides to go on a picnic with his wife one day, but a storm ruins the calm day. When Abel's wife's scarf is carried away by the wind Abel runs after it. This one act causes Abel to be pushe by the wind onto a deserted island in the middle of a river. While on the island Abel tries to get off but finds that he can not get off by anyway he thinks of. Abel has too live on the Island and await rescue. The Island has many resorces and abel is able to live easily, but he also faces many chalenges, such as an owl who abel has to constantly fight with. Along with the chalenges Abel also bears longingness for his wife, family and friends. Will Abel get off the Island? Read Abels Island to find out.

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A truly wonderful book

As a child, the first "book" I remember reading was Steig's "Dominic." When I re-found and re-read the book years later, I realized just how beautiful the story was and decided to buy more of his works. I picked Abel's Island randomly, knowing nothing about the story.

It is perhaps even more beautiful than "Dominic" was. Good enough to make this reader cry a bit (in joy) at the end. The story is about Abel, a distinguished mouse, who gets swept away in a flood and marooned on an island while trying to fetch a scarf that flew off his beloved wife's neck. After a few failed attempts to escape the island, Abel is forced to rely on himself to survive until he can figure out how to get back to his family. He keeps his wife's scarf around his neck to give him strength.

This is a story that will be equally enjoyed by a young child and the parent reading it to him or her; and the themes of love, beauty and strength of character are lessons that can be appreciated by someone of any age.

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Abel?s place in his familiar, mouse world has always been secure; he had an allowance from his mother, a comfortable home, and a lovely wife, Amanda. But one stormy August day, furious flood water carry him off and dump him on an uninhabited island. Despite his determination and stubborn resourcefulness?he tried crossing the river with boats and ropes and even on stepping-stones?Abel can?t find a way to get back home.
Days, then weeks and months, pass. Slowly, his soft habits disappear as he forages for food, fashions a warm nest in a hollow log, models clay statues of his family for company, and continues to brood on the problem of how to get across the river?and home.
Abel?s time on the island brings him a new understanding of the world he?s separated from. Faced with the daily adventure of survival in his solitary, somewhat hostile domain, he is moved to reexamine the easy way of life he had always accepted and discovers skills and talents in himself that hold promise of a more meaningful life, if and when he should finally return to Mossville and his dear Amanda again.

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