The Terrible Hodag

by Caroline Arnold, Lambert Davis (Illustrator)

A logger named Ole Swanson befriends the terrible hodag who helps him run the boss man out of the forest.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1989

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Hodag lowered his huge head and stared at Ole Swenson with glowing red eyes."

Ole Swenson is one of the lumberjacks employed by "the boss man" to fell a forest of trees. It's tough work, but they're willing to do it - despite the dangers.

"The men worked hard from sunup to sundown. But when night fell, they all went back to the lumbercamp. They did not want to meet the terrible Hodag."

But one day, the boss man decides that the lumberjacks are not working hard enough, and that they need to start felling trees at night. The men protest, they argue, and they plead with the boss man not to have to enter the forest after dark.

"There is no such thing as a hodag," the boss man scoffed. "Your men are just lazy. I want those trees cut by next Friday, or nobody gets paid."

And so Ole Swenson takes a deep breath, and plunges into the forest - knowing all the while that the terrible hodag is waiting for him.

I really liked this story!

The hodag is a bit of a regional cryptid - it looks a little like an ox, with a dinosaur's back and a crocodile's tail...and feet of a bear (I think). There's a lot of different interpretations but regardless, it was a so fun to see him in this picture book.

The illustrations felt rather old-timey (I suppose, this book *was* published in 1989) but it also felt right. The hodag is a timeless creature, so the older style fit him.

If you were wondering, the hodag in this one was sweet (instead of scary) - and focused on how to help the lumberjacks rather than terrorize them.

Overall, this was a lovely little story!

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ole Swensen and the other lumberjacks in his camp find they have an unexpected ally in this retelling of a folktale from the northern woods of Wisconsin. When their greedy and dishonest boss man informs them that they will not be paid, unless they can clear an entire hill of trees by the next week, they know they have a problem. There simply aren't enough hours in the day to get the work done, and they don't dare work at night for fear of the terrible Hodag - a creature with the head of an ox, the feet of a bear, the back of a dinosaur and the tail of an alligator. But as is so often the case, nothing is quite as it seems...

I have fond memories of a fifth-grade school project that involved writing a series of mini-biographies of the American Tall Tale heroes, and have had a soft spot in my heart for them ever since. I'm particularly fond of lumberjack tales, so this story set in the north woods was a real hit with me! An engaging tale that addresses themes such as the need to use resources wisely, and to live in harmony with the natural world, The Terrible Hodag concludes in a most satisfactory way! The acrylic illustrations by Lambert Davis are also very appealing, emphasizing the wonder of the story. All in all, an excellent book for those readers with an interest in regional American folklore - I only wish it were still in print!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful uplifting story. The illustrations were lovely and suited the story well.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cool book with a great message. (Library sale book/gift for my niece)

[Beverlee Jobrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun. Face your fears! They may wind up helping you!