Warton and the King of the Skies

Warton

by Russell E. Erickson, Lawrence di Fiori (Illustrator)

Two toad brothers gain their freedom from a bickering weasel family by teaching them the value of teamwork.

Genres: Animals, Adventure, History, Middle Grade

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Jennifer]

Loved the deep dive into exploring history through the library and other resources to make it come alive. Discovering details about George Washington that he could relate to felt believable and a good description of what uncovering history and hidden connections really feels like. Loved the story!

[Krystle Wainscott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute children's book about a guides pig finding a new home.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever way to introduce kids to an important historical figure.

This was written back when people used the card catalogue in libraries and looked thru books to find answers. This took a lot of time, but eventually the young sleuth found the answer to his question. (What did GW eat for breakfast?) A quick visit to the Mt Vernon website, revealed pretty much the same answer:

"Family members and visitors alike testified that hoecakes were among George Washington's favorite foods. He invariably ate them at breakfast, covered with butter and honey, along with hot tea—a “temperate repast” enjoyed each morning."

The young sleuth will remember what he learned about GW because he spent time on his search. With so much info so readily available, will be remember what we 'learn' from the instant responses?

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very hot summer day. Warton Toad keeps cool in a tub of water while his brother, Morton, wishes that he could soar through the sky like a hawk. Warton finds a way to make balloons out of snake skin. He attaches them to his water tub and, then, ties the whole apparatus to a tree stump so it won't fly away. The brothers enjoy their new toy until it breaks loose of the stump. They soar high above the ground, and eventually crash into the red cliffs. While trying to fix the tub so they can float home down the stream, they are captured by weasels. The toad brothers are given impossible tasks to do and threatened with death it they don't do as they're told. Freedom comes when they rescue one of weasels from a hawk.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com