The Secret of Old Zeb

by Carmen Agra Deedy, Michael P. White (Illustrator)

Some dreams are just too big to be kept in bottles. New York Times best-selling author Carmen Agra Deedy brings to life the story of Walter Higgins, a scrappy kid with a great imagination. When he’s shipped off to Boston to visit his unknown Great Aunt Hortensia, aka “the Warden,” Walter is sure that this will be the worst summer ever. Then, a lonely, grizzled sailor named Old Zeb comes into Walter’s life, and together they work on the Great Secret Project. Little by little, Old Zeb and Great Aunt Hortensia lead Walter to realize his own dreams and discover the magic that can be released when you reach for the stars. Deedy’s fun-filled and magical story reminds us all of the power of reaching for impossible dreams.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Juvenile

36 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Carmen Agra Deedy is an internationally known author of children’s literature, a storyteller and radio contributor. Born in Havana, Cuba, she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1963 after the Cuban Revolution. Deedy grew up in Decatur, Georgia and currently lives in Atlanta and has three daughters.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story about following your dreams. The illustrations were beautiful and the story was sweet.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good imaginary picture chapter book...very good for boys.

[Leah]

The Secret of the Old Zeb was a fanciful tale told in the perspective of a young boy, who was left at his aunt’s house while his parents were away. During his stay, he became curious about his aunt’s neighbor Old Zeb, who he thought was a pirate. Upon further investigation, he discovered that Old Zeb was working on building a full-sized boat called the Milky Way. Once he knew the secret, the boy was recruited to help Old Zeb finish his dream. Would Old Zeb be able to finish the Milky Way and go away on his dream?
This book was written in a chapter book format, with the chapters only a page long. All of these chapters were accompanied with detailed pictures depicting the written content. The pictures were mostly two page spreads with black, simple text on one of the two pages. The pictures themselves were simple, cartoon-like, and detailed. All of the spreads had a land map or a sky map border around the main colored picture. On the text side of the page, it had a black and white illustration, which represented what Walter, the young boy, was thinking, during that time. This complimented the colored pictures, which depicted what was actually occurring in the text. One interesting feature was the accenting in the text. Often times, the text would have capitalized words to bring emphasis. Some of the pictures had captions, which added an engaging element to the book. Overall, this book had an interesting story for young readers with equally good illustrations.

[Alexa Maring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chapters do not have to be long! In this book a chapter is one page. This book demonstrates a wonderful way to share a story, split up into chapters. When I think of chapter books, I generally think of many pages equalling a chapter. Deedy offers a way for students to see themselves writing chapter books through "The Secret of Old Zeb"! As a read aloud, this book is perfect for short areas of time in between subjects, lunch, etc. At the end of each chapter you are left wanting to know more so you can figure out the secret! These 15 chapters can keep children thinking and changing their predictions along the way. Can you guess "The Secret of Old Zeb"?

[☆Brittany☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book shouldn't have been on the little kid's shelf because my little kid didn't get any of it. There was a lot of humor in the book that went unnoticed to my 4 yr old (as is to be expected). So I don't know if this book was on the wrong shelf or what, but it definitely wasn't for anyone under 8.

*I* still got a kick out of it though! :D

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was enjoyable to me; however, my 5 year old son did not enjoy it. He said it was boring, and lost interest about half way through the book. I would recommend this book for an older reader who still enjoys picture books and is moving towards chapter books. Also, I believe that most adults who read this story will enjoy it as well.

[Jim Sibigtroth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, surprising chapter book that is ideal for reading aloud to second graders. Each chapter is a single page with a great full-page illustration. It can be read aloud in about 20-25 minutes. It is a mystery filled with great messages about things and people not always being what they seem, following your dreams, and parents love for their children. It also has a brief glossary at the end.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Secret of Old Zeb" is a great book for kids who love to read about adventures on the seas. I love the illustrations. I would use this book during a lesson that involves life on the seas or creative writing. c

[Alycia Boyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book about a child who is left with her uncle while she waits for her parents to get back. She is bored so her uncle tells her a story about one of his summer adventures. The book is in short chapters and very detailed.

[Barbara Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the charming story of Walter, who learns a valuable lesson from old Zeb. It is told in flashback by Walter, to his niece Lila. It is also in chapters, despite being a picture book. It also takes place mostly in Boston, which appeals to me.

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello! This picture book made me cry. Need I say more?