Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Danny, Who Fell in a Hole

Fagan, Cary, and Milan Pavlovic. Danny, Who Fell in a Hole. Groundwood Book, 2013.

This story is about a boy Danny Diamond who comes home one day to find out that his parents taking jobs in two different cities across the U.S. In a wave of emotion Dave runs away and falls in a hole. With only his backpack, e must survive until he is found.

Fagan's writing style is interesting. While it is at a proper level for his audience, it also includes some adult concepts (i.e. on pg. 79 it mentions moonshine, or moleshine in reference to one of the characters). It also includes some complicated concepts with parents (they can be a little harsh and selfish) which could be troubling for this age group to understand.

The illustrations are not on every page, may one every couple chapters, and they are hand-drawn with a pencil. The illustrations are helping in developing the story and are suitable for the age group. All of the illustrations aid the reader in creating a mental picture of the characters and what is happening throughout the story. 

I think this is a pretty good book for its intended age group. It is a transition from picture books to chapter books and provides a good range of vocabulary. I don't think I would give the book to anyone over the age of 12 because it is no suitable or challenging for that age. I think this would be good for any student because it does not play to specific interest. Overall, I would recommend this book to others and students, but I would keep in mind the more complex ideas that are introduced. 

M.L.W., BGSU Student

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