Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair [Hardcover]

Patricia Polacco (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

A humorous parable about the dangers of too much television brings readers to the town of Triple Creek, where residents watch TV day and night, until eccentric Aunt Chip arrives and decides to pull the plug on everybody in favor of introducing books.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4?A cautionary tale that will appeal to anyone who believes in the power and magic of books. When the town of Triple Creek first built a huge TV tower, Aunt Chip took to her bed, promising, "there will be consequences." Now, 50 years later, the townspeople are so obsessed with their televisions that they are oblivious to everything else. Of course, people still "use" books-as furniture, to fix crumbling walls, to patch up tattered roofs-but no one knows how to read. Finally, Aunt Chip, who used to be the town librarian, pops out of bed to do something about it. Beginning with her nephew, Eli, she teaches the children to read. Hungry for books, they take them from wherever they can be found. When Eli and his friends pluck a copy of Moby Dick from the dam, they unleash a wall of water that destroys the TV tower and changes the future of the town. A master storyteller, Polacco flavors this modern fable with the language and cadence of a traditional tall tale. Filled with amusing details, interesting characters, and unexpected twists, this enjoyable story clearly makes its point without seeming heavy-handed. In perfect harmony with the text, the illustrations add dimension and resonance to the words. Enslaved by TV, Triple Creek is colored in dismal grays and imprisoned by imposing power lines. Afterwards, the town is blooming, bustling, and brightly colored. Watch out. Polacco's passion for books and reading is contagious.?Joy Fleishhacker, New York Public Library
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. Aunt Chip took to her bed 50 years ago when the big television tower came to town and the library closed. She knew there would be consequences, and there were--everyone stopped reading, and now they don't remember how. When Aunt Chip learns that, she gets out of bed and begins teaching the children to read. Soon the kids love reading so much they're taking books out of potholes and sagging buildings, where the books have been doing infrastructure duty. Eventually, the TV tower falls down, at first angering the adults and then causing them to read. Reading reigns, and Aunt Chip goes back to her job of decades ago, town librarian. Naturally, this subject is near and dear to every librarian's heart, but Polacco's treatment of it borders on the didactic. Still, since books and reading are always in competition with television viewing, maybe a little didacticism doesn't hurt. Polacco's signature-style artwork, a bit more freewheeling than usual, has fun with the fantasy elements of the story. Not top-of-the-line Polacco, but libraries will probably want to buy this for the message. Ilene Cooper

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (March 19, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399229434
• ISBN-13: 978-0399229435
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #454,481 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born Patricia Ann Barber in Lansing, Michigan, to parents of Russian and Ukrainian descent on one side and Irish on the other, Patricia Polacco grew up in both California and Michigan. Her school year was spent in Oakland, California, and summers in her beloved Michigan. She describes her family members as marvelous storytellers. "My fondest memories are of sitting around a stove or open fire, eating apples and popping corn while listening to the old ones tell glorious stories about their homeland and the past. We are tenacious traditionalists and sentimentalists.... With each retelling our stories gain a little more Umph!"Studying in the United States and Australia, Patricia Polacco has earned an M.F.A. and a Ph. D. in art history, specializing in Russian and Greek painting, and iconographic history. She is a museum consultant on the restoration of icons. As a participant in many citizen exchange programs for writers and illustrators, Patricia Polacco has traveled extensively in Russia as well as other former Soviet republics. She continues to support programs that encourage Russo-American friendships and understanding. She is also deeply involved in inner-city projects here in the U.S. that promote the peaceful resolution of conflict and encourage art and literacy programs.The mother of a grown son and a daughter, Patricia Polacco currently resides in Michigan, where she has a glorious old farm that was built during the time of Lincoln.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful book to use to teach students!, February 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair (Hardcover)

What a wonderful book to use to teach students a variety of concepts! I used this book to start a lesson in computers. Students listened to the book and then we discussed some concepts: Value of books How TV can take over one's life Importance of reading Team Work

After this the students tracked their activities for 7 days - 24 hours a day. We then created spreadsheets with this information and finally graphed our information - using excel or other spreadsheed program. At the end of the session, I had some thought provoking questions that they needed to answer in small groups based upon their graphs and spreadsheets. They loved it!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book on the importance of reading!, May 26, 2000

By 

Nicole Schuette (High Desert, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful story about what happens when people no longer read. It has great imagery--books being used for table legs and to prop open doors, even as a dam. I used it in my seventh grade language arts class, following it up with a discussion of why reading is important. Even though it's a picture book, my seventh graders really got into it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book on the power of reading, February 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair (Hardcover)

THEMES and/or Bibliotherapeutic Potential

Fictional parable for young readers ages five and up

The Power of Reading

Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair is a humorous parable by Patricia Polacco on the dangers of too much television watching. Aunt Chip took to her bed fifty years ago when the big television tower came to town and the library closed. She knew the consequences would be great. Everyone stopped reading and then did not remember how. Books were used, but not for reading. When Aunt Chip finally got out of bed to teach the children to read, they were reading so much they were taking books out of potholes and sagging buildings. Eventually they took books out of the dam and an ensuing flood caused the television tower to fall down, angering adults and inducing them to learn to read. Reading again reigned and Aunt Chip again was the town librarian.

The author tackles the issue of too much TV with her trademark humor and charm. Although not the very best of Patricia Polacco's books, Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair is an enjoyable read that opens many important questions dealing with literacy. Readers will enjoy her drawings and youngsters will be attracted to the lively Aunt Chip who has the strength and courage to stand up and bring the miracle of literacy to the townsfolk.

Teachers can use this book with its all-important theme to discuss both the value of reading, and think about how TV can take over a person's life. It is a great title to read during Say No to TV Week. Students can keep track of their TV watching and reading as they discuss what happened in Triple Creek and the effect reading can have on their lives.