Customer Reviews

No Room for Napoleon

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Once upon a time there was a small brown dog. Really, an unexceptional canine save for his name - Napoleon. He is appropriately named because he has notions of grandeur.
One day when he is out in his boat he sees an island,. It appears to be a beautiful spot and never able to think small Napoleon decides he has found his very own, personal, just-the-way-I-want-it paradise island.

When he reaches shore he receives a warm greeting from Crab, Bunny and Bear. They show him all around the island, which is everything Napoleon hoped it would be and he decides to stay. His three new friend are delighted and offer to build him a home.

Well, Napoleon wants to start construction immediately and hustles about the island to find just the right spot with the best view. Early the next morning he begins to build, and his friends offer to help. Little did they know that Napoleon would soon be issuing orders and as they worked harder and harder he worked less and less. Not only that but he uses so much of the island for his house that soon there's not much left of the woods, gardens or beach. There's hardly any space for Crab, Bunny and Bear to play.

Young readers will enjoy discovering how the threesome deal with Napoleon and the lessons that he learns.

- Gail Cooke

I thought I had quickly picked up the message behind the book until the third year I read it. A student questioned Bear, Bunny, and Crab. She said the problem was their fault. They volunteered to help and never said anything after Napoleon got excited and starting setting up his castle. Instead of talking to him, they just left. Napoleon was the bigger animal and initiated solving the problem.

The case of the Ginger Cat at the end is interesting too. Most students at first predict that the same thing will happen. But when they are asked to examine what kind of character Napoleon is, they change their prediction.

I found this a very rich text for 3rd grade discussion.

When Napolean spies an island from his little boat, he is overjoyed at the prospect of building his house in such a beautiful place. Crab, Bunny and Bear befriend Dog and invite him to live, play, and eat with them on their island. Soon, however, Dog becomes greedy, wanting to build the biggest house in the world and uses up all of the resources on the island to build his home. Dog sees the error of his ways when his friends leave him alone with his island home. This book is a perfect read-aloud to illustrate for young listeners the value of maintaining friendships and avoiding selfish behavior.

In this book a small brown dog lets his dreams of his very own paradise island get in the way of his relationships with his friends. While the characters were a bit of a stretch.. a bunny and a bear on a tropical island??? ...doesn't really seem to fit. However, the dialogue and interactions between the characters were believable and true to the intended age group of this book. The main theme of this book: treating others as you would like to be treated is a worthwhile message. The dog quickly realizes his mistake and tries to make things right. At the end of the book the friends are back together and the author foreshadows the arrival of another visitor to the island who is also looking for her "own paradise island".

As gradutate students, in a Teaching Children's Literature class, we thought the book had a good theme when studing character development. The illustrations were simple yet colorful. The choice and size of the typeface interacted with the illustrations. At times the reader may be confused as to where to begin reading the printed text. We give this book 3 stars!