Customer Reviews

Pagoo

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

 

 

Pagoo is one of my favorite children/science books. Holling Clancy Holling is a wonderful author and created a series of great books for children, as well as adults, you will both learn so much! All of his books take you on a journey or life story of the main character, in this case Pagoo(abbreviated from the correct biological name) is the life story of a hermit crab. I used to read one page a night to my boys, and one page alone is filled with so much information and illustrations you'll see why. I swear both my boys, now young men, have a tremendous sensitivity to the earth and all its creatures and I believe some of this was because of the wonderful perspective Holling Clancy Holling gave them. We read all of his books, but Pagoo, Minn of the Mississippi(a female snapping turtle's tale) and the most famous Paddle to the Sea(the journey of a small wooden Indian in a canoe) were our favorites!

Of all the many books I read as a child, this one stands out as the best children's book I encountered. It awakened a keen interest in the biology of the sea that I keep to this day, in the form of scuba diving, fishing, and maintaining a reef aquarium with, yes, hermit crabs! This is just a wonderful book with beautiful illustrations and can awaken a sense of wonder in a child for the natural world that a parent can follow up with a visit to the seashore. This book can make the water come alive and get a child thinking about the life beneath the waves. Don't miss it.

It has been too long since I first read Pagoo, but when I found it again I felt the same wonder, and eagerness to know more of Pagoo, and his life. I have read Pagoo to each of my children, and own a small hermit crab because of it. It is a wonderful book, full of detail, and excitement that makes you want to read on.

I remember my 4th grade teacher read this to a group of restless, bored kids, that is until we all (well, most of us) became enthralled by Pagoo. I suddenly remembered this title 30 years after being introduced to it by my teacher at Francis Scott Key Elementary School in San Francisco in 1972, Mrs. Marjorie Parkhurst. My 6-year old daughter is currently fascinated by sea creatures (as I was at her age), tide pools and such, and recently acquired a pet Hermit Crab after relentlessly hounding me for one. I'm sure she'll enjoy it as much as I did. If not, well, then I'll have to look up Mrs. Parkhurst and blame her for being a much better storyteller than I am! ;)

When I was a young child I enjoyed this book immensely. I read and re-read this book, and then re-read it again. I recently found my dog-eared, falling apart copy of this book. It brought up a lot of nostalgia, and just for grins I read it again. It is still just as good as when I first read it. I was given a small collection of Holling books as a child, but Pagoo was my favorite. It instilled in me a love for sea life, which I followed through exploring the beaches of the Pacific NW, my practically life-long home. This book is wonderful, and I am buying several new copies to pass on to all of my young friends.

I read this book in elementary school and went looking for it again last year as a gift for a niece. The story is wonderful and little Pagoo is a really lovable character. But there's also a lot of fascinating natural detail. And stunning illustrations. It's a children's book version of a top-notch Nature documentary. "Nova" in print, if you will. Also check out Holling Clancy Holling's other books. They're all great, even looking back at them after three decades.

This was my favourite book over 30 years ago, and I'm glad to see I wasn't alone. The book does a masterful job of combining science education with an engaging fictional storyline.

In our family it has been a tradition of long standing that each child receives at least one picture book for Christmas. I received "Pagoo" way back in the fifties when it was brand new. It quickly became, and remains, my favorite children's picture book. It may have led to a career interest in marine biology. When we recently found it covered in mildew and rotting away in a place we had hoped would keep it safe for a grandchild I was heartbroken. I was delighted to be able to find it still in print. It will lie under the Christmas tree again this year.

I am an elementary school teacher and I remember Pagoo from my own childhood. The illustrations and details make this little hermit crab's adventure not only a thrilling story, but also a work of art. I use this book today in my own classroom to talk about themes such as growing up and the life cycles of animals. This is a very old book, but it is among the classics. Buy it for your child's library today!

Holling writes GREAT adventure stories that provoke kids to think of the big picture as well as the details! I love his books, ever since I was little. I bought this book to pass along its wealth and beauty to the next generation in our family.