Customer Reviews

Williwaw! (Tom Bodett Adventure Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tom Bodett's latest opus is a slender volume, and in fact it's really a longish novella. It has the same tone and pacing of his End of the Road tales.

The story concerns two young adolescent siblings, September and Ivan Crane. They live in the "bush" of Alaska, the wild and untamed areas far from power lines and telephone hookups. Their father, a commercial fisherman, must of necessity leave the children unattended for weeks at a stretch.

They stay in touch via radio communication, at least until Ivan fries the transceiver. Now, the kids have only a week to make enough money to repair the radio before Dad calls again. That means trips across Bag Bay, and in the autumn of the year, the dreaded, violent storms known as williwaw can spring up at a moment's notice. One such storm claimed the children's mother seven years before.

For a mainstream novel such as this, I was surprised at the total absence of any objectionable material. This book could fit very comfortably of a middle-school library shelf -- and yet it is not a "children's" book. This is a book for any reader who enjoys a page-turner.

This is a strong message book - with the message being that even teenagers have to have moral character and live or die by their word. It's a story that is timeless, but is told like a folk tale, with country aphorisms and speckled with crusty old timers and real life problems. A good book for all ages, but particularly appealing to teenagers who should be able to relate to the problems of the teens in this story.

Hello Parents,
I was recently having a brief conversation with a friend, and I realized that many of us as parents are probably experiencing, and in some cases struggling with, the same issues related to assigned book reports for school. Issues like children procastinating to read the selected book, complete a written report, or prepare for oral report, etc.

Last year, a serious reading comprehension problem was recognized for my son. He did not enjoy reading AT ALL. His book selections were lower level grade reading. Unless a book at his grade level had been made into a movie (i.e., Harry Potter, Holes), he did not enjoy reading it. I realize now that after seeing the movie, he could then more readily visualize the storyline as he read the book.

This fall, my husband accompanied our son to the San Ramon Library to select a book for a 6th grade book report. Coincidentally, a book by Tom Bodett was on display in the library. Yes, Tom "We'll leave the porch light on for you" Bodett. As it turned out, it was an excellent selection. The plot is about siblings, 12 and 13 years old, and the choices they make while left alone. The book "Williwaw!" The book report was a success.

During the holidays, I purchased "Williwaw!" because my son enjoyed it so much, I knew he would read it over and over. I also purchased another book by Mr. Bodett, "Norman Tuttle on the Last Frontier." The oral book report that he is preparing for now was written completely on his own -- two pages, let me repeat, completely on his own! Success again! Norman is a teenager growing up in Alaska.

I highly recommend you check out these books. And if you do, I hope you have the same success as my son. I know we'll be checking out other books by Tom Bodett. Thank you Mr. Bodett!

Williwaw!
By: Tom Bodett
Reviewed by: Parth Shah
Period: 1

If you and your younger sister had the whole house to yourselves, would you remember what your parents said not to do? That was the case for Ivan and September because their dad who was a fisherman was delayed at sea. He told the children to not do two things. To not hook up any video games to the radio batteries. Or to not go near the bay. Obviously, kids don't listen to their parents when they aren't home, and Ivan decided to hook up his video games. And of course when you don't listen bad consequences can happen, and Ivan ended up breaking the shortwave radios, which was the one link to the outside world from Alaska. Ivan and his sister had to quickly repair the radios before their father came home otherwise he will be mad! That only meant one thing. They have to sneak back and forth on a little tiny boat across the Bag Bay.So Ivan and September waited a day or two until the skies were clear. But autumn is an unpredictable season and they would soon find out that heading their way is the most violent storm: a williwaw!
I liked this book because it is interesting to find out if Ivan and his sister make it in time to fix the radio before their father comes back. I also like it when they had to find out a way to survive the storm. There is so much action and adventure and homour to this book.
I didn't like this story that much because there were many boring parts of this book. For instance, the storm and the part when he hooks up the video games all go by fast.

My favorite part of this book is when Ivan and his siter find out that they are home by themsleves and it is cool to see what they do. I like this part because it was very funny. I also like the parts when Ivan and his sister are adventurous and the story is full of action!

Absolutely charming book, great for all grade levels. I usually run for the gory, werewolfie or anne boleynesque books, but it was refreshing to pick up something sweet AND interesting for a change. Buy this for the MG reader in your life, but read it for yourself first!

Ok, the kids accused me of reading it because its full of boats, dories, fishing boats, rowboats, skiffs, mailboats etc and they are right. But I liked it most because it showed the kids thinking and the dangers of not trusting your brain when you are in trouble and the way out is not by getting into more trouble.

The kids, before committing to read it, also wanted to know that no dogs die, and no one dies in the story. They are sick of stories where the main character or their dog dies. So there are dead people mentioned in the book, a dead mother, but she's long gone by the time the story starts.

Anyway I liked it. The depiction of being out in the storm was very true to life, as was the actions of the kids.

This book was great. I live in the bush in Alaska and even homeschool. I could really relate to this story. Mr Bodett did a wonderful job describing the area and storms.

"Hey, Berger, did you hear on the news about the big blow up at Port Vixen last night it was a real whopper! Williwaw they say." Ivan, September, and their dad live in Steamer Cove. Their dad, a fisherman, is delayed at sea for another two weeks. While Dad is at sea he gives his children two rules:1. Do not play Tech Patrol 2. Do not go out into Bag Bay.
Tech Patrol is the newest video game around Bag Bay. Ivan is bored while his dad gone, and cannot resist playing Tech Patrol. When Ivan figures out the radio and video game use the same type of battery, he uses the radio's battery to play the video game. Ivan burns out both the radios they usually use including the emergency radio. He has broken one rule. Now he will have to break the other to fix the radios before his dad returns. Ivan should have never played Tech Patrol because he has now put his sisters life and his life in danger.
Tom Boddett has excellent character development, pacing, and uses realistic dialogue. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes survival stories and The Wanderer by Sharon Creech.

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Tom Bodett - the "We'll leave the light on" Motel 6 guy - wrote and performs this cautionary tale of respect for the whims of Nature for kids and their parents. Part "slice of life" in the Alaskan "bush," part sociology - can "bush" and "town" kids find common ground and interests? and also a warning on why kids should listen to grown-ups (all these years and we really HAVE learned something ;-), this captivating adventure will while away the hours whilst travelling.

i think that this book was a good book because it told alot of detail about the story and about the characters and the way they felt about what was going on. the author told you everything that you needed to know and even the things that weren't that important.