Book Review :: Willie Out West by Rhonda Walker, Illustrations by Alan McCuller

Willie Out West by Rhonda Walker

Illustrations by Alan McCuller

Published: 6/28/13

Format: E-Book

Pages: 26

ISBN: 978-1-44979-849-9

Print Type: Color

Young Willie Walrus leaves his ice home to travel on an adventure to Big West, where the town’s citizens desperately need help. Arriving to cheers, he quickly runs into Old Walter, the One-Eyed Whale. Colorful illustrations and action take readers to an old West town where the citizens expect Willie to save them. Can he?

The boys crawled into bed tonight and I read them the children's book, Willie Out West. Dalton is only 8, so I thought this may be OK for him, but I knew it probably wouldn't be a hit with Bailey as he is 12. I'd say this is aimed at pre-school children.

Willie Out West really had potential. Both of the boys loved the idea of the sea animals living in the Big West. They cracked up at the thought of an octopus wearing spurs and a one-eyed whale as the villain. 

When the book starts out, Willie is "bored" and is angry that he has to play "play dumb games".  He has a very negative attitude and yet his Mom just smiles and suggests he get some rest without correcting his behavior. 

Willie decides to lay down on the couch and falls asleep. He dreams of an adventure in the Big West where he and the town folk have a show down with Old Walter.

Eventually, he awakens and thinks it was all a dream, but there is a silver star laying in the floor. He isn't sure if it was a dream or not. 

His bravery and saving the town, cause him to be a better person and to be more mindful of his parents wishes. 

Unfortunately, the story wasn't wonderful. It lacked a lot of details on what Old Walter had done to the town and why the town was so scared of him. The book was in simple terms, vague. It was over too quickly and there could have been a better climax. It needed something more to build up the suspense.

There were a few things I didn't understand... First, how had Willie spoiled Old Walters reputation? He hadn't done anything but come into town on the request of the Octopus.  The next thing that didn't make sense to me was the town filling with salt water after Old Walter left. Why would it fill with salt water? Why was there no salt water when he was there? Had he stolen all the salt water? I just don't know... I can't even use my imagination to fill in the gaps. Finally, the dream made Willie better behaved and helped him to respect his parents more. How did this happen? I can see how it could possibly have made him braver and have a feeling of more self worth... but better behaved? It just didn't make sense.

The illustrations were basic, but cute. Nothing that really grabs you and drags you into the story. Just basic. 

Personally, I'd give the book one star, because it really could have been a great story. It had a lot of potential. Dalton said he liked the show-down a lot, but wouldn't want to read it again. The only thing Bailey liked was that the villain was a one-eyed whale. He wouldn't read it again, ever. I can't really blame him. I wouldn't chose this out of a stack of books to read to my nieces and nephews either. It needs some work. It could be a GREAT story. Could be. 

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone else, sorry.

The boys and I were provided this complimentary E-Book for our Kindle by BookLook Bloggers and WestBow Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are shared are mine and 100% truth.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder: Chapter 5 & 6 Lesson Plan Ideas

Chapter 5: Sundays

Vocabulary Words (My own)
Catechism:  Doctrinal manuals often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorized. 
Sabbath: A weekly day of rest or time of worship.
Woodshed: A shed for storing wood for fuel.

Vocabulary Words (from Garden of Praise)
Solemn
Tan
"Tanned their hide" (I believe in the book it said "tanned their jackets")
Sampler
Nine-Patch Quilt
Find the definitions and tests, HERE and HERE.

Review Questions (My own)
What night did they have their baths? Saturday.
Where did they get the bath water? Melted snow.
Where did they bath? Behind a screen made of a blanket over two chairs.
What kind of quilt was Mary not allowed to work on on Sunday? Nine-patch.
What was Laura's favorite photo in the Bible? Adam naming the animals.
When Grandpa was a boy, when did Sunday begin? Sundown on Saturday night.
Who sat in the front of the sled? James.
What color was the pig? Black.
How many times did Pa spank Laura? Six. One for each year and one to grow on.
What did Mary give Laura for her birthday? A new dress for Charlotte.
What song did Pa play for a special treat? Pop Goes the Weasel.

Chapter 6: Two Big Bears

Vocabulary Words (My own)
Quivered: Tremble or shake with a slight rapid motion.
Calico: Printed cotton fabric.

Vocabulary Words (from Garden of Praise)
Prickled
Powder and Shot
Lantern
Bargain
Find the definitions and tests, HERE and HERE. 

Review Questions (My own)
What was the lantern sides made out of? Tin with places cut in them.
What is the name of the cow? Sukey.
What did Ma do to get "Sukey" to move away from the gate? Slapped "Sukey's" shoulder.
What did Ma do that she had never done before? Pulled the leather latch-string through its hole in the door.
What color was Mary's calico? Blue.
What color was Laura's calico? Dark Red.
What color was Ma's calico? Brown.
What did Pa hit the "bear" with? A big club.

Multiple choice and reflection questions for Chapters 5 and 6, HERE.

Activities:
Read in Genesis about Adam naming the animals.
Color a coloring sheet about Adam naming the animals.
Make a nine-patch quilt block out of fabric, scrapbook paper, or even cut-up magazines.
Listen to the a children's version of Pop Goes the Weasel on YouTube.
Draw a pig.
Color a black bear coloring sheet or two.
Make a paper bear.
Make an origami bear.
Draw a bear or two.
Research black bears in your state.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder: Chapter 3 & 4 Lesson Plan Ideas

Chapter 3: The Long Rifle 

Review Questions (My own)
Why did Pa tell the girls never to touch a new bullet? It would burn their fingers.
Did Pa ever make a mistake loading his gun? No.
When Pa was home where was the gun always at? Above the door.
Why did Pa always load the gun as soon as he fired it? He did not want to meet trouble with an empty gun.
How did Pa call the cows? "Sukey!"
What happened to Pa's big-toe nail? It was torn off.
What scared Pa in the woods when he was a little boy? A screech owl.

Vocabulary Words (from Garden of Praise)
Ramrod
Thrashing
Hearth
Ravine
Briars
Curlicues
Supported

Find the definitions and tests, HERE and HERE.

Chapter 4: Christmas

Review Questions (My own)
What did Pa make Ma for Christmas? A shelf.
What did Ma set on the shelf? A china woman.
What did Mary and Laura make candy out of? Molasses and Sugar.
What did they use to harden the candy? Snow.
How did the kids make pictures? Fall off a stump into the snow.
Who slept in the attic floor? Pa and Ma.
What did Prince save Eliza from? A panther.
What did Laura get for Christmas that the others didn't? A doll.
What shape was the pancakes in? A man.

Vocabulary Words (from Garden of Praise)
Gaiters
Whittled
Pokeberries
Flatiron

Find the definitions and tests, HERE and HERE.

Multiple choice and reflection questions for Chapters 3 and 4, HERE.

Activities:
Make pancakes in the shape of a man for breakfast.
Do and animal study on panthers or owls. Give a few facts about the animal, cut out a photo of the animal, draw a picture of the animal.
Make a paper owl.
Make a rock owl.
Draw an owl.
Color an owl coloring sheet or two.
Talk to a Master Falconer. *We have one local.
Paint a Little House peg doll family. Find pegs, HERE. See and example, HERE.
Look at photos of the Little House in the Big Woods replica.
Make molasses and sugar candy.
Learn how to make molasses.
Or go to a stir-off. *We have one local here in the fall.

Homeschool: Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder: Chapter 1 & 2 Lesson Plan Ideas

A few books from the series.

Chapter 1 : Little House in the Big Woods

Review Questions (My own)

What is the name of the book? Little House in the Big Woods.

Who wrote it? Laura Ingalls Wilder.

What did Laura call her Mother and Father? Ma and Pa.

What was Laura's dogs name? Jack.

What was Susan the doll made out of? Corn cob.

Vocabulary Words (from Garden of Praise)

Trundle Bed

Banked

Chopping Block

Brine

Lard

Cracklings

Pot Liqour

Headcheese

Roamed

Brindle

Hollow

Wisconsin

Find the definitions and tests, HERE and HERE. 

*Headcheese pickled with vinegar is called Souse and is often made here in Kentucky.

Chapter 2: Winter Days and Winter Nights

Review Questions (My own)

How did Laura and Mary melt the frost on the glass? Put their mouths close and blew their breath onto it.

What did Ma use to color the butter in the Winter? Carrots.

What pattern was on the butter pats? A strawberry with two leaves.

What kind of dolls did Ma make for them after the work was done? Paper.

What did Pa call Laura? Little half-pint of sweet cider half drunk up.

What song did Pa sing when he played his fiddle? Yankee Doodle.

What was Laura's cats name? Black Susan.

Vocabulary Words (from Garden of Praise)

Jack Frost

Churning

Butter Pat

Patty Pan

Trap Lines

Kerosene

Enormous

Find the definitions and tests, HERE and HERE. 

Multiple choice and reflection questions Chapters 1 and 2, HERE.

Geography:

Find North America on world map.

Find our city and state on the map of USA.

Find Wisconsin (Laura's home) on map of USA.

Estimate distance between the two.

Color the Wisconsin coloring sheet from Crayola.

Read other facts about Wisconsin in our Fast Facts about the 50 States book from Scholastic.

Other possible activities:

Make butter with instructions from THIS video.

Make a cornhusk doll, corncob doll, rag doll or paper dolls.

Dalton with his cornhusk doll. Fall 2011.

Ragdolls we saw on our field trip to the Museum of Appalachia.

Build a log cabin out of sticks.

Bailey's log cabin. Made during Winter 2012.

Make dried fruit or jerky to have as a snack.

Being made at this very moment. 

Do animal studies on some of the animals mentioned in the chapters. Mink, Muskrat, Wolves, Bears, Panther, Squirrels, Deer, Rabbits. Give a few facts about the animal, cut out a picture, draw a picture.

Make a lapbook.

Listen to music Pa may have played on his fiddle.

See chapter 3 and 4, HERE.