"Call it Courage" Final

This week, I finished the book "Call it Courage". I have to say, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Because it was written so long ago, there was some terminology that I did not understand and had to look up. Additionally, it could be a tough read for some students because of the type of wording the author uses. Nevertheless, this is one of those old time, just for fun stories that I love!

I loved the images I got as I read. Mafatu, the young boy who was teased for being afraid of the ocean, finally gathered enough courage, or simply got tired of being bullied, that he braved the sea alone with only his dog by his side. Though his plans were simple, a raging storm took over the canoe leaving Mafatu and Uri, his dog, stranded in the ocean for days barely staying afloat on the canoe. Eventually, Mafatu reached land. He bravely explores this strange land, encounters nightmarish events (and people), and learns a lesson about courage.

The ending is a happy one, but this book will have you experiencing things with Mafatu and will place you right there with him in each scene. For students, this book can be mature. It deals with death, cannibalism, and claiming lives of animals, but it does teach a good lesson on overcoming your fears and proving people wrong. Excellent read!

"Call it Courage"

I picked up this book at a book fair at my job. "Call it Courage" is a children's book that was published back in 1940. This book takes place in the Pacific Islands and tells the story of a young boy named Mafatu who witnessed his mother die at the fury of the sea. Sucha traumatic event would cause anyone to be fearful of the sea. The people of his native land worship courage and bravery, however. This puts shame on Mafatu's father and Mafatu himself as he struggles to overcome his fear of the ocean. I am currently reading where Mafatu is conflicted on whether or not he should go out to the reefs for work. I see a sense of humiliation as he does not want to confront his fears nor does he want to be the laughing stock of his tribe and shame to his father.

"Call it Courage" could be a great text for students to teach them what it is to overcome fears and face what they are afraid of. I can also see it as a way to teach man versus self, man versus man, man versus society, etc.

This is a great book thus far. The pacific island language and names may be difficult to pronounce but the story itself is riveting and will surely be something everyone can enjoy.

"We Beat the Street" Cont.

I am still reading "We Beat the Street"; a story about three, African American men from a rough neighborhood who grew up to become Doctors. So far, what I am loving about this book, along with "Wonder", is the different perspectives and different accounts the book gives across the line. I feel that I am personally getting to know each man as boys, to teenagers, to young adults, all the way up to their lives now. For me, this is a unique way of getting invested in each character. I truly cannot imagine having to live in some of the conditions of these young men. Here is an excerpt from one of the Doctors as he reflects on his youth:

"You learned to grow up quickly around the Dayton Street Projects, where I lived when I was a boy. It was necessary to prove how tough you were, especially in the eyes of older boys. Hanging out with the older boys was always cool, and I loved being a part of that group, even though it sometimes got me in trouble."

I feel as though, through this account, that we can gain a glimpse into the lives of these boys' upbringing and how it truly influenced who they are today.

The lesson I feel that I am learning this week is this: Life has a way of giving you many experiences. These experiences can either make you or break you but ultimately, the choice is always yours. I have more reasons than I can count to not work, or go to school, or try to better myself; but for each reason I have against me, there are two more that I have the power to turn in my favor.

These men were taught many hard lessons along the way and developed a variety of experiences. The beauty in this story is that instead of letting the negative control them, they took coal and made it into diamonds. In the end, I feel their message is loud and clear. Make no excuses, anything is possible, and success begins within.