Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided with an advance copy of The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot in exchange for a review. All thoughts, opinions, and need for adventure are our own.
When I was younger I would spend my days reading anything that I could get my hands on. I always loved to find books that would take me on adventures to other worlds. Now that I have children, I love that they have fallen in love with books like their father. My daughter is always reading something and my son finds old children books on our shelves and reads them quietly to himself. When my review copy of The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot arrived I knew this would be a book that we would all enjoy together.
Here is a quick synopsis of the book:
As a young chipmunk, shy, bookish Rockford T. Honeypot had dreams of thrilling adventures across the forest. However, timid of danger and germs, his only adventures were found in books and his imagination. When his family abandons him after a mistake that destroys their hazelnut business, Rockford sets off on a legendary journey beyond his wildest dreams. From exploring cuisines with a famous chef, training with ancient warrior monks, flying on giant hawks, finding true love, and much more, Rockford recounts his epic origin story of hardship, perseverance, and fortune.
Just by reading the synopsis alone, you can already see that this book will be filled with a lot of fun and exciting moments. What you don't see is that there is a lot of heart to the story. There are moments that tug at your heartstrings in good and bad ways.
Reading the book with my daughter there were moments when we would relate to Rockford or Captain James T. as he calls himself. (We'll get to that reference in a moment). We both related to him in his love for learning and how he always was himself around others. He was curious about what was around him and always tried his best. What's not to love about a character like that?
What we both loved about the book was the world that it was set in and how it reflected our own, in a strange way. There is a social network called Whisker that everyone uses. Geese are their mode of transit to fly from one location to the next. It was fun to see how normal items we might take for granted in the wilderness were used creatively in the story. I also loved the nods to Star Trek in the book. Other than calling himself Captain James T., there is a phrase that is said that closely resembles Mr. Spock's phrase.
Grab your activity sheets here.
The book is kind of hard to read in the beginning when Rockford talks about the bully he goes through by the neighborhood bully, Braxton, and Rockford's own brothers. While this is one sad moment to read about, it also helps in establishing the person that Rockford becomes because of all of this. I love the "minute limit" strategy that Rockford and his mom use when he is feeling sad and depressed about something that happens to him.
While there is so much I want to say about the book, I don't want to give away too much. This book reminds me of some of the books and movies I watched when I was younger. There are some "The Rescuers" and "Secrets of Nimh" vibes to the story and a little bit of "An American Tale" as Rockford is left alone and has to find his way in the world. The book has so much to offer for readers that it would be awesome to see it as an animated series online with each episode showcasing one of Rockford's many adventures.
If you want to get your copy the book is available on through Amazon, Apple Books. Pick up your copy today and while you are waiting for your copy to arrive, try out one of these delicious recipes below.
No comments:
Post a Comment