2001 KIND Children's Book Award Recipient

Hurry!
By Harry Hartwick
Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
San Diego: Browndeer Press 2000
(original text © 1972); Ages 4-8
Adapted from Farewell to the Farivox

Set in a dusty Iowa town in 1916, Hurry! is the story of ten-year-old Tom Elston and the legendary animal that eludes him. Peering into a crate at the back of a strange man's wagon, young Tom finds himself gazing into the smiling, softly burning eyes of a mysterious creature. "It talks," the stranger confides, adding that this animal is the last of its kind.

Determined to buy the creature, called a farivox, Tom races off to get the ten dollars it will cost him. "Hurry!" urges a voice in the crate. It will be the last that Tom sees or hears of the farivox, and he-and we-are left wondering whether the face and voice were pure fantasy or those of an extinct species once as real and full of life as the Iowa prairie.

A captivating read with beautiful watercolor illustrations, Hurry! not only introduces students to the issue of endangered species but also becomes a rich source of ideas for research, creative writing, and class discussion.

Other titles worth adding to your shelf:

Other titles worth adding to your shelf:

A Home for Nathan >(Baltimore: William Snyder Foundation for Animals, 1999), by Claudia M. Roll, with illustrations by Finn Rizer; Ages 5-7. “Like all other cats, Nathan has soft fur…and a heart that beats like ours. Nathan might look like an ordinary cat to most people, but there is no such thing as an ordinary cat.” So begins the story of a cross-eyed kitten at the Humane Society of Baltimore County. Follow along as he’s adopted by a shelter volunteer (the author) and goes on to teach kids about responsible pet ownership and the value of caring.

 Unknown (New York: Walker & Company, 2000), by Colin Thompson, illustrated by Anna Pignataro; Ages 3-6. Like A Home for Nathan, this book dispels some common myths about animal shelters and the critters in their care. Meet Grown-Too-Large, Stray, and a whole cast of canine characters named for the reasons that brought them to the shelter. Cowering in a cage among them is Unknown, the shy dog that no one notices. When disaster strikes, this shrinking violet shows her true colors, proving you can’t judge a book by its cover.

 Chewy Louie (Flagstaff, AZ: Rising Moon, 2000), by Howie Schneider; Ages 4-8. Who’d guess a puppy could do so much damage? In this hilarious tale, little Louie practically eats his family out of house and home, even munching through their porch! Then, thankfully, he grows up. (Real-life Louie, the author’s pet, is now a mature 12.) Besides being a fun read and a seriously funny lesson on patience (pets are for life!), the story offers a good opportunity to discuss real solutions to pets’ misbehavior—starting with early and proper training.

 Coyote at Piñon Place (Norwalk, CT:Soundprints, 1999), by Deborah Dennard, with illustrations by John Paul Genzo; Ages 4-8. Take a closeup look at this adaptable animal against a backdrop of vividly illustrated landscapes. Coyote’s adventures are a good springboard for discussion of habitat destruction, human encroachment, animal survival, the role of predators, and the value of natural resources to all living beings.