Module 6: Hooway for Wodney Wat

Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester

Book Cover Image:

Book Summary:

In Hooway for Wodney Wat, Helen Lester creates an unlikely hero.  Rodney Rat has a problem; he can’t pronounce his r’s.  His classmates tease him about his speech impediment to the point that Rodney hides inside his jacket and eats lunch alone.  Then one day, Rodney’s classmates get a taste of their own medicine in the form of Camilla Capybara, who is bigger, meaner, and smarter than everyone else.  When recess rolls around, Rodney’s name is drawn to be the leader in a game of Simon Says.  Unaware that Rodney can’t pronounce his r’s, Camilla Capybara looks foolish when she misunderstands Rodney’s directions.  Rodney ends the game by telling the students to “go west.”  Camilla heads west, while the rest of the students collapse for a rest.  Rodney becomes the school hero after ridding the school of the dreadful Camilla Capybara.     

APA Reference of Book:

Lester, H. (1999). Hooway for Wodney Wat. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 

Impressions:

The reader can’t help but root for the underdog or under-rat in this case.  Rodney is so incredibly miserable about his inability to pronounce his r’s that it has shaped his whole personality; he visibly cowers inside his jacket and barely speaks.  When his classmates tease and bully him, you can’t help but wish that someone would step in and teach them a lesson.  Then Camilla Capybara stomps through the classroom door with her huge pink bow and out-of-place girlie pink dress.  This image crafted by Lynn Munsinger is priceless, and it’s this picture that comes to mind whenever I hear the book title Hooway for Wodney Wat.  Outsize Camilla Capybara gives Rodney’s former bullies a taste of their own medicine as she accidently-on-purpose tramples anyone in her path.  The author’s decision to vanquish Camilla Capybara with a game of Simon Says is unexpected but entertaining.  Camilla is so sure she’s the smartest rodent around but ends up looking foolish when she misunderstands Rodney’s mispronounced directions to “weed the sign, wake the leaves, and go west”.  Kids will get a kick out of Camilla pulling up weeds around the sign instead of reading it, yelling to wake up different leaves, and eventually heading off into the westward sunset.  Rodney makes an adorable pintsize hero, and the reader can’t help joining in to cheer, “Hooway for Wodney Wat! Woot! Woot! Wooty-toot-toot!” 

Professional Review:

Horn Book Magazine

“This author-artist team's latest foray into celebrations of differences (Tacky the Penguin, etc,) brings us Rodney Rat, a small rodent who can't pronounce his rs. His classmates' taunting has turned "Wodney" into the shyest, most miserable kid in school. "His squeak could barely be heard in class. He gnawed his lunch alone. And while the other rodents scurried and scooted about at recess, Wodney hid inside his jacket." Along comes salvation in the unlikely form of a new rodent, the mean and disruptive bully Camilla Capybara. Because she doesn't know about Wodney's speech impediment, she takes his orders in "Simon Says" literally, weeding instead of reading, waking leaves instead of raking them, and, crucially, going west instead of taking a rest. Having vanquished Camilla, Wodney is now a hero. Wodney's transformation is beautifully underscored in Munsinger's humorous, expressive illustrations: he gradually changes from hunched-over and cowering to tall and empowered, shouting instructions "in a voice so strong he had to hold his own ears." It's particularly nice that Wodney doesn't have to overcome his speech impediment to be liked; in fact, it's the impediment itself and Wodney's clever use of it that foils the villain and earns his classmates' admiration.”

Parravano, M. V. (1999, July/August). [Review of the book Hooway for Wodney Wat, by H. Lester].  Horn Book Magazine, (75)4, 457. Retrieved from http://archive.hbook.com/magazine/

Library Uses:

Elementary School Library

Hooway for Wodney Wat is the perfect segue into a discussion about bullying.  The picture book illustrates two different types of bullying, physical intimidation and teasing.  The librarian can discuss with students how being bullied makes others feel isolated and sad and use Rodney Rat as an example.  Also, since a game of Simon Says probably won’t be successful in defeating a bully, students can brainstorm actions they can take when confronted with a bully situation.  Another option is to have students perform a reader’s theater version of the book which is available for printout from various websites including: http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com /readerstheater/HoowayforWodneyWat.html