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I just finished reading The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot by Josh Gottsegen with my 8-year-old son and there is so much that hit home with us. The book is told by an aged Rockford T. Honeypot who is recounting his adventures in a busy market. It is obvious that he is clearly famous, but readers will have to dive into the pages of this book to find out why he is so well known in his old age. While the book is a children's adventure story at it's core, there is so much more that young readers will relate with along the way.
Teasing
Too many young people today know what it's like to be teased and jeered by peers simply for the sake of being mean. In Chapter 2, we hear a pretty gut-wrenching tale of how mean the neighborhood bully and Rockford's own brothers were to him growing up. Rockford found solace in his mother's arms, but these experiences being bullied stayed with him throughout his life. He even shared a strategy he used as a child with his mother when he was upset. They had their minute limit.
"After sixty seconds, we would take a deep breath, and just like the sun burns the clouds away, let it all go without giving it one more thought." ~ Rockford T. Honeypot
The pain didn't stop with peers his own age. Rockford also had to grow up with a father that saw him as a failure. My heart broke as Rockford shared his story about his family leaving him. The poor little chipmunk was all alone in the world and had to find a way to make it on his own.
Overcoming Fears
Rockford has a lot of fears and insecurities for a little chipmunk. While he craves adventure and dreams of doing daring new things, his own worries about the world around him can be a lot for him to overcome. My son has dealt with his own struggles battling some mild anxieties and he really related to Rockford in this respect. It's natural for kids to worry about things they haven't seen or tried before. Rockford T. Honeypot puts this into action for kids to see that they are not alone in being scared and, perhaps even more importantly, when they face their fears, some amazing things can happen!
"Curiosity is an extraordinary ingredient in our lives. It can lead to new ideas, new friends, and to the orchids hidden deep in the swamp." ~ Rockford T. Honeypot
The Power of Friendship
Having true friends - friends who believe in you and help you along the way - is a rare and beautiful gift. Along the way in his adventures, Rockford meets a number of friends who help him along the way and allow him to learn more about himself. While Rockford had difficulties in his youth with relationships with his peers and his father, he quickly finds that all animals aren't the same. Some people are there to offer you an opportunity to come work in their restaurant while others rescue you on a mountainside and the care for you as one of their own. Along the way of life you meet people who will pass quickly in and out of your life and others who are with you for the long haul, but each lives footprints on your soul and become a part of your story.
Looking for some fun coloring pages of Rockford and his friends to enjoy along with the book? Find them here!
My Final Thoughts
We really enjoyed following along with Rockford T. Honeypot on his adventures! At 8, my son was probably a little too young to read the book independently as it is a bit long for his age, but he looked forward to our nightly read aloud sessions and the book had many valuable lessons that we were able to talk about as we read together. If you're considering this as an independent read, I would say upper elementary school should be able to handle it without a problem. While it's a children's book, parents will become engrossed in the stories of Rockford T. Honeypot as well and maybe be reminded of a few lessons we've learned along the way too.
The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot can be found on both paperback and Kindle.
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