Poppy by Avi
What a wonderful story. I picked this up to do a book talk for third grader’s at my library. I was concerned about finishing it in a few days but I had no problems because I didn’t want to put this book down. My husband laughed when I said I was going to sit down and read for just 7 or 8 minutes.
A wonderful story of bravery and courage. Poppy and her family live near a forest and Mr. Ocax, the horned owl rules the forest. Poppy’s boyfriend, Ragweed, becomes Mr. Ocax’s dinner after he and Poppy go up to Bannock Hill without Mr. Ocax’s permission. Mr. Ocax claims that he protects the mice from procupines. When Poppy’s family must move because they are running out of food in the old Grey House, Mr. Ocax refuses to let them move, and Poppy must set out on a wonderful journey to see if the New House is really worth her family’s move. Along the way, Poppy meets up with a dreaded porcupine who ends up not being so horrible after all.
This isn’t just about Poppy’s journey, it’s also about Mr. Ocax, who has bullied the mice for years, getting his comeuppance.
