The Cay by Theodore Taylor, Read by Michael Boatman
The Cay is not only a phenomenal story of friendship and survival, but also lends itself to many cross-curricular activities. Set in the Caribbean just prior to WW2, the book is rich in opportunities to stimulate character-building discussions such as racism, blindness, and respect. I highly recommend this CD for students in grades 5-8.
I listened to this book on CD, at first I was not thrilled with the narrator’s voice, but I soon came to look forward to the wonderful calypso accent of the character Timothy. A 3-hour award-winning novel could easily be listened to in a week.
Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo
Kensuke’s Kingdom is also a story of friendship and survival, but set in the South Pacific 43 years after the bombing of Nagasaki. I read this book after reading The Cay, and wondered how it could stand up to the rich detail of The Cay. The heart of the story is in the second half of the book when Michael comes to understand his fellow castaway, Kensuke. I recommend this book for students in the 4th through 7th grade. A wonderful story, but not as complex for the reader as The Cay.
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