Lafcadio

Fantasy is my favorite genre of children's books.  Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe (2010) explain that good fantasy books should be believable and consistent, with clearly defined conflict and strong characterization (p. 24).  "Lafcadio", by Shel Silverstein, is definitely one of those "good" fantasy books!

This book is extremely entertaining to read.  It is written from the perspective of "Uncle Shelby", who is speaking to the reader as an old dear friend or family member.  The story is about a lion who was not afraid of the hunters who came to shoot at him.  After an interaction with a hunter, Lafcadio took the hunter's gun and began practicing with it.  He became a pretty expert shot.  He defended his fellow lions from future hunters until one day, a man came to invite him to join human civilization and become part of a circus. The story tells of Lafcadio becoming part of the human world and then later returning home to the jungle.  

Shel Silverstein uses these adorable cartoons to illustrate his book.  All of these cartoons are colorless, but not emotionless.  They give a light fun feel to the text, which is also an entertaining journey with the storyteller.  These pictures expand on the story properly, not merely duplicating what is described in the text (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2010).  

Reader Response Questions:

1. If you were Lafcadio, would you have stayed in the jungle or gone to join the circus as he did?

2. He loved marshmallows! What new or exciting things would you want to try from the human world if you were a lion?

3. At the end of the story Lafcadio gets bored with his fame and fortune.  Why do you think that is?

Motivational Activities:

1. In the conclusion of the story we read about how Lafcadio has forgotten who he is and where he came from.  What are some things that you can do to help you remember where you came from as you travel your different journeys in life?  Write about your ideas.

2. In the story we read about how Lafcadio practiced and practiced each day so that he could become really expert at firing a gun.  Why is practice important?  Write about some things you would like to become expert at and how you think practicing could help you accomplish your goals.

I love Shel Silverstein books.  They are all engaging to young people and usually filled with poetry and laughter.  The stories, like this one, usually have a deeper meaning.  This makes his writings relatable to adults as well as children.

References

Galda, L., Cullinan, B., & Sipe, L. (2010). Literature and the 

     child (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Silverstein, S. (1963) Lafcadio: The lion who shot back. New

     York: Harper & Row.