Esio Trot
on Goodreads (45,795)
What’s inside...
Esio Trot is a charming tale about Mr. Hoppy, an elderly man who is secretly in love with his downstairs neighbor, Mrs. Silver. Mrs. Silver is distraught that her tortoise, Alfie, doesn't grow, so Mr. Hoppy devises a clever plan to make it seem like the tortoise is growing, in hopes of winning Mrs. Silver's affection. Using a magical spell, some cabbage leaves, and one hundred and forty tortoises, Mr. Hoppy attempts to win Mrs. Silver's heart.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
7-12
Length
80 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think made Mr. Hoppy come up with his clever plan for Mrs. Silver's tortoise?
How do you feel about the way Mr. Hoppy treats Mrs. Silver and her tortoise? Do you think his actions were right or wrong?
If you were Mrs. Silver, how would you react upon finding out about Mr. Hoppy’s plan?
What lessons can we learn about kindness and honesty from the story?
How important is it to be truthful to your friends? How does this story help us understand that?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressions and voice variations to mimic the characters as you discuss their actions and motives, making the conversation livelier.
Ask your child to imagine alternate endings based on different character choices, fostering creative thinking.
Encourage your child to relate personal experiences, if any, to the story’s events or characters, enhancing personal connection and empathy.
Discuss the relationship between Mr. Hoppy, Mrs. Silver, and the tortoise, focusing on feelings, trust, and friendship.
Highlight the moral dilemmas presented in the story, and ask how your child might handle similar situations in real life.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of kindness and compassion
Explanation: In 'Esio Trot', Mr. Hoppy's deep affection for Mrs. Silver drives him to help her make her tortoise grow. His actions are motivated by kindness and the desire to see Mrs. Silver happy.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to foster kindness by helping others in their community or friends at school, aiming to make a positive impact on others’ happiness.
Example Lesson: Creativity and problem-solving
Explanation: Mr. Hoppy creatively devises a plan to switch tortoises to make it appear as though Mrs. Silver's pet is growing, showing impressive problem-solving skills.
Real-World Application: Kids can use creative thinking to solve everyday problems, whether it's coming up with a way to organize their toys or finding a new game to play with friends.
Example Lesson: Patience and perseverance
Explanation: The story demonstrates that patience is crucial through Mr. Hoppy’s quietly dedicated plan, which required time and careful actions to achieve the desired outcome.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by understanding the value of patience in accomplishing tasks such as learning a new skill or building a project.
Example Lesson: Respect for others' feelings
Explanation: Throughout 'Esio Trot', Mr. Hoppy is considerate of Mrs. Silver’s feelings, which is evident in his gentle approach towards helping her without imposing too much.
Real-World Application: This can teach children to always consider how their actions affect others and to handle interactions with empathy and respect.