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Call It Courage

Call It Courage

By Armstrong Sperry
Level 6
Review:

This short Newbery Medal winner is an interesting and well-written book. Mafatu, the son of a chief on an island of seafaring people, is deeply afraid of the ocean. After being taunted and looked down on, Mafatu finally decides to face his fears and starts out on a journey that will become a legend. It is sad that Mafatu’s desires to do “great things,” such as kill a wild pig, focus around what other people will think of him and how they will praise him, but that was a center of his society. I did not feel the book really had a good moral message, but it does not contain objectionable material, and it teaches a lot about the culture of the people. I do not recommend the book for children under 10 as it does have some scary parts with “people eaters.”

(Reviewed by Jenny Phillips)

Genre Fiction
Digital Format Audiobook, E-book
  • Audiobook
  • E-Book
  • 4.5 Entertainment Value
  • 1 Moral Value
  • 5 Educational Value
  • 4.5 Literary Value
Rating System

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Entertainment Value

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Moral Value

All books on The Good and the Beautiful Book List are deemed appropriate and wholesome, but some books have more emphasis on moral principles than others. A lower rating for moral value does not mean the book is inappropriate; it only means that moral values are not as highly emphasized.

Educational Value

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Literary Value

Books that score high in literary value include exceptional writing, use of literary devices, and a rich vocabulary. All books on The Good and the Beautiful Book List are well-written, but some have a higher literary value than others.

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