The Old Man and the C
by Carole Jean Tremblay
Ill: Angela Donato
Pineapple Press
Ill: Angela Donato
Pineapple Press
Meet Charlie. He's never been the luckiest fisherman on the coast, just the oldest (and to hear him tell it, the smartest). Charlie's dream is to catch the biggest fish in the sea, so when Roger down at the bait shop announces the first annual Fish-or-Cut-Bait Fishing Tournament, Charlie signs up. In his trusty rowboat, the C-Worthy, with a squishy, squirmy little worm on his hook, Charlie goes to sea and sits patiently waiting for a Big Fish. But what he catches--after the battle of his lifetime--is not only a surprise to Charlie but to everyone at Roger's Bait and Supply Shop. Unlike Hemingway's hero, Charlie turns his quest for a big fish into an amusing adventure that involves a bad case of the hiccups. Charlie turns his discouragement into triumph. This is a story of optimism, perseverance ... and fisherman's luck.
EDITORIAL REVIEW:
About the Author
Carole Jean Tremblay was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. She graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in French. She has taught both French and English in elementary schools and has written eleven books for teaching English, which are used throughout Quebec, Canada. Three children and two grandsons later, she and her husband divide their time between Florida and Quebec. She has tried, but she has never caught a big fish.
Angela Donato is a freelance illustrator living in Sarasota, Florida. She has also illustrated The Runaway Bed by Martha Newcomer and Faith’s Journey by Christine Verney Isaac.
Reading of The Old Man and the C for broadcast on StoryTime, South Florida Educational TV.
REVIEWS
The Reading Tub
Title: THE OLD MAN AND THE C
Author: Carole Jean Tremblay
Illustrator: Angela Donato
Publisher: Pineapple Press, ©2006
Material: hard cover
Summary: Charlie may not have the fanciest boat. The C-Worthy is a little leaky. He may not have much luck as a fisherman. He only catches the "little ones." But he knows he is the smartest fisherman. So when Roger announces a fishing contest, Charlie is determined to win! At the sound of "go" he heads to his secret hiding spot to catch the biggest fish. Luck! A blue marlin bites! For two hours Charlie has been working to reel him in. Can he do it? This is a fishing tale with life lessons for children.
Type of Reading: bedtime story, family reading, anytime reading, read aloud book, middle reader
Recommended Age: read together: 6 to 10; read alone: 8 to 12
Age of Child: Shared with a 6-year-old girl.
Little Kid Reaction: Our child liked this book. Because of the amount of text, we split it up over two readings. She particularly loved participating in the story ... as a boat engine, rocking on the boat, etc.
Big Kid Reaction: This is a fun story to read. You find yourself rooting for Charlie right away! Although the book isn't divided into chapters, it is easy to parse if you want or need to. The lesson about winning ... and carefully reading the rules should not be missed!
Pros: The story is one that kids (even non-fisherman) can appreciate. The author's style makes it easy to create an interactive tale.
Cons: None.
Borrow or Buy: Borrow, at least. This is a story that pre-readers will enjoy hearing. Elementary students (pre-readers and skilled readers alike) will also enjoy the story and may well appreciate the subtleties more.
L’Étoile
Carole Jean Tremblay publie
Le mercredi 18 octobre 006
Carole Jean Tremblay présente son premier récit pour enfants The old man and the C, adaptation libre de l’œuvre d’Hemmingway. « En atelier de lecture, un jour, quelqu’un a suggéré que nous lisions The old man and the sea, j’ai eu l’idée de faire un jeu de mot avec celui-ci et ceci donna The old man and the C » a déclaré l’auteure qui habite Vaudreuil-Dorion depuis 1968. Carole Jean Tremblay a écrit neuf manuels de l’enseignement de l’anglais. En 2004, elle publie son premier roman politique pour adultes Cybercash publié aux États-Unis, et, il y a 5 ans, on lui remet le Grand Prix littéraire de la Montérégie pour le texte Si la neige était rouge. The old man and the C ISBN 1-56164-354-8 est disponible sur Internet sur le site d’amazone Canada. Il est possible de le commander auprès de sa librairie préférée ou en téléphonant au 1-800-746-3275.
BARNES&NOBLE:
***** A reviewer
A cute fishing story for children that adults will enjoy, too. It's about an old fisherman who sets out to win a fishing tournament hoping to catch the biggest fish in the sea. He encounters some problems along the way but ends up winning the contest in a very interesting way by catching a golden C. He ends up winning the tournament and because he did, in the future the rules for the tournament will have to be changed The wonderful use of adjectives makes the story more interesting and easy to picture in your mind even without looking at the wonderful illustrations in the book. An enjoyable book to read with or to your children or grandchildren, especially those who love to fish.
AMAZON:
By Midwest Book Review on May 12, 2007
Format: Hardcover
French and English elementary teacher Carole Jean Tremblay presents The Old Man and the C, a children's picturebook about Charlie, an old man who has been fishing for so long he resembles King Neptune more than a little. Entering the annual Fish-or-Cut-Bait Fishing Tournament, Charlie sets out on a quest for the ultimate big fish. But what he actually hooks is a golden letter C - a prize so unique that will change the very rules of next year's tournament! The slightly text-heavy story is ideal for young children who have graduated from easy reader picturebooks and are ready for wordier fare, and the soft color illustrations bring the impression and feel of the open sea to the page. Especially recommended for reading aloud and sharing with young fishing enthusiasts.
By J. Kiester on March 11, 2011
Format: Hardcover
As an educator (31 years) and author of books on writing and grammar, I have read a plethora of books written for children. The Old Man and the C is one of the more delightful ones! Ms. Tremblay's command of language and description paints a word picture as vivid as the enchanting illustrations. Her skillful use of original metaphors and similes such as "vegetable-brush beard" or "wake looked like skaters' trails on a winter lake" adds to the charm of her well-written story.
While The Old Man and the C does contain a few sophisticated vocabulary words beyond the level of a beginning reader, the clear context will allow a younger reader to decode them easily. This story would be ideal to read aloud to a pre-school child and to be read alone by a 3rd grader. The plot loosely resembles Hemingway's tale with a twist at the end. The entire book is a play on the sound of the letter "C." I highly recommend this book to anyone of any age who likes a cute tale with lots of vivid description supplemented by charming pictures.
Jane Kiester
Retired Teacher and Author of the Grammar with a Giggle series (7 books), Blowing Away the State Writing Assessment Test, and Teach Spelling So It Sticks.
5 stars
By AJ on November 30, 2007
Format: Hardcover
I found that The Old Man and the C is a fun story to read to pre-schoolers, and, I suspect, an adventure exciting enough to hold the interest of young readers. The story begins a bit like the classic- with an old fisherman who sets out to catch the biggest fish in the sea. But then it dishes out one surprise after another, until the final triumphant ending!
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