The Reluctant Deckhand

Agnes C. Farrell is an elementary-school teacher in Richmond, B.C.

This package, consisting of a novel, a videotape and a teacher’s
guide, is an excellent resource for teachers of middle elementary grades
who are looking for themes of interest to this age group. It could be
integrated into environmental studies, First Nations studies, and
personal growth and development.

The Reluctant Deckhand tells the story of 10-year-old Tess, who
reluctantly joins her mother for a summer of fishing off the north coast
of Vancouver Island. The relationship between mother and daughter is
explored as they confront a series of challenges.

Having the story told through film and writing provides students with
the opportunity to explore the advantages and disadvantages of each
medium: they can see how feelings and thoughts that are described in the
novel have to be inferred from the characters’ actions and expressions
on film; they can be directed to notice how sound and music are used to
develop this understanding. The animator of the film, Amanda Forbis (who
also provided the illustrations for the novel), explains how animation
is done in a 13-minute documentary included in the video. An excellent
addition to any elementary-school library. Highly recommended