Book Suggestion: The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot

July 30, 2020

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book, but have not been compensated for this post. My thoughts and words are my own.

Summers are generally the time for adventures. This summer has been different for a lot of us. While our quest for adventures has turned virtual, our desire for them have not diminished.

As an English teacher, I’m a big advocate of getting lost in books. Some of my favorite stories like The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, and Watership Down are tales where you follow the journey of a character. A new book that we can now add to that list? The Adventures of Rockford T Honeypot.

While the previously named titles are books for upper middle school/ high school aged kids, Rockford T Honeypot is an adventure story aimed at kids aged 8-14. But guess what – it is a fun read for parents as well.

Here’s the official synopsis of the book: “As a young chipmunk, shy, bookish Rockford T. Honeypot had dreams of thrilling adventures across the forest. However, timid of danger and germs, his only adventures were found in books and his imagination. When his family abandons him after a mistake that destroys their hazelnut business, Rockford sets off on a legendary journey beyond his wildest dreams. From exploring cuisines with a famous chef, training with ancient warrior monks, flying on giant hawks, finding true love, and much more, Rockford recounts his epic origin story of hardship, perseverance, and fortune.”

Add This to Your Home Library

Who doesn’t like origin stories? My mom used to read to me a lot when I was a kid. (Truthfully, as an adult she still likes to read articles to me or record portions of books for my kids.) My favorite stories were always the beginning of the journey. In addition, I loved stories where the characters were animals – I loved how authors personified them and used a different lens to highlight some commons trials and tribulations that we all find in life. Rockford’s origin is one that will capture the imagination of your kids.

There’s also something to be said of the design of a book. Any adventure is made up of a series of events – and whether you are reading to your child or they are reading the book on their own, it is nice to have convenient starting and stopping places.

The chapters are short enough that you can accommodate the chants of “One more chapter!” that usually fill the air before bed or whenever reading time is.

Here’s the other cool thing about this book – kids will see that Rockford learns a lot about himself as the journey rolls on – as do the younger animals with whom he shares his tales. Fiction is one of the safest ways to hold a mirror to our own lives. Some of the best talks about life that I’ve ever had as a kid (or with kids) has usually occurred after a literary piece.

Additional Activities

Here’s the other cool thing about Josh Gottsegen’s debut novel. There are a number of ways to participate in the story. The first one is obviously just reading the tale. But there are coloring pages, recipes, crafts and other activities that the book can inspire you to do with your kids. Several instructions are linked below for you to try out.

In the meantime, I would highly recommend you checking out The Adventures is Rockford T. Honeypot by Scott Gottsegen. Join the journey of this wayward chipmunk and see what adventures you and your family embark on and the lessons you learn.

Order Links:
Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/0990927059
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-adventures-of-rockford-t-honeypot/id1507811761

Also, stay tuned as I plan on introducing some more books to the Captain’s Reading Club here on Indy’s Child. Do you have a suggestion or are you an author? Send me an email to the address below. Thanks!

Creed Anthony is a husband, father of two, teacher, and writer. He enjoys quiet moments with his family – although quiet is a relative term. His children are 9 (the boy) and 12 (the girl) and his pride for them is without bounds. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Creed enjoys visiting new, fun, family-friendly places in Indy. He is a Cleveland sports fanatic, comic book fan, avid movie watcher, and loves to write. In his spare time, he serves as the organizer for the Indy Dads Group. You can find Creed online as “The Captain” at My Captain’s Log (3 time nominee for the Iris Awards “Dad Blog of the Year”) or on Twitter and Instagram. He is also he only dad blogger “endorsed” by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He would love to hear your suggestions of fun events with the kids – or dates with the wife! – around Indy. Send them to him at [email protected].