Zoe Weil

After balancing on the edge of science fiction, this read dives into adventure, heroism, and making the world a better place.

Claude and Medea are in the same class but don't have anything to do with each other. When a strange substitute teacher enters the classroom, not only are surprises guaranteed but her words pack food-for-thought. Both Claude and Medea find themselves more touched by the words than most of their classmates. This heads into an unexpected friendship. Despite the secrets show more each wants to hide, walls drop when they run across a situation, they can't ignore. Soon, Claude and Medea are working together to solve a crime, which will take more than just a few good intentions to crack.

While this read is short, it is jammed full. It starts with Claude, letting his life and personality gain footing with the reader before the odd teacher steps in. Then, Medea gets her chance to shine, although this takes a bit more time. Told in third person, both characters gain depth and personality, and both are easy to root for. It's inspiring to watch how their two, very-different worlds meld together in time to the growing tension of the plot. It makes for a nice balance and keeps the story interesting the entire way through.

Claude and Medea might have to work together to catch a dangerous criminal, but the tension and excitement rotating around that plot-string is only one layer of the tale. The author begins with the strange teacher, who almost tips things into science fiction but shifts into another direction and hits themes surrounding the environment, kindness, and dealing with the world around us. Just when it starts sinking heavily into pointed messages, it shifts again. In some ways, it left a few strings feeling unaddressed...as if casting a wide net to hit many aspects. Still, the increasing pace pushes through and makes it hard to put the read down.

Summed up, this tale hits a huge span of modern concerns, sows seeds of thought, adds a bit of humor, and heads into adventure with tension, too. And all of that in a concise page amount, which won't scare more reluctant readers away. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the short, fast-paced adventure. show less

I think everyone should read this book--especially parents. It caused me to do some deep thinking. I'm going to try and be more mindful of my decisions too. It isn't overly judgmental so don't let that scare you away (although she is obviously vegetarian/vegan and feels pretty strongly about that choice). I haven't finished reading through all the older age sections yet since my kids are only four and two months...but I skimmed them. It's the kind of book I'll want to pull out to remind show more myself and reinforce the messages. show less

“Is your life the message you want it to be?”

(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review at the publisher's invitation.)

CLAUDE AND MEDEA: THE HELLBURN DOGS is the inspiring story of two children who, with the help of a quirky substitute teacher, find the strength and courage to become heroes.

Claude and Medea, the protagonists of the tale (tail?), hail from very different backgrounds, though both attend the same prestigious private school. Their young lives take a show more new, unexpected turn when Ms. Flora Rattlebee fills in for their homeroom teacher for one brief yet eventful week. Without revealing too much of the plot, let's just say that Ms. Rattlebee's consciousness-raising couldn't come at a better time, fatefully coinciding with a rash of Manhattan dog-nappings.

Author Zoe Weil has created an enjoyable, progressive, truly family-friendly children's book. She covers quite a bit of ground, including in her story lessons about speciesism, racism, classism, sizeism, sexism, nepotism, environmentalism, poverty and privilege, bullying, slavery, child labor, littering, endangered species, and civil disobedience. And it's no wonder: Ms. Weil serves as president of the Institute for Humane Education, a non-profit organization that is "dedicated to creating a humane world through humane education," for example, by developing training programs for future Ms. (and Mr.!) Rattlebees.

While this is Zoe Weil's first work of fiction, the subtitle hints at a possible CLAUDE AND MEDEA series. I feel a bit silly saying as much (at 29 years of age and all), but THE HELLBURN DOGS left me with quite a few unanswered questions. Will Claude and Medea again cross paths with Ms. Rattlebee? Will their covert friendship ever see the light of Worthington? What's the deal with the myopic (as in both near-sighted and narrow-minded) Mr. Frool? And, most importantly, will our heroes continue their adventures in direct action? I must know!

During her final class with the students of Worthington, Ms. Rattlebee asked the children to write an essay in response the following question:

"Is your life the message you want it to be?"

She then instructed the students to fold up their essays and place them in self-addressed envelopes:

"Some time, when you least expect it, you'll receive it in the mail. When you do, open it up and read what you wrote, and notice what you think about it, and how you feel. Pay attention to whether you have made your life more the message you want it to be."

I can't help but wonder what Austin, Penelope, Bill, Brent, Meena, Samantha, and the rest of Ms. Rattlebee's seventh-grade homeroom class will be up to when they unwittingly receive the long-forgotten missives from their past selves.

Would that all our lives be touched by a Ms. Rattlebee. Methinks the world would be a much kinder, gentler, more livable place.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2007/06/07/book-review-claude-and-medea-by-zoe-weil-20... show less

First parenting book I've read (which is not saying much) that has made the connection between compassion and responsibility, and also stresses that you must model the behavior and beliefs you wish your children to learn. Very much appreciated, especially the sections on Weil's 3 Rs: respect, responsibility, and reverence. Loved it, will be buying my own copy to refer to and loan out.