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And Did Those Feet...
"The year Mum died and Dad went mad I was packed off to live on a farm for a while."
Sandy will tell you: he looks like an ordinary kid on the outside, but on the inside, he’s a time bomb. ever since his mum died, and his father started slacking off on the dad front, he’s felt lit-up by a barely-contained rage.
After an ugly showdown at school he gets sent to stay at his aunt and uncle’s taranaki farm. "Going agricultural" is bad enough for a city kid, but worse: his rellies are members of an unusual group who follow the teachings of poet william Blake. Branded "cultie" along with his cousins at the country school, Sandy reckons you can’t go much lower.
Then events on the farm, and at school camp, show Sandy more about his own strengths than he’d ever thought possible.
This is the story of how a boy faces up to a season of disasters: some of his own making, some brought upon him by others. told with gentle humour And did those feet...is an outstanding novel from award-winning writer Ted Dawe.
Sandy will tell you: he looks like an ordinary kid on the outside, but on the inside, he’s a time bomb. ever since his mum died, and his father started slacking off on the dad front, he’s felt lit-up by a barely-contained rage.
After an ugly showdown at school he gets sent to stay at his aunt and uncle’s taranaki farm. "Going agricultural" is bad enough for a city kid, but worse: his rellies are members of an unusual group who follow the teachings of poet william Blake. Branded "cultie" along with his cousins at the country school, Sandy reckons you can’t go much lower.
Then events on the farm, and at school camp, show Sandy more about his own strengths than he’d ever thought possible.
This is the story of how a boy faces up to a season of disasters: some of his own making, some brought upon him by others. told with gentle humour And did those feet...is an outstanding novel from award-winning writer Ted Dawe.
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First published November 1, 2011
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About the author
Ted Dawe
7 books11 followersTed Dawe, who has had a long career as a teacher, stunned readers with his impressive first novel, Thunder Road – winner of the Best First Book Award and Senior Fiction category of the coveted New Zealand Post Children's and Young Adults Book Awards. His subsequent YA novel K Road was published to warm reviews.
Into the River won the supreme Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award at the 2013 NZ Post Children's Book Awards.
Ted lives in Auckland, New Zealand, where he teaches English to foreign students.
Into the River won the supreme Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award at the 2013 NZ Post Children's Book Awards.
Ted lives in Auckland, New Zealand, where he teaches English to foreign students.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 14, 2016
Contrary to the cover design, this book has nothing to do with bees, or buddhist monks (I really thought...).
There were things I really liked about this book. I loved that Sandy's cousins lived in a quirky house. Having grown up in a rural area littered with quirky, hippy houses, it felt very familiar. I loved the camaraderie between the boys, although there was absolutely no character development of any of his cousins #dislike. I liked the interweaving of poems, that kinda thing always gets me.
A few things bugged me though. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how old Sandy was supposed to be. I assumed this was young adult, but he read as a 12/13 year old to me. Just beginning to think about girls, kinda. Still building forts and playing games with his cousins. Yet despite coming across so young, Sandy used words and phrases I would associate with a middle aged man. He was framed as 'funny' but his 'wisecracks' were cliche and painful.
I found the story slow and fairly uninteresting, and the ending, while philosophically sound, was disappointing.
I guess this one just wasn't for me.
There were things I really liked about this book. I loved that Sandy's cousins lived in a quirky house. Having grown up in a rural area littered with quirky, hippy houses, it felt very familiar. I loved the camaraderie between the boys, although there was absolutely no character development of any of his cousins #dislike. I liked the interweaving of poems, that kinda thing always gets me.
A few things bugged me though. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how old Sandy was supposed to be. I assumed this was young adult, but he read as a 12/13 year old to me. Just beginning to think about girls, kinda. Still building forts and playing games with his cousins. Yet despite coming across so young, Sandy used words and phrases I would associate with a middle aged man. He was framed as 'funny' but his 'wisecracks' were cliche and painful.
I found the story slow and fairly uninteresting, and the ending, while philosophically sound, was disappointing.
I guess this one just wasn't for me.
April 17, 2014
Excellent story about facing the hard things in life. Sandy isn't having life easy after his mum dies but he is lucky to have a strong aunt, uncle and family who take him in. Life on the farm is described wonderfully - it reminded me of my rural visits as a townie to my farming friends.
Highly recommended to Y9 & 10, especially readers who don't want a lengthy read - it only took me 3 hours and I enjoyed it.
Highly recommended to Y9 & 10, especially readers who don't want a lengthy read - it only took me 3 hours and I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews