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Claude and Medea: The Hellburn Dogs
Claude and Medea aren't expecting an odd substitute teacher to change their lives. Nor are they anticipating the dangerous adventure in store for them. They seem like normal kids. But are they? Claude has famous parents and sticks to the rules. Medea's got a scholarship to a fancy private school and can't get in trouble. How is it that they are thrown together, trying to outsmart Manhattan criminals? And why do they care so much about the weird Ms. Rattlebee? Find out what makes this unlikely pair begin to view the world differently, and to risk everything. Claude and The Hellburn Dogs is a riveting story that will make kids eager for more while offering them true heroes for today's world. This is a book that gives kids not only what they most want but also what they most need―protagonists who embody courage, compassion, and care.
112 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Zoe Weil
15 books63 followersZoe Weil is the co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education (IHE), where she created the first graduate programs (M.Ed., M.A., Ed.D., Graduate Certificate) in comprehensive Humane Education linking human rights, environmental sustainability, and animal protection, offered online through an affiliation with Antioch University.
Zoe is a frequent keynote speaker and has given six TEDx talks including her acclaimed TEDx, The World Becomes What You Teach. She is the author of seven books including "The Solutionary Way: Transform Your Life, Your Community and the World for the Better;" #1 Amazon best seller in the Philosophy and Social Aspects of Education, "The World Becomes What We Teach: Educating a Generation of Solutionaries;" Nautilus silver medal winner "Most Good, Least Harm;" Moonbeam gold medal winner "Claude and Medea;" and "Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times."
Zoe is the 2023 recipient of the Spirit of America award and was named one of Maine Magazine’s 50 independent leaders transforming their communities and the state. She is the recipient of the Unity College Women in Environmental Leadership award, a subject of the Americans Who Tell the Truth portrait series, and was inducted into the Animal Rights hall of fame.
Zoe holds master’s degrees from Harvard Divinity School and the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Valparaiso University.
Zoe is a frequent keynote speaker and has given six TEDx talks including her acclaimed TEDx, The World Becomes What You Teach. She is the author of seven books including "The Solutionary Way: Transform Your Life, Your Community and the World for the Better;" #1 Amazon best seller in the Philosophy and Social Aspects of Education, "The World Becomes What We Teach: Educating a Generation of Solutionaries;" Nautilus silver medal winner "Most Good, Least Harm;" Moonbeam gold medal winner "Claude and Medea;" and "Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times."
Zoe is the 2023 recipient of the Spirit of America award and was named one of Maine Magazine’s 50 independent leaders transforming their communities and the state. She is the recipient of the Unity College Women in Environmental Leadership award, a subject of the Americans Who Tell the Truth portrait series, and was inducted into the Animal Rights hall of fame.
Zoe holds master’s degrees from Harvard Divinity School and the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Valparaiso University.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 8, 2023
This children's book seemed to consist of two parts: the food for thought and moral part, and then the action part based on what the children learned. Both parts were satisfying. It is also a story where two children learn how to be friends in spite of their differences, and begin to think about their own part in the world.
I would like to read any other children's books this author has written.
I would like to read any other children's books this author has written.
October 14, 2013
“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 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/...
(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 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/...
May 16, 2023
Reading this book as an adult, I wish I could travel back and time and deliver a copy to my 10-year-old self. I think Claude and Medea and their adventures model what I was looking for at that time in my life: inspiration for how to channel my anxieties and uncertainties about the world into action.
And, while this book is not solely focused on animals and veganism, I have to imagine the ideas in it would have encouraged younger me to examine my relationship with eating animals sooner. As someone who went vegan in her 20s, I still wish it hadn't taken me until adulthood to discover that not eating animals better aligns with how I want to live my life. I just wasn't really exposed to the idea until college, and this book could have been the gentle introduction years earlier.
And, while this book is not solely focused on animals and veganism, I have to imagine the ideas in it would have encouraged younger me to examine my relationship with eating animals sooner. As someone who went vegan in her 20s, I still wish it hadn't taken me until adulthood to discover that not eating animals better aligns with how I want to live my life. I just wasn't really exposed to the idea until college, and this book could have been the gentle introduction years earlier.
December 12, 2011
While Claude and Medea’s main story is nothing new—bumbling baddies dognapping pooches—the trail the story follows to get there is a breath of fresh air in juvenile literature.
Weil not only features characters of a variety of ethnicities, but also of different economic backgrounds, which is not often seen in kid lit.
Claude and Medea are two very different children who are affected in a profound way by Ms. Rattlebee, an unusual substitute teacher. Ms. Rattlebee speaks in a squeaky voice and wears unusual clothes, but she challenges her students to think about their choices and the world around them. The author is herself a humane education teacher and no doubt weaves some of her own curricula into the story. Ms. Rattlebee’s inspiration leads the duo to crack a dog theft case that has their city befuddled.
Weil’s main characters and dialogue are realistic. (The bad guys are more of the cartoon variety, but perhaps this was done intentionally so as not to frighten sensitive youngsters.) I liked that Weil acknowledged that not all people react the same way to troubling information. For example, when Ms. Rattlebee discusses children forced to work in sweatshops in other nations, Claude is deeply upset by this information. Yet,
Claude was amazed that the other boys at the table…didn’t seem similarly upset. Not only that, they were making fun of Ms. Rattlebee.
Good for Weil to acknowledge this as well as the fact that being a kid who cares about the world can be a lonely place.
There are a couple of aspects of this book that worry me that it won’t get the wide exposure it deserves. The first is the fact that the cover design makes Claude and Medea look more like a juvenile fiction book from thirty years ago rather than the 21st century. It concerns me that the “tween” audience will reject it on its outdated look alone. My second concern is the word “Hellburn” in the title. That’s not exactly a common term to be found in the children’s book section, which may cause some overprotective parents to give the veto. That’s a shame, because this truly is a well-written, values-positive book that will be enjoyed by a wide variety of readers.
I purchased this book for my library.
Weil not only features characters of a variety of ethnicities, but also of different economic backgrounds, which is not often seen in kid lit.
Claude and Medea are two very different children who are affected in a profound way by Ms. Rattlebee, an unusual substitute teacher. Ms. Rattlebee speaks in a squeaky voice and wears unusual clothes, but she challenges her students to think about their choices and the world around them. The author is herself a humane education teacher and no doubt weaves some of her own curricula into the story. Ms. Rattlebee’s inspiration leads the duo to crack a dog theft case that has their city befuddled.
Weil’s main characters and dialogue are realistic. (The bad guys are more of the cartoon variety, but perhaps this was done intentionally so as not to frighten sensitive youngsters.) I liked that Weil acknowledged that not all people react the same way to troubling information. For example, when Ms. Rattlebee discusses children forced to work in sweatshops in other nations, Claude is deeply upset by this information. Yet,
Claude was amazed that the other boys at the table…didn’t seem similarly upset. Not only that, they were making fun of Ms. Rattlebee.
Good for Weil to acknowledge this as well as the fact that being a kid who cares about the world can be a lonely place.
There are a couple of aspects of this book that worry me that it won’t get the wide exposure it deserves. The first is the fact that the cover design makes Claude and Medea look more like a juvenile fiction book from thirty years ago rather than the 21st century. It concerns me that the “tween” audience will reject it on its outdated look alone. My second concern is the word “Hellburn” in the title. That’s not exactly a common term to be found in the children’s book section, which may cause some overprotective parents to give the veto. That’s a shame, because this truly is a well-written, values-positive book that will be enjoyed by a wide variety of readers.
I purchased this book for my library.
January 27, 2024
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 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.
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 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.
January 17, 2009
So far, very good...
January 21, 2011
This was a great book about two kids who meet their strange teacher, Ms. Rattlebee, and everything changes for them. It has a wonderful message and tells the truth about animal testing.
May 30, 2014
Excellent. Perfect for middle school. Well done Zoe Weil.
May 17, 2023
I loved this book! As a dog lover, I was riveted. I hope teachers use this book in their classrooms. Kids need to realize what a difference they can make in the world.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews