About This Book
Chris Van Dusen's 'Hattie and Hudson' tells the heartwarming story of Hattie, a curious explorer who discovers a giant, friendly creature in her lake. While the townspeople react with fear and hostility, Hattie sees Hudson's kind eyes and forms a deep friendship. This book beautifully explores themes of empathy, courage, and the importance of looking beyond appearances. It's a wonderful read-aloud for ages 4-8, sparking conversations about judging others, embracing differences, and standing up for what's right.
Hattie McFadden is a born explorer. Every morning she grabs her life jacket and paddles out in her canoe to discover something new on the lake, singing a little song on her way. When her singing draws up from the depths a huge mysterious beast, everyone in town is terrified except Hattie, who looks into the creature s friendly, curious eyes and knows that this is no monster. So Hattie sneaks out at night to see the giant whom she names Hudson and the two become friends. But how can she make the frightened, hostile townspeople see that Hudson isn t scary or dangerous at all?
Scary Scenes
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Discussion Prompts
1
How did the townspeople feel when they first saw Hudson? Why do you think they felt that way?
2
What made Hattie different from the other townspeople? How did she show bravery?
3
Have you ever met someone who seemed scary or different at first, but turned out to be kind?
4
What does it mean to be a good friend, like Hattie is to Hudson?
5
What can we learn from Hattie about accepting others who are different from us?
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