Hermipedia Feature: Hermit Living
What is life like for Hermit on Hermit Island, and how is Hermit Living different?
First, Hermit life means one must have basic skills to survive on Hermit Island, such as how to build a fire, hunt, catch fish, construct a shelter, sculpt and carve tools, and how to grow and harvest crops for food and other essentials.
Since Hermit Island is full of wildlife, including dangerous predators, Hermit living requires years of awareness, agility, strength and wits. Many of Hermit Island living predators roam at nightfall, and this demands needs to calculate the time of day by sun, as well as navigate direction to be home and safe timely.
Hermit life means Hermit must finish all necessary chores before sunset, be back at Clam House Clearing, tuck into his clam shell, draw his step ladder inside, and seal the clam shut for safety.
Hermit living takes planning, intelligence and adaptability as Hermit shows by cleverly using the slippery and angled clam shell for housing. The roaming gitchoos cannot climb the sides of the shell, and the shell mouth squeezes together, keeping out zingos, while giving life air to breath.
Hermit found those giant shells in the deep water of Hermit Bay riding and swimming with Kasha for many years. They were perfect man cave-clam caves. Kasha, Sasha and their seahorse friends helped Hermit lift the shells from the water, and push them to the clearing.
Hermit living keeps Hermit busy, and he gets moments here and there to remember his past. Sometimes, Hermit throws his spear like a javelin for practice, and he admires his own strength. For his small size and years, he is able to throw it many yards across the meadow, and with supreme accuracy.
Hermit imagines himself in a life dressed in armour, with roaring crowds applauding his athletic prowess. He hears them cheer as they rise to their feet in the stands. This life seems real, and not just a day dream.
As he throws his jute lasso over one shoulder, and walks across the field to retrieve his spear, the crowd noise dissipates, and the dream life clears. He pulls his spear from the grass, and looks out from the field over the hills to the water of Hermit Bay. It is beautiful. The sand glistens in the sun, and the water sloshes up to the rocks.
I know that we’re talking “children’s book” here but … this certainly captures my imagination. Maybe it’s the kid in me. 🙂
What a great thing to hear! We are definitely trying to spark appeal to the parents as well as the kids, because parents have to read and buy books, right? Plus you want to sit together with your kids, and really enjoy it. It brings out the kid in us too, by the way;) Thank you for such a lovely comment!
You learn so much reading these pieces of your book. And like “Small Footprint” says, this really captures the imagination. I’ve said before, these excerpts are really sweet and peaceful. I can see them being read in classrooms after recess, to calm the little ones down, or at home before nap time. 🙂
Rhonda, you are so thoughtful. Thank you so much for that:)
Hermit sounds a lot like a couple of little boys who lived in my house… Now they’re teenagers, and working on making their dreams reality. Great story! 🙂
Oh, I like that so much Lisa…thanks!
The words you use to describe this book really calls in the imagination. I can feel the peace from your words. Sounds like a fun read.
Thanks Roz!
I love the artwork, did you draw these photos by yourself or did you hire a professional. This sounds like a fantastic book, let me know if you would be willing to let me review it or help you promote it.
Thanks Christy! I do all of the original drawings, and then have a graphic designer turn them into graphics, but we like to keep all of the original sketches here on the blog. I’m actually working on a sketchbook right now for kids to be published. Betina’s kids love to sketch with me, when we’re working on the books, and we thought it made sense. Plus it’s great time together with parents and kids. I really appreciate your offer, and will probably take you up on that:) I want to have the print version of the first book and sketchbook ready first though. I’ll let you know!
My kids discovered a whole town of hermit crabs at the ocean this summer. I definitely think they will enjoy this book.
Thanks Leigh!