Mogo, The Third Warthog

Mogo, The Third Warthog

Written by Donna Jo Napoli

Illustrated by Lita Judge

Genre: Fantasy/Fiction

Award: Sunshine State Award Winner

Suggested Grade Levels:

3rd-6th; This book would be appropriate for 3rd-6th grade students because of the content of talking animals would appeal to younger grades, while at the same time, the lengthiness of the story would be better suited for older students. Overall, upper elementary would appreciate this book and manage the vocabulary best.

Summary:

Told from the perspective of the runt of the litter, Mogo the warthog tells his story. In the beginning, Mogo is told he has to leave home and live on his own in the African savannah, to make way for new siblings. But Mogo is terrified and teased by his two brothers as a “scaredy.” He is a worry wart by all means and encounters various animals on the savannah, from lions to cheetahs to wild dogs. He eventually befriends a baboon who is on his own as well, which brings in the theme of comradery and friendship as they strive to make it in the wild. The unexpected events in the plot are suggested by the clever chapter titles making the book easier to follow for readers. In the conclusion, Mogo learns not only what survival is, but what the value of life is.

How Mogo, The Third Warthog could be used in the classroom:

Using the table of contents at the beginning of this book, students could practice making predictions based on the seventeen chapter titles. Students may make a prediction about what the entire story is about using the cover illustration, chapter titles, and a few illustrations in the book. During reading, students may consider using sticky notes to track some of the moods and emotions that Mogo feels towards the events, characters, and encounters in the story. At the end of reading certain divisions (perhaps every 3 chapters), the teacher can collect the students’ sticky notes to post on a character chart (posterboard). By the end of the book, students can visually see the changes in attitudes that Mogo goes through, as evidence for character development. Through this, students may also see how readers’ perspectives can change the perspective of the character’s attitude sometimes.

ESOL strategies/applications/accommodations:

The teacher may instruct ESOL students to draw their own illustrations as visuals of the settings that Mogo goes through for greater comprehension. Because the chapters are not overly lengthy, students may summarize in one or two sentences the events in the story. After reading the entire text, students can compile their sentences so they have detailed outline of the story in the order of the story.

Suggested Read Aloud Pages:

Pages 1-14; I would read aloud these first two chapters because it sets the mood of the story through describing the setting and introducing the reader to the characters. After reading these pages, students can be prompted to make predictions and write them down, or describe how they would feel at this point in the story as Mogo (best for younger grades).

My Opinion of Mogo, The Third Warthog:

Personally, I loved this book because of the silliness of the characterization of the animals and the themes of valuing and enjoying life that are woven throughout. As Mogo strives to overcome life on his own, we see a heartwarming tale unfold as he triumphs obstacles with his friend the baboon.