| Title | : | Sammy the Seal |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0064442705 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780064442701 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 64 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1959 |
"So funny and so original that it promises to be one of the most successful books in this best-selling series." (Publishers Weekly)
Sammy the Seal is another hilarious, original story by Syd Hoff, the celebrated author of Danny and the Dinosaur. This Level One I Can Read is perfect for shared reading with a child.
Sammy the Seal Reviews
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Hmmm, this hasn't aged well. This is a beginner book about a seal in the zoo. The zookeeper lets the seal go explore the city one day and so it does, even going to school.
The animals were cute, but the artwork isn't pretty bland as is the story. This is from 1959 and I don't think it needs to be remembered.
I found this at Openlibrary and gave it a try. I'm glad it was free. -
Syd Hoff is as closely associated with easy reader books as almost any author. Dr. Seuss, Else Holmelund Minarik, Bernard Wiseman, Peggy Parish, Arnold Lobel, Cynthia Rylant, Doug Cushman, Tedd Arnold, Mo Willems...you name the author, and Syd Hoff probably wrote at least as many easy readers. Sammy the Seal is second perhaps only to the original Danny and the Dinosaur as Hoff's most beloved book. Mr. Johnson at the zoo feeds all his animals on schedule. The seals love the fresh fish he lobs into their enclosure, but Sammy seems downhearted. He wishes to explore beyond the zoo, to see what life is like for humans. Because Sammy is well-behaved, Mr. Johnson agrees to let him leave for a while, and out he ventures into the human world.
The big city is brimming with things to see and do. Utilities men work down inside the streets, and customers enjoy fine food and conversation at restaurants. The heat is a bit much, so Sammy searches for a pool to cool down in, but that's not so easy in the city: sidewalk puddles are too small, fountains are off limits, and no brownstone dweller wants to find a seal lounging in his bathtub. Sammy must learn a few lessons if he's to live alongside humans. Spotting some kids entering school, Sammy casually infiltrates their ranks; it takes time for the teacher to notice, but Sammy's earnestness persuades her to let him stay. Any seal who can learn to read and write in a day is one smart animal. At recess Sammy proves to be a crackerjack volleyball player, whose knack for balancing the ball on his nose comes in handy. He's a favorite among the kids by day's end, but Sammy is ready to return home. Having experienced a different lifestyle, he knows the zoo is where he belongs.
Some people seem happy without ever questioning their lot in life. Others can't be content without seeing if there's something more, and that requires a journey into the unknown. Mr. Johnson recognizes that Sammy is in this second group, and releases him to sow his wild oats and discover a path to happiness. Granting him this latitude ensures the zoo will never feel like a prison. In human society Sammy will meet friendly people, as well as some who hurt his feelings when he doesn't conform to societal norms. He'll learn that seals and children are different in some ways that can't be ignored; a boy shouldn't catch a volleyball with his nose, and a seal shouldn't use his flippers. Ultimately Sammy realizes he led a fulfilling life at the zoo, and now he's more capable of appreciating it.
Sammy the Seal has at least one quirk common to many Syd Hoff books: humans are not surprised that animals can converse with them. Syd Hoff's world is intended more to reflect abstract concepts than be a faithful rendition of our world's realities. Seals speak with humans and dinosaurs come to life out of museum exhibits; it's all part of the fun. I'd consider rating this book two and a half stars. For fans of the author's Danny and the Dinosaur, Julius, or Duncan the Dancing Duck, Sammy the Seal is a must read. -
Sammy the Seal is the dystopian novel that 1984 was meant to be. What is Big Brother if not a semiaquatic anglophone determined to force himself into the lives of unsuspecting humans? Orwell envisioned a world where you were always being watched, whether you liked it or not. This, of course, pales in comparison to Syd Hoff's nightmarish conception of a totalitarian regime that grants a seal the right to take a bath IN YOUR TUB whenever it pleases, whether you like it or not.
Sammy is a despot who just happens to spend time in a zoo. He's clearly the Kim Jong-Un of the place. All the other animals are forced to pretend that they're happy for him, smiling toothy, herbivorous smiles as Sammy flops out the door and leaves them all in their cages. Sammy allows the zookeeper to keep up appearances as an authority figure despite his obvious lack of authority. This morphs a man who used to stand for something into a spineless, groveling sycophant that exists only to enable Sammy's innermost fantasies, the most terrifying of which is attending school.
Sammy begins his time in the classroom as an anonymous observer, hoping to catch the teacher in the midst of a lesson that she'd live to regret. Having failed to discern anything other than party rhetoric in her teaching, Sammy makes his presence known to her via an off-key rendition of the song that all the students are forced to sing (there's no better tool for molding young minds than a song). As the lesson continues, Sammy starts playing with blocks adorned with the letters of the alphabet, and his illiteracy becomes apparent to the reader. What happens next is hard to understand the first time through. At first, when Sammy provides clear evidence that he can't read, nothing is done to rectify this obvious academic concern. Then, just a few pages later, Hoff writes, "He learned how to read. He learned how to write." And then this happens:
Do you see that handwriting? It's immaculate! We've got to get this guy on illuminated manuscripts immediately!
So what's going on here? Why did Sammy stink at making words with the blocks only to turn into Máel Muire mac Céilechair in record time? Looking back, it quickly becomes apparent that Sammy could always read. He was able to independently reach a school that he was visiting for the first time, making it very likely he made use of maps and street signs. Sammy's inability to spell anything with the blocks is nothing more than a test. But a test of what? There are two possible explanations, both of them deeply disturbing.
The first is a cynical test of loyalty. Sammy feigns illiteracy to see if the teacher or any of her students would bring up such an embarrassing attribute, which would be to no one's detriment but their own. Imagine the potential consequences of acknowledging any trait of Sammy's that contradicts the social policy of apotheosis. If you say Sammy can't read, doesn't that imply that you think he should learn how to read, meaning that his failure to do so to this point is, in your opinion, an error in judgment? Blasphemy gets you nowhere, and it gets you there in a hurry.
As terrifying as that idea may be, don't worry, it might be even worse than that. If the teacher would notice Sammy's illiteracy, she would at the very least react in a way to quickly move past the situation. She would more than likely put the blocks away in an attempt to keep the children from noticing what she just noticed, preventing them from saying something stupid that would result in the public execution of their families. But this doesn't occur. Instead, the teacher lets them continue until recess, at which point a casual game of volleyball starts up. What this means, of course, is that she fails to notice Sammy's illiteracy, proving that she has the exact same problem. That's right. This teacher can't read.
While this might seem like a bad thing, it's music to Sammy's ears. He wants teachers that can't read because illiterate teachers teach illiterate students, and a population that can't read or write is much easier to control. Sammy is playing the long game, and if this classroom is representative of education throughout Sammy's nation, then he's succeeding.
The story ends with Sammy returning to the zoo and declaring, "There's no place like home!" He rejoins his fellow seals and chows down on some fish. This seems uncharacteristic for the seal we know Sammy to be, but there's a reason for this. Rather than end the story of Sammy the Seal, Hoff decided to instead offer the reader a new beginning, a solution to the problems that Sammy creates. Hoff indicates that Sammy is perfectly happy in his zoo enclosure, and only his unnecessary exposure to the outside world turns him into a megalomaniac. If the zookeeper kept Sammy where he was and prevented him from expanding his territory, peace could be possible. In Hoff's mind, if you give the seal some fish and pat him on the head, he probably won't come after you.
Syd Hoff and Neville Chamberlain had (at least) two things in common. They both believed in the power of appeasement, and they were both dead wrong. That doesn't mean there aren't lessons to be taken from the cautionary tale of Sammy the Seal. Make sure your kid's teachers know how to read, and if you ever need a calligrapher, hit up the nearest pinniped. -
by Andrea Renee Cox
Cute story about a seal exploring the big world. I knocked off a star for the book being unrealistic. However, this book is a good one to open up a discussion about exploring the world verses the comforts of home. It was an enjoyable read. To me, it's a classic children's story that I loved when I was little and still am happy to read now that I'm grown.
I was not compensated for my honest review. -
I actually never read any of Syd Hoff's books until I picked this up at Barnes & Noble to read it to my niece at the store.
Sammy the Seal is a fun book about a seal who lives in a zoo, and he wants to see what's outside the zoo. Mr. Johnson, the zookeeper, lets Sammy the seal out of his cage (what?!) so he can explore the city. He wanders the streets and observes people, jumps into a man's bathtub, and eventually ends up in an elementary school classroom. Although he enjoys his adventures, he realizes that he likes living in the zoo.
Syd Hoff's art is simply amazing. I love the simplicity of his characters. He's probably one of my favorite children's illustrators, up there with Margaret Bloy Graham and Roy McKie. -
Maybe I would have loved this if I'd read it first when I was little. Reading it as an adult, it just seemed silly - and not in a good way. Why would the zookeeper let Sammy leave the zoo and go exploring around town? Why would the teacher let Sammy stay in school? How can Sammy learn to read and write in the space of two sentences? ("Sammy learns to read. Sammy learns to write.") I usually don't mind some silliness and a bit of fantasy in stories, but this one wasn't a favorite. I did enjoy Syd Hoff's illustrations, which brought back nice memories of
Danny and the Dinosaur. -
"I want to know what it is like outside the zoo," said the little seal. "I want to go out and look around."
"All right, Sammy," said Mr. Johnson. "You have been a good seal. You may go out and see." -
A sweet story about Sammy, a seal, who is allowed to venture out of the zoo to see what the world is like, because he is very well behaved. I remember reading this book as a small child countless times and really enjoying both the story and the pictures. As an adult, I still find this book to be adorable and enjoyable. The illustrations are very crisp and clean and look like something a very talented child artist would create. SAMMY THE SEAL is a wonderful little book.
For those familiar with the Accelerated Reading Program, this is a 2.0 level book. -
A childrens' favorite that is sure to delight and stick with children for much years to come. The simple formatting of the writing is the doorway to beginning readers as they follow Sammy who isn't a seal but an actual sea lion.
The concept is cute and sweetly when you think the fact that a zookeeper would just allow one of his charges out to see the world to fit him. Then again looking at the confining spaces of this particular zoo it does make sense.
The pictures follow along sweet and simple while helping to get the story across to readers even as he makes his way home. -
This book is a classic that I used to read with my Mother when I was a little girl. This book emphasizes the importance of learning about new places and meeting people who are different, all while upholding the importance of the love of home. Students could use this book to learn about different types of homes (single parent, divorced, different houses, different towns, etc.). Young students will enjoy the likable title character and his zoo friends.
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This is a fun story - it's designed for beginning readers and has a simple narrative, but it is a bit long. Young readers might need to read it in parts. The idea of a seal going to school and playing sports is funny and quite fantastic. We enjoyed listening to this book narrated on audio CD by
Charles Mintz while we followed along with the story. -
This is probably truly the first favorite book I ever had. I like this book so much that I read it to my daughter's Kindergarten class when I was a Mom Reader...
I remember reading it as a kid and laughing everytime...moral of the story, there's no place like home.
Now I collect Syd Hoff books. Strangely enough, I named my daughter Sydney...not after the author, though :) -
I love Syd Hoff's illustrations and you can't really go wrong with his stories either. Your beginning reader will enjoy this one, especially if you follow it up with a movie! When I was a kid, my mom happened to find the 1962 Disney "Sammy, the Way-Out Seal" and we watched it often, wishing we could put a seal in our bathtub too.
Reading Level: K - 3rd grades -
I love Sammy! Such a great story...a total classic, must-read for every reader =)
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I just can't get past the fact that there's a SEA LION pictured throughout the book.
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Charming illustrations and simplistic text tell the story of Sammy the seal, the curious young resident of the city zoo who yearns to know what life is like out in the city. The zookeeper actually lets him go and Sammy has some silly adventures
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2.5
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Nice, WHO, WHERE, WHAT, HOW, WHY. & setings
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This is a cute ’I can read level 1’ book great for kids learning to read or starting to read independently. This book is one of the kid's favorite for almost two decades now and still counting. This is one of those evergreen books, that never become old. You literally preserve them for your kids.
This story is about a seal named Sammy who wants to leave the zoo for a day to explore the world outside. He sees and perceives the world from his viewpoint. He has some good and some bad experiences. He makes friends and learns new things. He returns zoo in the evening and says there is nothing in the world like to be at home.
Although the story is a little unrealistic, it is good to read for kids. -
Good book for learners. My mother-in-law picked it out for my children back in the day. They liked how easy it was that my oldest decided she wanted to keep it for her future children. I'm sure they will like it as much as my children did.
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My childhood favorite and it has my name Sammy
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Sammy is bored in the zoo and wants to see the world. And being a good seal, the zookeeper lets him.
Cute children's book found at a library sale. -
My favorite childhood book.
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One of my childhood books. Great fun learning to read this book and now years later it was nice to remember the innocence of a child.
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A seal and his adventures through the city.
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Book Title: Sammy the Seal
Author/Illustrator: Syd Hoff
Reading Level: 1.8
Book Level: Gr 1-3
Book Summary:
Sammy the Seal wants to know what life is like outside of the zoo. He leaves the zoo for the day. He goes to the city and finds new things to do.
Bookshelf Genre: Picture Books
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:
Ideas - Sammy the Seal lives in the zoo, and he really wants to know what goes on outside of the zoo. The author does an excellent job at putting Sammy into different locations throughout the city. I love how people and other animals are not phased by a seal walking and talking on the streets. As a classroom activity, I would have students make a graphic organizer of different places they would like to visit and why.
Presentation – Each page has an illustration to go along with the words written. The picture is on the top, and the words are written underneath. My students could write their own story about visit a new place, and then draw pictures of themselves in different locations.
