Call It Courage facts for kids
Dust jacket of 1st edition, 1st printing
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| Author | Armstrong Sperry |
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| Illustrator | Armstrong Sperry |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
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Publication date
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1940 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 117 |
| ISBN | 0-689-86229-6 |
Call It Courage (also known as The Boy Who Was Afraid in the United Kingdom) is an exciting adventure novel for young readers. It was written and illustrated by American author Armstrong Sperry in 1940. This book won the famous Newbery Medal in 1941. This award is given for excellent American children's literature.
Contents
The Story of Mafatu's Courage
Call It Courage tells the story of a young boy named Mafatu. He lives on Hikueru Island in the Pacific Ocean. Mafatu is the son of the island chief, Tavana Nui.
When Mafatu was very young, he saw his mother die in a terrible storm at sea. Because of this, he became very afraid of the ocean. This fear made his father sad and made other people in his tribe call him a coward.
One night, Mafatu decided he had to face his fears. He took a small dugout canoe and sailed out into the vast ocean. He didn't know where he was going. A big storm hit, and his canoe was lost.
Mafatu washed ashore on an island that seemed empty. He was all alone, except for his loyal dog, Uri, and a friendly albatross named Kivi. On the island, he learned to hunt and fish for himself. He had to be brave to survive.
Soon, Mafatu found an old altar built by fierce people from another island. These people had scary customs. Mafatu realized he had been on the island for about a week. He knew he needed to build a new canoe to escape.
He started gathering everything he would need for a long trip across the ocean. He found a spearhead on the old altar. He attached it to a stick and used it for hunting and protecting himself.
Mafatu faced many dangers on the island. He fought a tiger shark, a wild boar, and an octopus. He successfully defeated them all. With each challenge he overcame, Mafatu felt himself growing stronger and braver. He was learning to deal with the things that had scared him.
The fierce people from the other island returned to the island. Mafatu made a daring escape from them. He finally returned home to his village. His experience had changed him into a strong and confident young man. His father was very proud to see him. Mafatu's brave story was told for many years by his tribe.
Call It Courage on Screen
| The Wonderful World of Disney: Call it Courage | |
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| Written by | Benjamin Manliness (writer) Armstrong Sperry (book) |
| Directed by | Roy Edward Disney |
| Starring | Evan Marinate |
| Narrated by | Don Ho |
| Theme music composer | Robert F. Brenner |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Editor(s) | Toby Brown |
| Running time | 47 min. |
| Production company(s) | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Release | |
| Original release | 1 April 1973 (Season 19, Episode 20) |
Call It Courage was made into a television movie. It was shown on The Wonderful World of Disney for the first time on April 1, 1973. The story was adapted for TV by Benjamin Masselink. Don Ho was the narrator.
Cast Members
- Don Ho as Narrator
- Evan Temarii as Mafatu
Making the Movie
The movie was filmed in 1972 on the beautiful islands of Bora Bora and Tahiti. Local actors were used, and they spoke their native language. Roy Disney directed the film.
Other Ways to Experience the Story
Musical Play
Call It Courage was also turned into a musical play. It was performed by Zachary Scott Showstoppers from April 9 to May 8, 2010. Adam Overett wrote the music and lyrics for the show. Adam Roberts directed and choreographed the musical.
| Awards | ||
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| Preceded by Daniel Boone |
Newbery Medal recipient 1941 |
Succeeded by The Matchlock Gun |
