Way of the Warrior Kid: From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way



Last updated Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Author: Jocko Willink
Illustrator: Jon Bozak
Date of Publication: 2017
ISBN: 1250151074
Grade Level: 4th    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Sep. 2020

Synopsis: Becoming a warrior isn’t easy. It means a lot of pull ups, sit ups, pushups, squats, swimming, eating right, and studying harder than ever before! Can Marc transform himself into a warrior before school starts in the fall – and finally stand up to the King of the Jungle himself?

Note to readers:
•  For Part 2, be sure to download Revision A. The no-change version has several pages that are out of order.
•  One of the top issues our "hero," Marc, has, is having to deal with a playground bully, Kenny. You may want to ask the teacher how she wants to handle any discussion of bullying and how to deal with it. Especially if you don't expect to get to the end of the book.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  Before a world with Covid, what are some of the things that you enjoyed doing in school? How is it to be back at school?
•  What kinds of things to you want to get better at? (or what did you struggle with last year that you want to do better at?

Vocabulary

•  Navy SEAL - Sea Air and Land Teams are the US Navy's primary special operations force. They are headquartered here in Southern California on Coronado Island in San Diego

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  How many pull-ups can you do?
•  Where do you like to go swimming? (see who in the group can swim)
•  Do any of the kids like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) or Jiu-Jitsu or any other kind of martial art? Which kind?
•  Do you have any family members or friends who are in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force? Army Rangers? Navy SEALs?

Craft ideas:
•  Start making a set of flashcards for things they might want to memorize. For example, all the counties in California and their county seats. Or states and capitals. Or times tables, or fractions to decimals (1/8 = .125, for example)
•  Check our craft ideas on Pinterest!
https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/september-2020-back-to-school-fun/

Special activities:
•  You could practice times tables, or seeing how far down a list of US Presidents any one can recite.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!