By: Leslea Newman Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 96 Publication Date: October 01, 2004 Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Release Date: September 09, 2004
Product Description: "Profoundly sad and hopeful at the same time . . . Hachiko Waits shows us the very best in life; loyalty, devotion, our ability to love-all taught by a beloved, intelligent, and heroic dog. I love it." -Patricia MacLachlan, Newbery Award-winning author of Sarah Plain and Tall
The loyalty and devotion of a dog has no bounds
What a good dog you are. What a fine dog you are. Hachi, you are the best dog in all of Japan." Professor Ueno speaks these words to his faithful dog before boarding the train to work every morning. And every afternoon just before three o'clock, Hachi is at the train station to greet his beloved master.
One day, the train arrives at the station without the professor. Hachi waits.
For ten years Hachi waits for his master to return. Not even Yasuo, the young boy who takes care of Hachi, can persuade him to leave his post.
Hachiko Waits is a novel inspired by a true story. Readers will be touched by the story of Hachiko and his impact on the people of Japan.
Hachi, you are the best dog in Japan. There is a statue of a dog in the Shibuya train station in Tokyo. It was first set in place in 1934 to commemorate the loyalty and devotion of an Akita who waited for his master for ten years. The master was a university teacher, who died unexpectedly at work. It was the Akita's habit to wait for his master's return from work then walk home together. Because he could not understand why his master did not return, he faithfully waited until he died in his place at the station, where the statue was erected in his honor. This is the dry version of a true story.
"What a good dog you are. What a fine dog you are. Hachi, you are the best dog in Japan." These are the words Professor Ueno speaks to his Akita everyday at the train station just before he departs for his teaching job at the university. And they are the last words Hachi ever hears the professor say. The dog waits until the station is closed and the train master encourages him to go outside the gate.
A little boy whom the professor befriends, Yasuo and his mother take the dog in, but Hachi is one of those rare one-master-only dogs. He escapes. No one knows where he goes during the day or night, but each afternoon at five minutes until three, Hachi reappears to wait until closing. This continues for ten years.
Meanwhile, people begin to notice Hachi. They pet him, worry about him, feed him, offer to take him, write newspaper stories about him, come from far and near just to see him. He becomes a symbol of the devoted, loyal dog, man's best friend. Through it all, Hachi remains calm, but most importantly, patient. He waits for his master.
Today, Hachi's story is told in Japanese schools all across the country. Each year he is honored during a special ceremony at the Shibuya train station at the foot of Hachi's statue. During his lifetime he was proclaimed Chuken Hachiko (Chuken=faithful dog, -iko, a term of respect), for people loved, respected, and honored him for this total loyalty. Still, this is the dry version.
In a historical novel a writer is allowed a certain freedom or license to get into the story and bring the reader with her. Leslea Newman and artist Machiyo Kodaira take the reader right there on that train station, right there beside Hachido, feeling his extraordinary devotion and dedication. Right there with each person who attends Hachiko. We are right there as Yasuo grows into a man and watch him meet a young woman. Early in the story the train master tells Yasuo that his promise to care for Hachi will bring him an unexpected happy result. And so it does. This is a story not to miss.
Being inside the story with Hachiko and all the people whose lives he touches and influences is the wet version. For there is no way you can escape deep emotion reading this story. The tears will come, but they are cleansing tears. Hachiko will win your heart.
Loved it. It was a truly sad story. I enjoyed the kindness and dedicated love of man,dog and family. It was an easy read even I as an adult truly enjoyed. It was beautiful, everyone should read it. I enjoyed it for another reason. They filmed some of this story for the movie in my hometown of Woonsocket,R.I. I was able to see some of the shoots and re-doing our original train station to resemble the one in the book. It was fantastic. Loved it!
Hachiko Waits Excellent book...highly recommend. My youngest son and I enjoyed reading this book together.
Hachiko Waits Have you ever seen a dog at train station that waits for his master everyday? The plot in the story is when an Akita named Hachiko waits for his master at the train station, but he never "shows up". His master had a stroke and died. Hachiko finds a new home, but when they open the door to go to school Hachiko runs away to the train stations to wit for his master. People try to take him home, but Hachiko keeps running away. Everyone at the train station leaves him there to take care of Hachiko. The genre is this book is realistic fiction.
This book was exciting to me because it was a book about dogs and any dog who waits for his master is the greatest dog in the world. I would recommend this book to people who like dog books. There are many books to find, but you have to choose the right one. A teen or younger might like this book. Yes this book was a page-turner because it was exciting to see what would happen to Hachika. I enjoyed this book because it was about dogs.
The story made me like the genre because you never knew what was going to happen. I think people who like dogs or animals should read this book, because it almost like telling someone telling a story about there pet.
HACHIKO WAITS Have you ever seen a dog at a train station who waits for his master everyday? The plot in the story is when an Akita named Hachiko waits for his master at the train station, but his master never shows up. His master had a stroke and died. Hachiko finds a new home, but when they open he door to go to school Hachiko runs away to the train station to wait for his master. People try to take him home, but Hachiko keeps running away. Eveyone at the train station leaves him there to take care of Hachiko. The genre is this book is realistic fiction. This book was exciting to me because it was a book about dogs and any dog who waits for his master is the bestest dog in the world. I would recommend this book to tpeople who like dog books. There are many books to find, but you have to choose the right one. Ateen or younger might like this book. Yes this book was a page-turner because it was exciting to see what would happened to Hachiko I enjoyed this book because it was about dogs. The story made me like the genre because you never knew what was going to happen. I think people who like dogs or animals should read this book because it almost like telling someone telling a story about there pet.
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