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2017 Nominee

Friend or Foe

Written by Etta Kaner.
Published in 2015 by Owl Kids.

Rats, mosquitoes, bats, cockroaches, leeches, vultures — it’s easy to fear and despise them. But are they all bad? You probably know that rats destroy food supplies and can cause house fires when they gnaw on electrical wires, but did you know their supersensitive noses can help detect tuberculosis or even land mines?

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33 thoughts on “Friend or Foe

  1. Senator Buchanan

    I like how this book is asking us if we think the animal is a “friend or a Foe”.
    I like the animals in this book they are cool.
    I like all of the fun facts and the pictures.

  2. Hillhurst School

    Leeches, Mosquitoes, Bats, and Cockroaches. Knowing what they do, you will completely hate them. You will find out if the animals are good or bad based on their positives and negatives. In this book you will figure out whether you like or hate these creatures. This book amazingly explains how the animals live and what they do. I think this book should be read by all kinds of people.

  3. Hillhurst School

    If you look back at the book, first you will think the book is trying to make you hate the creature but next, you see that the book is trying to make you like the creatures. so make up your mind. I think the creatures are very cool I think everyone should get a chance to read the book and have a choice.

  4. hillhurst school

    Leeches, Mosquitoes, Bats, and Cockroaches. Knowing what they do, you will completely hate them. You will find out if the animals are good or bad based on their positives and negatives. In this book you will figure out whether you like or hate these creatures.
    For example, Cockroaches can be found in your soup bowl just creeping around inside, but they can also be found ON the menu since these creatures are low in fat and high in protein. Rats are always nibbling on your belongings and if a Rat has been there, then there are definitely chew marks somewhere, but they are also lifesavers in Africa because rats there are trained to detect and smell out a highly dangerous and contagious disease called Tuberculosis by smelling other people’s saliva!
    I think the purpose of the book has been achieved which is to explain whether the animal is a friend or foe. I think writing this helps us understand about the creatures because it helps us communicate what we learned and what we think. The book raises topics of discussion with others because everyone has a different perspective so everyone will say something different.
    I don’t think any part of this book has been missed or omitted because everything that is important about the animal is there. Very juicy information is used to support the perspective of the author, rats are bad because they nibble on strings, plastics, and wires, but they are also good because they protect from a disease in Africa. Leeches suck the blood out of you, but they also do it sometimes in a healing method. The same information was used for both sides.
    Even the style and font of the book represented the page and the information on it. I read through both sides each time and found me an answer for each creature: friend for a rat, foe for a snake, foe for a cockroach… I think the book is superior to other books in the topic because of the appearance, the information, the length, and the format. This book amazingly explains how the animals live and what they do.

  5. Westglen School

    It was Great, I would give it 5 stars because and I liked the main idea of the book. I would recommend this book to kids that are probably in grade 4-6. JLH

  6. westglen school

    I would give this book 4.5 stars. It was really informative I liked the fun facts and the pictures. I enjoyed that each animal had a good side and a bad side to them. I recommend this book to grades 5 to 7.JB

  7. westglen school

    I would give this book a 5 star because the facts i did not know that sharks feed other little fish. I would recomend grade 6-8

  8. Hillhurst School

    The book is a nonfiction book about animals humans generally hate, and it shows how they are good and bad. For example: LEECHES, bad side, they suck blood and they can also transmit diseases. BUT, Leeches can be good too! They can help with many post-amputation surgeries.

    Personally, I think it is a really good book and I do recommend reading it. It teaches you about the many good and bad sides about so-called “bad” animals. This book is for boys and girls because it just depends on your interest in animals.

    Although I would really like for it to be longer, it’s a good book and I definitely see why it is in the RMBA awards nominees.

  9. Hillhurst? school

    This is a good book. The whole purpose of this book is to tell you that the animals that most people regard as harmful can actually be helpful to us. Most people haven’t recognised the good things they all do. They think they are tiny negative actions set inside them to affect them. For example, on the first page you read, “these pesky little animals have cost many millions of dollars for many years”. Once you flip the page it will say, “these small rats are trained to detect a deadly disease called tuberculosis by just smelling their saliva!” and that messes up your brain. You just heard they were horrible and good. And the book will ask you, “Is the ______________ (animal) a friend or a foe?” You will need critical thinking to adjust your opinion about how you think of the animal. I personally chose the Rat as a foe because it caused many deaths in the past millennium. Cockroach is a friend because it is edible. Snake is a friend because they can do things we can’t do. Leech is a friend because they can be helpful in surgery, and so on.
    The author’s note says that they want to tell everyone that some animals can be helpful and it achieved its purpose very well. Even though this book could raise arguments because people might have different opinions of animals, it would also be a book that backs up your opinion.
    This book will attract anyone(except the ones that get disgusted easily by pictures) and many people will have a hard time prying their eyes away from it. I got hooked on the first chapter and I am certainly sure you will too!

  10. Hillhurst School

    The friend or foe book was about what animals people love and hate, but the book also tells you that animals just do their thing. For example, leeches are blood-sucking animals but they also help people that, let’s say that a person got a toe replaced, the blood would get to the toe and look red, put if you put a leech on the toe, it would go away. Even if you hate the _________ (animal) and say you hate it, it would still be an animal that other people like. Animals are part of nature.

    The book is a non-fiction book and it is telling you about animals that some people like and some people hate. I found the book pretty interesting probably because I like animals.
    Etta Kaner wrote Friend or Foe. Some of her other books she are
    Who likes the rain,
    Who likes the snow,
    And the winner is…,
    Who likes the sun and much more.
    The newest book she wrote is “Animals Do, Too!: How They Behave Just Like You”.
    I like this book because it has lots of information about the animals in the book and tells us the good and the bad side of the animals. Kids of all ages would like this book as it engaging and have good pictures.

  11. Hillhurst school

    I think this book really tells how animals can be good or bad. Like how sharks can be harmful to bigger animals but how they actually could give fish rides like a boat. And they feed smaller fish. Mosquitoes can be harmful to big animals like mooses or horses and cows. But most of them only eat rotten fruits and stuff! So only female Mosquitoes drink blood.

    I like the leech because it could be really helpful when you don’t have a first aid kit by drinking out the bad blood. BUT, you can’t replace the blood (I think. I’m not really sure yet?).
    So it’s just saying that animals are just trying to live and they don’t mean to be harmful.

    I think that this book is, like, anyone can read it. Not like Only boys can read it and Only Girls can read it.

    I also like ‘cause it has these animals saying stuff like “Hey! Weather more cattle and sheep than wolves do!” (wolf)

  12. Hilhurst School

    Friend Or Foe
    Friend Or Foe is a marvelous book. This book is nominated for the Rocky Mountain Book Award and this book is about why people hate these certain animals. This book presents some animals to the reader like a Spider, Snake and Leeches. They first tell you the negative description like Bats can transmit Rabies and other disease then after they tell the good description likes bats are natural fertilizers. Then they ask you if they are a FRIEND OR FOE? I would say Bats are foe because they have killed livestock and us Humans. I have never been a fan of leeches but i do know they help with surgeries and getting blood to certain limbs so I think it is friend. I could go on forever but I think you get the point. I like the pictures there are very detailed and funny nice job artist.

    I would rate this book for grade 1 and ∞ because if you’re an animal lover read this book.

    Sincerely an animal lover

  13. Hillhurst school

    This book was a great book to read. I would recommend this book because it has lots of interesting and cool facts about animals that most people hate and some people love, at least that is what I think. This is a non-fiction book with facts about Leeches, Mosquitoes, Bats, and Cockroaches and more little creatures. They are some of the most scary animals, from stinging you to sucking your blood, so watch where you are going! They could be right on your shoulder, crawling around on the floor, flying around your house. WATCH OUT!
    The book included the main facts but there were some little facts that could have been added. These little creatures can do a lot of harm and there have been many deaths in the past from them. This is a great explanation of how some of our animals/creatures act, so overall it was a good book.

  14. Hillhurst School

    Leeches, mosquitos, cockroaches, and bats are all kinds of animals that we hate. You’ll learn things you never knew about all sorts of animals (vultures, snakes, rats etc.)! In this book you will find out the pros and cons of many animals, and you get to choose if those animals are a friend or foe! I think this book has achieved its purpose: telling the pros and cons of animals. This book tells us cool and jaw-dropping facts, and helps us to understand that animals aren’t just bad, they can be good too! This book is really unique because on the front pages there are facts about the animal being bad, but on the back page there are facts of the animal being good/helpful! I think that anyone can read this, but they don’t have to, because some people might find this book is a little too disgusting for their taste. Overall, I think this is a interesting and fun book.

  15. Hillhurst School

    Are you looking for a GREAT book?
    Well, you have found the right one. Everyone knows that Mice, Cockroaches, Snakes, Leeches, Bats, Sharks, Spiders, Wolfs, mosquitoes, and Vultures are deadly, but people never see the other side of them. Do you know that deep fried Snake is a popular Chinese food item? Did you know that without Wolves, Elk would take over the place? Elks would nibble trees and plants until it’s nothing. Before I ruin everything for you, please go read the book yourself
    The author achieved her purpose of saying what she wanted to say about animals. It could easily win an award in my opinion.

    Simply a great book for children and young adults all over the world. A great book for teachers to read to children although it could be a little scary for young children. Some humor in the book definitely adds a great touch to it. I personally recommend this book to all people from young to old.
    On a scale of 10, I would give this book a 8.5

  16. Hillhurst School GATE program

    Are you looking for a good educational book? Then Friend or Foe is the book just for you! Friend or Foe is a book that tells you two sides of every animal that you love to hate. At the end, it tells you a way to say that cute fluffy bunnies are also evil. This is a very educational book because it teaches you about different animals and tells you how to look at a animal from different points of view.
    Do you want a pet? Then go and read this particular book! This book tells you about some pets that we hate-like cockroaches and snakes. But this book also tells you facts about them… like Did you know that Rats are tiny gymnasts? Friend or Foe is a book that you will never forget! That is because it is a great book!
    Some people think that non-fiction books are boring. But if you think that, and read this book, it’ll change your mind! Friend or Foe is the best book for education! I recommend it for readers, if you are looking for a great book.

  17. Hillhurst school

    Friend Or Foe
    By Etta Kaner

    This book is absolutely amazing! Friend or Foe was awesome. I would recommend this book for people who love animals. It has interesting facts and it convinces people to like animals that they may not have liked before. For example, I was afraid of snakes due to the many horrific stories I have heard but now I find them to be interesting creatures with many fascinating features. Many people may not change their minds about certain animals but I bet that they will still find the book interesting.
    I think that the purpose of this book has been achieved. This book is made to show the readers that even though some animals are scary and feed on living things, it’s a part of their nature and crucial for their survival. This book allows the readers to see both the good and harsh side of many animals.
    Friend or Foe shows that certain animals people fear, can help the environment and help scientists figure out new information based on the animal. In the book, I learnt that scientists are making robot snakes based on real snakes.
    The writing style was clear and straight to the point which was very helpful to get the main idea across. This book was filled with information which helped me understand the animals in depth . The illustrations were fascinating and beautifully drawn.
    This is the only book that I read with this kind of topic, none of the other books I read were trying to convince the reader that a terrifying and deadly creature can be cute, cuddly and helpful animal.

  18. Hillhurst School GATE program

    Friend or Foe

    I like Friend or Foe because it shows the bad and the good in each of the animals in this book. Some evil and cute animals aren’t very good, bad, only have a good part or only have a bad part I also like this book because animals get to speak up for their rights. For example sharks can argue that they’re not bad which is true.

    Question #1
    To me the purpose of this book is to take your fear of some animals like spiders right out and make you feel better about this creature. An example was that I never knew that Leeches help with removing old damaged skin and letting new skin grow.

    Question #2
    The issue of this book is probably about not being afraid of a rather nice animal and to be careful around actual danger, like falling down a cliff because of a mouse which you could have just walked around. But NO you had to go towards the long drop instead of going back to camp and it’s JUST A MOUSE. I mean how scary is a mouse!

    Question #3
    Yes, it raises the issue is this animal good or bad. It’s nice because kids like me will go on computers and try and search for why your point is right. Usually the internet also has a split decision so it’s pretty even. In the end most times it usually ends with one side being defeated and the other victorious!

    Question #4
    This book’s evidence is quite nice but from my perspective you could have added the saddest soup there is. Mind you, sharks are killed only for this their famous bum buda bum SHARK FIN SOUP!!! I mean you kill a shark just for its fin then you’re crazy. I mean you have a whole body and you just ended a poor sharks life? Be first nation like USE THE REST I mean come on!

    Question #5
    This book is probably superior to the others because of how it is made with the good and bad for every one of those really scary creatures on the earth. It’s in a kid format which would make it better for learning all your facts about these animals. There are 2 formats usually for this stuff the Adult format or the kid format. The kid format is more fun and better for kids and the adult format is basically long pages of boring facts.

    And that’s basically my idea of why Friend or Foe is great!

  19. Hillhurst School GATE program

    Friend or Foes

    I like Friend or Foe because it shows the bad and the good in each of the animals in this book. Some evil and cute animals aren’t very good, bad, only have a good part or only have a bad part I also like this book because animals get to speak up for their rights. For example sharks can argue that they’re not bad which is true.

    Question #1
    To me the purpose of this book is to take your fear of some animals like spiders right out and make you feel better about this creature. An example was that I never knew that Leeches help with removing old damaged skin and letting new skin grow.

    Question #2
    The issue of this book is probably about not being afraid of a rather nice animal and to be careful around actual danger, like falling down a cliff because of a mouse which you could have just walked around. But NO you had to go towards the long drop instead of going back to camp and it’s JUST A MOUSE. I mean how scary is a mouse!

    Question #3
    Yes, it raises the issue is this animal good or bad. It’s nice because kids like me will go on computers and try and search for why your point is right. Usually the internet also has a split decision so it’s pretty even. In the end most times it usually ends with one side being defeated and the other victorious!

    Question #4
    This book’s evidence is quite nice but from my perspective you could have added the saddest soup there is. Mind you, sharks are killed only for this their famous bum buda bum SHARK FIN SOUP!!! I mean you kill a shark just for its fin then you’re crazy. I mean you have a whole body and you just ended a poor sharks life? Be first nation like USE THE REST I mean come on!

    Question #5
    This book is probably superior to the others because of how it is made with the good and bad for every one of those really scary creatures on the earth. It’s in a kid format which would make it better for learning all your facts about these animals. There are 2 formats usually for this stuff the Adult format or the kid format. The kid format is more fun and better for kids and the adult format is basically long pages of boring facts.

    And that’s basically my idea of why Friend or Foe is great!

  20. Hillhurst School

    Snakes, bats, rats, or sharks can be really frightening when you think about it. But have you thought about the good in them? In this book, you will explore the world of creatures and find out if they are really as bad as you think they are.
    Friend or Foe is an outstanding book written by Etta Kaner. I think the purpose of the book has been achieved to explain if a creature is a friend or a foe. This book has helped us to understand about creatures because now we know both its bad and good side so we can reconsider if these creatures are still deadly… or not. This book can raise topics for discussion because now, we can discuss whether the creature is a friend or foe. The data in this book can be differently interpreted and the writing style of Etta Kaner is very clear, effective and neatly organized. This book convinced me a lot. For example, I thought that leeches were the worst creature ever because they suck the blood out of you, but now after I read the book, I realized that they help out in hospitals. For example, it injects hirudin into you that keeps blood flowing and helps wounds heal. As you can see, they can save your life!
    This is a great book and I would definitely recommend it to everyone.

  21. Grande prairie public library

    This book was so good .BUT I will give this book a 9 out of 10 the reson of that is beacause I thought of when you said why we should like them I thought about the consequences if I do go near them‍.

  22. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    THE BOOK WAS PRETTY AWESOME! I DIDN’T KNOW HOW MUCH THESE DISCRUSCTING CREATURES COULD BE LIFE SAVING ANIMALS. THIS BOOK MADE ME RELIZE THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY LOOK DISCUSTING OR BECAUSE THEY LOOK REALLY WEIRD DOESN’T MEAN THEY ARE ACTUALLY DISCUSTING. ALTHOUGH THE BOOK WAS FASINATING IT WASN’T THE BEST BOOK TO READ WHEN YOU ARE EATING. OTHER THAT THAT I GIVE IT TWO THUMBS UP

  23. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    i thought it was a very interesting book because we got to learn the good and bad things about different insects or animals and that they can be actually very interesting.i liked learning about how they can be useful in life and how interesting it was

  24. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    that it tells people about how anamils can be good and bad

  25. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    this book is really good but its really gross though.I like the rats part and the snake and how the snakes are deadly.

  26. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    this book is really good but its really gross though.I like the rats part and the snakes.the sharks part of the book.

  27. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    I think it was interesting and told us facts and interesting things about bats,snakes,rats,sharks and leaches. I rate this book and 7 out of 10 because in a way it was kind of gross and gave me the chills. I think this book is good for grades 3-8 because it is really cool and really interesting.

  28. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    I like listening to this book because like learning about snakes,rats and the bats

  29. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    I like listening to this book because like learning about snakes,rats, leches and sharks.

  30. Grande Cache Municipal Library and Sonrise Christian School

    I liked it because it was cool learning about the different things that the bugs and stuff do and how they help us.

  31. Ecole Mallaig School

    I liked this book because its very informative and the pictures are very good i already knew all the information in this book before i read it


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