CRESTVIEW — Nothing drives home a reading lesson quite like having the book's subject show up in class.
Tricia Wise's third-graders recently read "The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman." In Darcy Pattison's children's book, Oliver is an articulated wooden toy man lovingly crafted by Uncle Ray and sent from South Carolina to California to visit Ray's niece Tameka.
Student readers can track Oliver's cross-country adventures on a U.S. map inside the front of the book.
"The students in my class really enjoyed reading the story, but after the week was over, we all thought that story was in the past," Wise said. "It was time to move on."
But when Northwood Arts and Science Academy students entered their classroom May 13, Oliver himself was sitting in a chair.
Sort of.
While camping with friends at Fred Gannon State Park, Wise found a wooden toy man that bore a striking resemblance to Joe Cepeda's book illustrations of Oliver.
"The owner, Jaye Lycan, explained that his mom bought (the toy) at a thrift store about 50 years ago, and his family had passed him around throughout the years," Wise said.
The toy's travels were similar to Oliver's, Wise said, "so I borrowed him and set him up in a chair in the classroom with a satchel and a letter to the students."
Though the wooden man was returned to Lycan, Oliver's story continues at Northwood.
"We enjoyed visiting with Oliver and can’t wait to read the sequel to the book, 'Searching for Oliver K. Woodman,'" Wise said.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Thrift store find brings reading lesson to life