First sentence: "Ma, I want to go swimming!" said Willie one hot June day in 1873.
Premise/plot: This is a children's biography of Billy Sunday a basebFirst sentence: "Ma, I want to go swimming!" said Willie one hot June day in 1873.
Premise/plot: This is a children's biography of Billy Sunday a baseball player turned evangelist. It reads almost as a novel--for better or worse. On the one hand, it's the size of a paperback novel, the chapters read quickly, and include plenty of dialogue. On the other hand, it does not include photographs, source notes, or a bibliography.
My thoughts: I found this one to be a quick and interesting read. Billy Sunday's life was not easy. His mother struggled to raise him and his brother after her husband's death. When she remarried her new husband did NOT want the children from her first marriage around. The boys were sent to their grandparents. When their grandmother died, it was decided that the boys must go to an orphanage. Their new mother had a baby and her new husband had abandoned her. At one point, the grandfather sent for one boy but not the other. Both came. But Billy knew he wasn't wanted. It became evident that he'd need to be independent and hardworking if he wanted anything out of life. He excelled at baseball...and that was his salvation, in a way. People were more willing to have him around and give him jobs after they saw him play. The book also focuses on his testimony: how he came to Christ and how he eventually decided to dedicate his life to the Lord as an evangelist.
First sentence: What did that say? On the first page, what did that say? Did that say there will be a Monster at the end of this book? It did? Oh, I aFirst sentence: What did that say? On the first page, what did that say? Did that say there will be a Monster at the end of this book? It did? Oh, I am so scared of Monsters!!!
Premise/plot: Grover does NOT, I repeat does NOT, want you to keep reading this book. Grover tries--but will he fail?!--to keep readers from turning pages. Is there really a monster at the end of the book?
My thoughts: This one is a classic for a reason. It is a FUN, DELIGHTFUL, SILLY read for parents to share with little ones. It is a great example of an again-again book--a book that almost begs you to read it again and again and again and again. Does one ever tire of Grover?
Text: 5 out of 5 Illustrations: 4 out of 5 Total: 9 out of 10...more
First sentence: I guess this is just one of those days, thought Barbara MacLane on her way home from school one bright afternoon late in April. She waFirst sentence: I guess this is just one of those days, thought Barbara MacLane on her way home from school one bright afternoon late in April. She was not alone. She was walking beside a boy, a very tall boy, but their thoughts were like those famous parallel lines that lie in the same plane but never meet.
Premise/plot: Barbara, a junior in high school, is always playing catch up with her older sister, Rosemary, who is a freshman in college. One day Barbara gets a phone call from her sister. Can she keep a secret?!?! She's coming home that weekend--PLEASE TELL MOM NOT TO SERVE MEAT LOAF--and by the way, I'M GETTING MARRIED. Barbara has to keep the secret a day or two. It won't be easy.
It doesn't take Barbara long to get swept up, up, and away in a daydreaming frenzy. She's thinking about Rosemary's wedding--the dress, the flowers, the reception, the cake, the attendants. Will Rosemary's dress one day be her own?! Will she get to help choose her sister's dress? Will she be the maid of honor or a bridesmaid? What will her dress look like? Will the reception be at their house or at a club? Will her sister wear a dress with a long veil and a cathedral train?
But she's also thinking about her own wedding. If she does everything two years--roughly--behind Rosemary, should she focus on picking out her would-be-groom this year? When does she need to start going steady with a guy if she wants a year-long engagement? How many weeks does she have to meet her one true love? She is certain that she'll fall in love by her sister's wedding.
Will she fall in love with the nice boy with a horrible, horrible nickname of TOOTIE. Or will she fall in love with the boy who gives her rides home from school that expects COOKIES and MILK in return? (His name is Bill). One boy keeps asking her out, the other is content to hang out with her after school. She thinks she knows how she feels about both boys, but does she really?
Gordy, their brother, is NOT daydreaming about the wedding. He has dreams that he's focused on--just not romantic ones. He and two of his friends are going to be the NEXT BIG THING. A trio of folk-singers. He's a bit disappointed that his sister's wedding will not be a gig.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. For modern readers it might seem an equal blend of SWEET and SILLY. But I enjoyed both elements. The book can serve as a time capsule of sorts for the time in which it was written. In much the same way as FATHER OF THE BRIDE does--both movie versions. (For example, the price of groceries: eight cans of pork and beans for a dollar.)
One of the things I loved most were the family scenes. I loved spending time with this family: the father, mother, Rosemary, Barbara, and Gordy. It felt like a real family--for better or worse. I loved the give and take of it. There's also a mischievous cat that plays an integral role in the novel!
The narrative was also well done.
Quotes:
Greg made the mistake of mentioning the poet E.E. Cummings, who did not use capital letters or punctuation and often ran words together for effect. Of course this provoked an argument from Mr. MacLane. What if every author took it in his head to throw away the rules? What kind of books would we have then? Books that no one would read, that's what we would have. Greg felt that the printer's job was to print the text, not criticize the author's art. (18)
Wouldn't it be nice if people purred as charmingly as cats when they are hungry? Half the quarrels in the world would never take place. (22)
"I would hate to see any daughter of mine throw herself away on someone who approved of writers who did not use punctuation or capitals. This fellow Greg probably likes archy and mehitabel, too." "So do I, Dad," said Barbara. "And the reason there aren't any capitals in archy and mehitabel is that it was supposed to be typed by a cockroach, who couldn't jump on the capital key and a letter key at the same time. The author wasn't just being lazy. He had a good reason." Mr. MacLane chuckled. "A book written by a cockroach is just about what I would expect this fellow to like." (29)
"And can he afford to pay the orthodontist twenty-five dollars a month?" Mr. MacLane demanded. "Have you thought of that little expense?" "No...I haven't." Crestfallen, Rosemary faltered. How awful thought Barbara as she poured out the dishwater. To want to get married when you are still having your teeth straightened. It must be humiliating to have part of your childhood left over. (43)
Two short years were not much over seven hundred days. Thinking in terms of days instead of years made Barbara feel as if she had not much time left. If she was going to get married in seven hundred days she should think about falling in love, and the sooner the better. Right now. Today. Until this minute she had thought of falling in love as something else that would happen a long time from now. (55)
Barbara watched the umbrella disappear around a bend in the road and, still smiling, she turned and walked into the house. Bill Cunningham. The last boy she had ever expected to notice her. She liked him. She really did. She liked him the way she liked the fizz in ginger ale and the cherry on the sundae. (64)
"It seems to me," said Mr. MacLane, "that ever since Rosemary has been going to the University she has been talking like someone who has read a book on psychology." "I don't know why," puzzled Mrs. MacLane. "She isn't even taking psychology." Barbara had the explanation. "But her roommate is. Millie is majoring in psychology. Rosemary learns a lot from her." "How nice," said Mrs. MacLane dryly. "I am so glad we are to share the benefits of Millie's college education." (69)
Mr. MacLane exhaled a large blue cloud of smoke. "Well, let me tell you something. Someday some mother is going to rebel against her children, and when she does, I will be the first to contribute to a statue in her honor, to be placed downtown in the center of the plaza. A bronze statue. And each year on Mother's Day I shall personally lay a wreat at her feet." (69)
"Millions of footnotes, when all I want to do is think about Greg." (91)
"Your grandfather always liked a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, reminisced Gramma. "He said it stuck to his ribs." Rosemary looked doubtful. "I don't know whether Greg likes oatmeal or not, but I'm sure I could learn to cook it." Barbara admired her sister for tactfully not telling her grandmother she herself detested oatmeal. Or maybe it wasn't tact at all. Maybe it was love. Maybe Rosemary really would learn to cook oatmeal if Greg wanted it. Rosemary, cooking oatmeal of all things, and early in the morning, too. Rosemary, who always had such a hard time waking up. Barbara smiled to herself. She wondered if Rosemary would learn to eat oatmeal to keep Greg company. That would be the test of love, Rosemary eating oatmeal. (96)
First sentence: I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace 1751, when I took the keyFirst sentence: I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace 1751, when I took the key for the last time out of the door of my father's house.
Premise/plot: When David Balfour's father dies, he sets out on a journey to meet the uncle he never even knew he had. There had been--he reasons, and rightly so--a falling out between the two brothers. But with his father's letter to his brother intact, he sets out with few expectations. Will his uncle welcome him with open arms? Will his uncle invite him to live with him? Will his uncle assist him in getting established in a profession? Will his uncle send him on his way?
Soon after he arrives in the village/town where his father lives, he begins to ask for directions. Every person that he meets gives him a) either a strange look b) strange warning or c) both of the above. It seems this uncle is little respected, much feared. Though he's been warned NOT to make his uncle's acquaintance, he reasons, well, I've come this far already it would be just silly not to go through with my plans.
Can you guess how the meeting goes?
My thoughts: If Kidnapped was a Choose Your Own Adventure book, the version I'd read would be very short! If given the option of choosing to meet the uncle or not meet the uncle, then I'd have him go back to his own neighborhood and trust in the friends he knows versus the family he doesn't.
Though David Balfour's choices would not be my own, I have to say this one is PACKED, absolutely packed, with action and adventure and twists and turns and DRAMA. And I suppose I should have mentioned before now that this one is set in Scotland where feudal disputes and violence abound...
I found this a compelling read. It was INTENSE and enjoyable. Alan Breck and David Balfours certainly know how to keep you turning pages.... ...more
First sentence: My daddy loved growin' apples. And when he got ready to pull up roots and leave Iowa for Oregon, he couldn't bear to leave his apple tFirst sentence: My daddy loved growin' apples. And when he got ready to pull up roots and leave Iowa for Oregon, he couldn't bear to leave his apple trees behind. So Daddy built two of the biggest boxes you could ever hope to see. He set them into a sturdy wagon and shoveled in good, wormy dirt. Then he filled every inch with little plants and trees. Hundreds of them! Daddy was ready for the most daring adventure in the history of fruit.
Premise/plot: Apples to Oregon is a tall tale story. A girl named DELICIOUS is telling the story of how her Dad brought apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries with the family on their trek west on the Oregon Trail. Misadventure abounds but so do solutions to every problem.
My thoughts: If you're looking for a DELICIOUSLY silly story, then this one might fill you up. It is not to be taken at all seriously. There was a man who did bring apples and other fruits to Oregon, but this isn't his story.
The narrative is a tall tale. If you're looking for an example of a tall tale to share with little ones--perhaps to teach the concept of a tall tale--then this one might do well.
Here's an example of the silliness:
The wind began to throw around everything that wasn't lashed down--our boots, baby Albert's diapers, every pot and pan Momma had, even our own little wagon. Next, hailstones big as plums came hurtling out of the sky. "Guard the grapes! Protect the peaches!" Daddy howled. So we all started tearing off our clothes and holding them over Daddy's darlings. Bonnets, petticoats, trousers, hats--even Daddy's drawers!
Text: 5 out of 5 Illustrations: 4 out of 5 Total: 9 out of 10...more
First sentence: A man called Mr. Jones and his wife lived near the sea.
Premise/plot: A Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories is a collection of shorFirst sentence: A man called Mr. Jones and his wife lived near the sea.
Premise/plot: A Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Joan Aiken. Most--if not all--of the stories have a fantastic fairy-tale feel to them. The stories include "A Necklace of Raindrops," "The Cat Sat on the Mat," "There's Some Sky In This Pie," "The Elves in the Shelves," "The Three Travellers," "The Baker's Cat,""A Bed for the Night," and "The Patchwork Quilt."
In "A Necklace of Raindrops," the North Wind becomes godfather to a newborn baby. He gifts her with a necklace of three raindrops. Each year on her birthday he visits her and gives another raindrop. Each year the necklace becomes more magical.
"The Three Travellers" stars three men who work for the Railway and live in the desert. One is a signalman, one is a ticket-collector, and the third is a porter. No one ever, ever, ever, ever stops at their station. Their lives are relatively boring...until....they decide to do something.
"The Patchwork Quilt" is a fun story about a grandmother making a magical quilt for her grandson.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this collection. Some stories I absolutely loved, loved, loved. Other stories I merely liked. But here's the thing--I don't usually like story collections at all. So the fact that I found stories that excited and thrilled me so much is really saying something. ...more
First sentence: Early in the morning, Mom wakes me and says, "Get up, Little Monster, it's time for school."
Premise/plot: Little Monster goes to schoFirst sentence: Early in the morning, Mom wakes me and says, "Get up, Little Monster, it's time for school."
Premise/plot: Little Monster goes to school and makes a new friend, Yally. Yally isn't the most likable or outgoing--in fact, for most of the day (most of the book) he's pout-y and grumpy. But Yally and Little Monster end the day friends at last.
My thoughts: When I think of Mercer Mayer I typically think of Little Critter. I love, love, love, love Little Critter. I remember so many Little Critter books clearly. I had a vague memory of his other series, the Little Monster series. When I saw a couple of these at the local charity shop, I decided to buy them and read them.
I liked this one. I liked Little Monster. Little Monster is empathetic to Yally; Little Monster's kindness--persistent kindness--leads to a new friendship....more
First sentence: The frontier of the wild West resisted attempts to tame it by adventurous pioneers who were hell-bent on making a life for themselves First sentence: The frontier of the wild West resisted attempts to tame it by adventurous pioneers who were hell-bent on making a life for themselves and their families on the open range. The terrain was rough and unyielding, not unlike its new inhabitants. Most of these inhabitants were as stubborn about accepting female doctors as the land was about accepting them.
Premise/plot: This is a nonfiction book sharing biographical sketches of twelve women doctors (ten doctors and two dentists, if you want to get specific). Chris Enss highlights these women: Bethenia Owens-Adair, Georgia Arbuckle Fix, Susan La Flesche Picotte, Susan Anderson, Nellie Mattie MacKnight, Patty Bartlett Sessions, Nellie Pooler Chapman, Lucy Hobbs Taylor, Mary Canaga Rowland, Ellis Reynolds Shipp, Franc Johnson Newcomb, and Flora Hayward Stanford.
My thoughts: I love, love, love this one. I found it fascinating--compelling. I loved how many chapters includes quotes from primary source materials. Readers often get the opportunity to learn about the lives of each individual in her own words. These quotes may be brief--sprinkled here and there throughout the sketch--but they are there. Also each chapter includes a photograph of the subject. It was just a joy to meet each of these women. Their stories are unique--these are not copy-cat cases. Each woman's journey was her own.
I bought this book at a charity shop in town. I probably picked it up because of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman if I'm being honest. But it was a million times better than any fictional story set in the "old West." It was so worth the $2 I spent on it. ...more
First sentence: Three little girls in long, gray Quaker-like gowns, and white dimity bonnets, were walking with their governess and talking quite seriFirst sentence: Three little girls in long, gray Quaker-like gowns, and white dimity bonnets, were walking with their governess and talking quite seriously.
Premise/plot: The First Woman Doctor is a biography of Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D. Over half of the book focuses on her struggle to get higher education. At the time no college or university were accepting women into their programs. A woman doctor?! a woman surgeon?! The idea was laughable, right?! Sure women can be nurses--but nursing isn't a skilled profession! Blackwell is confident, bold, determined, stubborn, diligent. She will be a doctor. She will get an education. Some way, some how she will prove herself. The other half of the book focuses on her life as a doctor. She was determined to help other women become doctors and nurses. She was also determined to help those in the poorest community, the ones who needed medical care the most and were unable to get it.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one for the most part. The last few chapters were VERY rushed. Most of the biography focuses on four or five years of her life. But the last few chapters speeds through DECADES at a pace that is dizzying and slightly confusing. One gets a good idea of who she was as a person. I do wish that some of the relationships were better explored. This one does a LOT of name-dropping but no 'characterization.'
This biography was originally written in 1944. I wonder if any young girls read this and were inspired to become doctors? It would be nice to think so. ...more
First sentence: Tim loved trains. He and his Dad had just returned from a visit to the railroad yards. Tim's head was full of thoughts of streamliner First sentence: Tim loved trains. He and his Dad had just returned from a visit to the railroad yards. Tim's head was full of thoughts of streamliners, turntables, switching engines, signal towers, and all of the other interesting sights he had seen.
Premise/plot: Tim receives an electric train for his birthday. Does he love, love, love it? YES, yes he does.
My thoughts: This has a LOT of text. Dad has a LOT of information to pass along to his son before the real play can begin. At times this felt a bit like an advertisement for a toy train with a few instructions rolled in. But not necessarily in a bad way.
I am not particularly a train enthusiast myself. But I do know plenty of people in my life who are--of all ages.
I do LOVE vintage children's books. That is one reason I bought Tim and His Train. This one was originally published in 1949. I've seen it listed as 1959, but I can read Roman numerals. And I can't see how MCMXLIX could be anything other than 1949. ...more
First sentence: Three weeks after Granny Blakeslee died, Grandpa came to our house for his early morning snort of whiskey, as usual, and said to me, “First sentence: Three weeks after Granny Blakeslee died, Grandpa came to our house for his early morning snort of whiskey, as usual, and said to me, “Will Tweedy? Go find yore mama, then run up to yore Aunt Loma’s and tell her I said git on down here. I got something to say. And I ain’t a-go’n say it but once’t.”
Premise/plot: Olive Ann Burns’ historical novel is set in the fictional town of Cold Sassy, Georgia, in 1906/07. The narrator is a young boy—14, I believe—named Will Tweedy. It will be a huge year for him: his grandpa remarries just three—yes, three—weeks after his grandma’s death; he gets run over by a train and lives to tell the tale; he not only rides in his first automobile but he learns to drive; he kisses a girl. But there are losses as well. It is a substantive coming of age novel. I wouldn’t be surprised if you laughed and cried while reading it.
My thoughts: Cold Sassy Tree is a fantastic read. I loved just about everything. The characters are well developed. As are the relationships. Will has a special relationship with his grandpa and his new wife, Miss Love. It is an unusual relationship with Miss Love. While the rest of the family is upset, scandalized, bitter, Will becomes her close friend and confidante. Some secrets he comes by honestly—things told to him directly. Other secrets he learns via his eavesdropping. But even the tension-filled relationships are done well. For example, Will’s relationship with his Aunt Loma!!! I also loved the narrative voice. Will’s narrative is complex. He is a storyteller. He knows how to keep things light-hearted and humorous—even when the joke is at his expense. But he can also be serious and somber. Life has thrown him some huge changes—like his best friend’s death—and he has to work out what it all means and where he belongs. Who could help loving him? This doesn’t mean that he has all the answers and is perfectly perfect in terms of morals, ethics, and maturity. But this work in progress is lovable.
Quotes:
One Wednesday night he ended a long prayer with “Lord, forgive me for fittin’ [fighting] thet man yesterd’y—though Thou knowest if I had it to do over again I’d hit him harder.” (20)
There wasn’t a grown person in Cold Sassy who couldn’t pass away the time after Sunday dinner by recollecting who’d died of what when, but Granny was the only one I ever heard be interesting about it. (57)
In Cold Sassy, nobody under forty had ever made or waved an American Flag. Even today, in 1914, there’s not but one United States flag in the whole town. The post office being in one corner of the drug store, Dr. Clark is required to fly a U.S. flag. On July 4, 1906, he put it down to half-mast. (61)
I definitely plan on rereading this one at some point. First I need to convince my mom to read it....more
First sentence: I've lived in the Forty Mile country of Alaska for a long time, but even now, every so often when I'm out rock-hunting or looking for First sentence: I've lived in the Forty Mile country of Alaska for a long time, but even now, every so often when I'm out rock-hunting or looking for fossils, I get lost.
Premise/plot: This novel is based on the life of a real woman, Anne Hobbs, who in 1927 arrived in Chicken, Alaska, as a teacher. Anne, originally from Colorado, was the daughter of a miner. Though young and lacking perhaps in great life experiences, she felt ready--mostly--to tackle anything and everything. Challenges and obstacles there would be PLENTY. Especially when she found herself falling in love with a half-breed, Fred Purdy, in a town with many, many biases. (To clarify, that is how the community in the book refers to him throughout.) Especially when she found herself essentially adopting two Indian children after their mother's death.
"Before you leave this office I'd like to give you a bit of advice. I have the feeling that you are a pretty tolerant young lady--young enough to be open to new ideas. Where you're going you'll find that most people are not. They have their own code and they don't take to anybody who tries to go against that code or change it. In short, I hope you're not going into this job with, well...shall I say a missionary zeal?" (66)
My thoughts: I really LOVED this one. I found it at my local charity bookshop. It was so worth the $1 I spent. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, romance, or drama. The drama not only comes from the community and tense relationships within Chicken but also the natural environment. Tisha is best read under warm blankets or with a cup of hot tea in hand.
Anne Hobb's heart was BIG and she was STUBBORN in all the right ways. I love how she welcomed everyone--even the town outcasts into her heart and home....more
First sentence: In 1815, Monsieur Charles-Francois-Bienvenu Myriel was bishop of Digne. He was an elderly man of about seventy-five and he had occupieFirst sentence: In 1815, Monsieur Charles-Francois-Bienvenu Myriel was bishop of Digne. He was an elderly man of about seventy-five and he had occupied the seat of Digne since 1806.
Note: This will be my fourth review of Les Miserables for the blog. (It was my fifth time to read the novel.) My 2013 review. My 2014 review. My 2017 review.
I will probably end up cutting and pasting summary bits from other reviews because the plot hasn't changed.
From my 2017 review, Premise/plot: An ex-convict does his best to live life according to his conscience. Will it ever be enough?
From my 2013 review,
Premise/plot: Jean Valjean is an ex-convict who seeks shelter from Bishop Myriel one night. Though he's been treated only with kindness, Valjean in his bitterness (he was sent to prison for stealing a loaf of bread), he steals the bishop's silver. When the theft is discovered, the bishop is all compassion telling the officials that there has been a misunderstanding. Valjean did not steal the silver; it was given as a gift. In fact, he's happy to give Valjean his silver candlesticks as well. Valjean is shocked and overwhelmed. The meeting turns out to be quite life-changing.
When readers next meet Valjean, he has a new name and life. Monsieur Madeleine is a successful business man. He has a BIG heart. He's always giving. He's always thinking of others. He's always doing what he can, when he can to make a difference when and where it matters most. One woman he is determined to help is a young, single mother, Fantine. Circumstances have separated Fantine from her child, Cosette, but, Valjean is determined to correct as many wrongs as he can in this situation. He will see to it personally.
Unfortunately, his past catches up with him. He learns that a man has been arrested; "Jean Valjean" has been caught. Of course, Madeleine knows this is nonsense. Can he let another take his place in prison? If he tells the truth then he can no longer help the poor, but if he doesn't tell the truth, how could he live with himself? He does the honorable thing--though it is one of the greatest challenges he's faced so far.
But that means, for the moment, that Cosette is left in unpleasant circumstances...
There comes a time, an opportunity for Valjean to escape. What he does with his freedom--this time he's assumed drowned, I believe--is go and find Cosette. The two become everything to one another. Cosette is the family he's never had, never even knew he needed or wanted... the two end up in Paris.
Almost half of the novel follows the love story between Marius and Cosette. But it isn't only a love story. Marius is a poor man in conflict with his rich grandfather. The two disagree about many things. But their main source of disagreement is politics. At first, Marius is swept up in his father's politics, with a new awareness of who his father was as a soldier, as a man, as a possible hero. But later, Marius begins to think for himself, to contemplate political and philosophical things for himself. He becomes friendly with a political group at this time. But his love of politics dims when he falls in love with Cosette...and she becomes his whole reason for being. For the longest time these two don't even know each other's names! This romance isn't without challenges...
My thoughts: I love, love, love this novel. I do. I love to love it. I love to reread it every other year or so. I've come to know the characters well. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good in that these characters are memorable and worth knowing and mostly loving. Bad in that it's hard for me to watch film adaptations of Les Miserables without cringing. When writers rewrite Hugo's characters, I have little tolerance. I have some tolerance for condensing or leaving bits out altogether. After all, I don't expect a movie to go scene by scene through the novel. Much is introspective after all. One can film a man "thinking" perhaps but not capture on film his thoughts. ...more
First sentence: One night Henry and Henry's father and Henry's big dog Mudge were watching TV.
Premise/plot: Henry's family takes in a stray cat; this First sentence: One night Henry and Henry's father and Henry's big dog Mudge were watching TV.
Premise/plot: Henry's family takes in a stray cat; this stray cat is unique looking: it looks like mashed prunes. The family is happy to take the cat in--for a few days, a few weeks. But because having Mudge is like having five dogs--that they can't take the cat into their home permanently.
The first chapter is about taking the stray cat into their home. The second chapter is about how happy the cat is in her new home, and, how much Mudge loves being mothered by the cat. Essentially the family does come to like the cat. The third chapter is "bittersweet" I suppose. The cat's original owner is found, and the two are reunited. But Henry's family misses the cat.
In one week the shabby cat had become Mudge's mother. It washed Mudge all the time. It washed Mudge's ears. It washed Mudge's eyes. It even washed Mudge's dirty feet.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed rereading this Henry and Mudge book. It was my first book to read in the series and it still remains my favorite--at least so far.
Have you read the Henry and Mudge series? Do you have a favorite title? ...more
Set in India during the early years of World War II, Climbing the Stairs is narrated by a charming youngVenkatraman, Padma. 2008. Climbing the Stairs.
Set in India during the early years of World War II, Climbing the Stairs is narrated by a charming young woman, 15, Vidya, who dreams of nothing more than going to college and continuing her education. She has an older brother, Kitta, a best friend, Rifka. When the novel begins, Vidya seems to have everything she wants within her grasp. Her parents have agreed that she won't be put on the marriage market quite yet unlike her cousin, Malati. And on a special father-daughter bonding trip, her father even agrees that she should go to college. And then....and then tragedy strikes.
Vidya's life isn't easy. It's in just as much turmoil--it seems--as India itself. There is within India a movement, a freedom movement, to create an independent India free from British rule and oppression. But there is also a call from the British to rise up and join the British ranks--British soldiers--on the field fighting the Axis powers. Yet Vidya's family at least--and presumably many others as well--believe in nonviolence. Affirm that all killing, all war is wrong. It doesn't matter who you're opposing, to take up arms is in itself wrong.
Vidya makes for a charming narrator for many reasons. But one of the reasons that I fell so in love with her as a narrator is the fact that she loves to read, loves to learn. When tragedy forces the family to move from their own home to her paternal grandfather's home, she doesn't give up hope, not completely. Life is very, very different. Very, very unpleasant. And yet, she always finds something to hold onto. And one of her greatest resources is her grandfather's library.
Climbing the Stairs. What does that mean exactly? Well, her grandfather and his family--his large extended family--live in a house. The men live upstairs. The women live downstairs. Women are not allowed in the men's domain. The library--technically speaking--should be off limits to her simply because of her sex, her gender. Women are not valued, not respected. Young women, girls, are seen merely as future wives, future mothers. They have no value except what value is placed on them by the men in their lives--father, brother, husband.
I absolutely loved this historical fiction novel. Definitely recommended....more
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