Entries Categorized as 'Fiction'
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Award Winner, imagination, Katharine Paterson, Quick Read, Sad
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Jess is surprised when Leslie, the new girl at his school, chooses him as her only friend. However, he is soon very happy to have met somebody who actually cares about his hobby of drawing and understands him. Together they “discover” the imaginary land of Terabithia and retreat there from all their problems. But how long can it last?
I found this one intriguing. It starts out as a slice-of-life story and a neat one at that. But about halfway through, with hardly any foreshadowing, the plot takes a turn you won’t expect (unless, like me, you had it ruined for you ahead of time). There’s definitely room for lots of discussion about the ending, which strikes me as sad for reasons the author didn’t quite intend.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Gene Stratton-Porter, Limberlost
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Abandoned, crippled, and bearing no more of a name than “Freckles,” a young man takes upon himself the job of guarding the Limberlost forest. It’s a big task, requiring courage and stamina, but Mr. McLean, the boss of the lumber company, consents to give him a chance. During his work in the months to come, Freckles befriends the bird woman, an avid photographer, and he meets a beautiful girl whom he calls his swamp angel. But Black Jack the timber thief has his eye on several of the most valuable trees, and he will stop at nothing to steal them.
This is really quite a good book, and I’m afraid it gets overlooked more often than not. I love following Freckles’ journey as he learns to love the forest and the creatures that live there, and all the events which come about through his time there. Written in an older style (all the chapters are titled “In Which…”) but not short on adventure, Freckles is well worth reading. Give it a try, and prepare to be swept off to the Limberlost.
Posted by Becca
Categories: Fiction, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Astrid Lindgren, Good Read Aloud, Orphans, Out of Print, Quick Read, Sweden, Tramps
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Rasmus is tired of living at the orphanage. Everybody who comes to adopt an orphan always picks a girl with curly hair. Nobody wants a boy with straight hair. One day, Rasmus decides to take matters into his own hands and sets out to find a family who wants him. The very next morning, Rasmus meets up with a tramp named Oscar who seems very friendly. Oscar says that he will help Rasmus find a home, but the two new friends run into trouble when Oscar is suspected for a crime he did not commit.
Probably the biggest thing I didn’t like about this book was Oscar’s disrespect for policemen because he is tired of them assuming that “tramp” equals “badguy.” That’s all well and good, but Oscar doesn’t even try to be nice to the policemen, which would help to clear the “tramps are bad” mindset. Another interesting item to note is that, unlike other books by Lindgren, Rasmus and the Vagabond is not a humorous story. The ending is somewhat predictable, but this is still a good quick read for days when you don’t have time for a long story.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Easy Read, P. D. Eastman, Quick Read
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One day, a boy finds an egg lying in the path. He sees a nest nearby and decides to put the egg into it. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Bird are quite surprised when they come back to find a very large egg in their nest. Nevertheless, they take care of the egg until it hatches into… Well, you’ll find out.
A humorous tale, accompanied by P. D. Eastman’s excellent illustrations. I found it rather difficult to read aloud, as the sentences tend to be very short, but it would probably be enjoyable for a beginning reader. Overall, a fun book, but I think I like The Best Nest better.
Posted by Becca
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Award Winner, Good Read Aloud, New York City, Ruth Sawyer
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Lucinda Wyman’s parents are going to Italy for health reasons, leaving ten-year-old Lucinda with two spinsters for a whole year. Lucinda is excited about her “year of orphanage” because she will be allowed to roam the streets of New York City without being tied to a French governess. Her freedom allows her to make many friends, from the poor family in the upstairs apartment to the Italian street vendor.
Roller Skates is wonderful in that Lucinda is given so much freedom to explore and make friends, within bounds of reason, allowing her to come out of the shell imposed on her by her high-class, snooty, and somewhat uncaring family. There is one loose end that is upsetting to Lucinda and to the reader that is never tied up in the end, but most of the story is a good read with no lack of the subtle emotions of a young girl whose feelings have been hidden for so long.
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