Showing posts with label Chapter Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chapter Books. Show all posts
The Pye's story begins when they finally get Ginger. From the beginning there are suspicions that an "unsavory character" may be watching the Pye's in order to snatch Ginger away and soon, he does. The rest of the story action revolves around the search for and eventual return of Ginger Pye. What I realized about half way through the book is that Ginger only takes center stage at the beginning and the end.
What is so clever about Ginger Pye is the way Estes gradually unfolds the story and character of the Pye family through their acquisition of and, later, search for Ginger. The story begins with the two children, Rachel, aged nine, and Jerry, aged ten discussing "Which is more important? A cat or a dog?" Rachel, who is very logical and a little stubborn, answers "both." Jerry, who has his eye set on one particular puppy, simply answers "M-m-m." Half the fun of this book is watching the relationship between Rachel and Jerry. (The other half is the suspense of waiting to find out who stole Ginger Pye!)
For younger kids, it is a lot of fun to hear the story of Ginger, to see the children with their special pet, and to follow them as they try to trail the "unsavory character" who stole Ginger. For older children (and adults) it is the story of the Pye family themselves that is both compelling and entertaining: Mrs. Pye (the youngest mother in town), Mr. Pye (who handles all the nation's important bird problems), the very reasonable (almost too reasonable) Rachel Pye, Jerry Pye (who wants to grow up to be a rock man), and Uncle Bennie (he's three).
*This book was published in 1951 and was the Newberry Medal Book for that year.
What is so clever about Ginger Pye is the way Estes gradually unfolds the story and character of the Pye family through their acquisition of and, later, search for Ginger. The story begins with the two children, Rachel, aged nine, and Jerry, aged ten discussing "Which is more important? A cat or a dog?" Rachel, who is very logical and a little stubborn, answers "both." Jerry, who has his eye set on one particular puppy, simply answers "M-m-m." Half the fun of this book is watching the relationship between Rachel and Jerry. (The other half is the suspense of waiting to find out who stole Ginger Pye!)
For younger kids, it is a lot of fun to hear the story of Ginger, to see the children with their special pet, and to follow them as they try to trail the "unsavory character" who stole Ginger. For older children (and adults) it is the story of the Pye family themselves that is both compelling and entertaining: Mrs. Pye (the youngest mother in town), Mr. Pye (who handles all the nation's important bird problems), the very reasonable (almost too reasonable) Rachel Pye, Jerry Pye (who wants to grow up to be a rock man), and Uncle Bennie (he's three).
*This book was published in 1951 and was the Newberry Medal Book for that year.
"Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters" by Leslie Blume
0 comments Posted by Mary at 1:08 PM
One day, a new resident moves into Cornelia's apartments, across the hall from her. She is curious so she cautiously walks over to investigate. This is where the second story begins to unfold. In the apartment, she meets a woman named Virginia Somerset. The two form a fast friendship and Virginia becomes a kind of "personal Scheherazade" to Cornelia as she tells tales of her travels and adventures with her sisters.
"Cornelia . . ." is Lesley Blume's debut children's novel. I was curious to find out her background so I went to her website which is, in and of itself, a portrait of this extraordinary woman. I will leave that to you to check out. I found it charming to watch Cornelia change through her interactions with Virginia. The interjections of adventure stories, while lengthy at times, add color and excitement to an otherwise ordinary story.
One of George MacDonald's most famous novel's, published in 1871, was first 
serialized in a children's magazine Good Words for the Young. Given its episodic construction, it is not hard to imagine children eagerly awaiting the next installment of the story of little Diamond. To a modern day reader, Diamond seems so sweet and good that he is almost unreal. He takes care of is baby brother. He befriends anyone who will talk to him, from the street sweeper, Nanny, to his drunken next door neighbor. When his father is ill, he takes the cab out in order to make money for the family. Everywhere Diamond goes he spreads joy to the people around him and possesses such an innocent demeanor that even those close to him begin to think he must be mentally ill. Diamond is set apart by his behavior toward others and complete joy in his circumstances. He was not meant for this world. It is because he is created in such a manner that North Wind comes to him and begins what will be a series of journeys leading to the country at her back. His adventures with North Wind begin as just a picture of that land. Diamond does not truly arrive there until the end of the book and when he does, it is more real and even more lovely than his dreams.
serialized in a children's magazine Good Words for the Young. Given its episodic construction, it is not hard to imagine children eagerly awaiting the next installment of the story of little Diamond. To a modern day reader, Diamond seems so sweet and good that he is almost unreal. He takes care of is baby brother. He befriends anyone who will talk to him, from the street sweeper, Nanny, to his drunken next door neighbor. When his father is ill, he takes the cab out in order to make money for the family. Everywhere Diamond goes he spreads joy to the people around him and possesses such an innocent demeanor that even those close to him begin to think he must be mentally ill. Diamond is set apart by his behavior toward others and complete joy in his circumstances. He was not meant for this world. It is because he is created in such a manner that North Wind comes to him and begins what will be a series of journeys leading to the country at her back. His adventures with North Wind begin as just a picture of that land. Diamond does not truly arrive there until the end of the book and when he does, it is more real and even more lovely than his dreams.The most difficult thing Diamond must learn about North Wind is that she is always good. Even when she must destroy something or someone, she is still good. He struggles to justify the goodness she has shown him with what he sees as "badness" she meets out on others. After many great disasters, the christian's mind struggles to conprehend a God who is truly good and yet allows and even causes what we see as "bad" things to occur. As Diamond travels with North Wind he realizes that no matter what she does, he knows her to be good and can rest in that thought.
While it is one of my favorite stories, it must be considered that At the Back of the North Wind was written in the 19th century. It is very stylized with long passages of poetry, sometimes 2-3 pages long, in the middle of a chapter. The novel even contains the fairy tale of Little Daylight which MacDonald later published separately. I don't think these divergences take away anything from the story, but rather are used to illustrate Diamond's otherworldly adventures with North Wind.
*This book was first published in 1871
*This book was first published in 1871
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