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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
I liked the premise of this story, but I felt the adult points of view diluted the story and will be uninteresting to the intended audience. If it had stuck with Kid telling the story it would have been stronger. Also, way too many issues going on for this short a book.
This was a very quick read. Cute story about a goat living on the top of an apartment building in NYC.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
This morning, I found this library book outside my grandma's door. Apparently my mom checked it out for her and she's been lending it to her friends at the 55+ apartment complex and making all of them read it. It had finished the rounds at my grandma's place, so she had me take it back to my mom and I found myself reading the whole thing as soon as I got home.
I really like books about the magical things that can happen in New York City when you're a kid. I didn't visit New York until I was in college, and then I moved there for a while as an adult. It was still sometimes magical, but it was also subway delays and bad playing theater jobs and stinky piles of trash. In this book, the Kid's mother sings songs about New York, even when she's throwing away rat carcasses. (They're dog-sitting a dog named Cat that likes to catch rats in the park. Naturally.) And all the neighbors are fun and interesting and not playing loud music at 2 in the morning. And the doorman is just the right amount of sassy. (I have never lived in a building with a doorman, so I don't know if this is realistic.) All this to say, the part of the book about the goat is great, but you could take out the goat and the book would still be fun. (The title would make a lot less sense though.)
I really like books about the magical things that can happen in New York City when you're a kid. I didn't visit New York until I was in college, and then I moved there for a while as an adult. It was still sometimes magical, but it was also subway delays and bad playing theater jobs and stinky piles of trash. In this book, the Kid's mother sings songs about New York, even when she's throwing away rat carcasses. (They're dog-sitting a dog named Cat that likes to catch rats in the park. Naturally.) And all the neighbors are fun and interesting and not playing loud music at 2 in the morning. And the doorman is just the right amount of sassy. (I have never lived in a building with a doorman, so I don't know if this is realistic.) All this to say, the part of the book about the goat is great, but you could take out the goat and the book would still be fun. (The title would make a lot less sense though.)
A quirky book. I didn't like the main character's name, and I wish there was an epilogue for the goat (and maybe Mara), but other than that it was a fun, quick read.
If it wasn't written by a Canadian, I think it could have won the Newbery. (Doesn't mean I think it should, but it could.)
"No, I do not mean what I say. Do it again and again. Live your own life. Your parents are gone, we miss them, they died horribly, but you will not die the same way. In between now and then you will live. Your life. With all my love."
"No, I do not mean what I say. Do it again and again. Live your own life. Your parents are gone, we miss them, they died horribly, but you will not die the same way. In between now and then you will live. Your life. With all my love."
I know a lot of people love it, but for me this book was just....fine. I felt like it was written for adults.
Kid and her family come to New York because her mother is producing a play on Broadway. They are staying in her father's cousin's apartment. Kid has anxiety but she does manage to befriend Will and his grandmother. There are rumors about a goat living on the building and the children set out to find it. We meet other residents of the building and the goat of course. Sometimes the jumping from POV to POV can be confusing but it is a lovely book about facing your fears and persevering. MG New York; Anxiety; People with Disabilities; Goats