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lorathelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Such a wonderful way to handle such a difficult topic.
Twelve year old Rebecca tells the story of her parents separation. Her parents have been fighting a lot lately, but when she wakes up one day and her mom has bags packed and takes Rebecca and her little brother, Lew, with her in the car to go live with her Gran, she is really shaken. Her whole world is turned upside down. Instead of living at home, in Baltimore, now she's living with her Gran (in her mom's childhood room) in Atlanta. Rebecca is trying to deal with her anger towards her mom for running away and taking her with her, starting at a new school, missing her dad, and on top of it all, the discovery of a very magical object.
Rebecca finds an old bread box in her Gran's attic. She discovers that she can wish for things and they appear in the bread box, as long as they are small enough to fit. For awhile Rebecca uses her wishes to help forget all the bad things in her life. She doesn't think about where all the objects are coming from, including the money and diamond. When Rebecca finally starts figuring out what the bread box is doing she's forced to actually face the reality of her situation.
This story is incredibly well told. Children that have experienced divorce or their parents separating are bound to relate to Rebecca. Other children are going to really understand her anger and emotions, because all kids sometimes feel like the world is out to get them. On top of all that, the magical element of the book is just enough to catch those reluctant readers, or readers looking for a little something special. Definitely something to recommend.
Twelve year old Rebecca tells the story of her parents separation. Her parents have been fighting a lot lately, but when she wakes up one day and her mom has bags packed and takes Rebecca and her little brother, Lew, with her in the car to go live with her Gran, she is really shaken. Her whole world is turned upside down. Instead of living at home, in Baltimore, now she's living with her Gran (in her mom's childhood room) in Atlanta. Rebecca is trying to deal with her anger towards her mom for running away and taking her with her, starting at a new school, missing her dad, and on top of it all, the discovery of a very magical object.
Rebecca finds an old bread box in her Gran's attic. She discovers that she can wish for things and they appear in the bread box, as long as they are small enough to fit. For awhile Rebecca uses her wishes to help forget all the bad things in her life. She doesn't think about where all the objects are coming from, including the money and diamond. When Rebecca finally starts figuring out what the bread box is doing she's forced to actually face the reality of her situation.
This story is incredibly well told. Children that have experienced divorce or their parents separating are bound to relate to Rebecca. Other children are going to really understand her anger and emotions, because all kids sometimes feel like the world is out to get them. On top of all that, the magical element of the book is just enough to catch those reluctant readers, or readers looking for a little something special. Definitely something to recommend.
heatherbermingham's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted there to be more magic but good, honest writing about separation and divorce for middle grades.
trudilibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I was immediately drawn to this book for two reasons: the awesome cover art and the enticing premise. Both obviously appealed greatly to my inner child (who for once became enchanted by the possibility of whimsy, rather than the promise of something sinister). What can I say? My inner child bears a striking resemblance to this little dude:
This truly is a delightful romp of a story that shows wonderful imagination and great sensitivity. Rebecca is a sympathetic protagonist, at a point in her life where what mom says goes, and is whisked away from her father, her home, her friends, quite unexpectedly one afternoon, along with her two-year-old brother Lew. It is a shocking, frustrating, turn of events that quickly tests all of Rebecca's restraint to forgo throwing tantrums and take what life is throwing at her in stride instead. That's a huge order for a twelve year old girl, and she doesn't always succeed.
Then life becomes really interesting when she stumbles upon a bright and sparkling breadbox in her Gran's attic. For this isn't just any breadbox; this is a magical item that grants wishes (as long as said wishes meet one important criteria; that they are not bigger than said breadbox of course).
Like most magic, all of Rebecca's wishing comes with a price. But it's also going to help her grow up, and move a little closer to understanding her mystifying, maddening parents. This is a bittersweet story, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much emotion it pulled out of me. If it appealed to my inner child, it will definitely appeal to yours.
msseviereads's review against another edition
5.0
I'm usually not one for books with magic. A pure fantasy book with magic I can do, but a book set in reality with magic? Never works. And yet -- this one did.
The girl going through a rough patch, and a friend in the grandmother -- those work for me. Maybe because I could connect to these characters I was able to let the magic work for me.
I really liked how the main character learned to take some personal responsibility.
I've already added this to the classroom e-readers and hoping to interest a few students in it. I'd like to also check out the next book in the series that I've seen mentioned on Twitter.
The girl going through a rough patch, and a friend in the grandmother -- those work for me. Maybe because I could connect to these characters I was able to let the magic work for me.
I really liked how the main character learned to take some personal responsibility.
I've already added this to the classroom e-readers and hoping to interest a few students in it. I'd like to also check out the next book in the series that I've seen mentioned on Twitter.
wiseowl33's review against another edition
Really enjoyed it all the way to the end. Didn't love the end... but still feel it's a great book!
shighley's review against another edition
4.0
There is so much that I liked about this book: it was different, it seemed to accurately capture the voice of Rebecca, it included some school scenes (including science class, which helped her realize some important points, and a struggling English teacher Rebecca appreciated), and it had some great phrases, such as Rebecca noting that for the first time she was a "new kid", when before she had always been a "Since Kindergarten Kid". Rebecca's unwavering love and devotion for her baby brother (who seemed a very precocious two-year-old) was also a plus. It was fun to try and predict what she would request of the breadbox, to think what I would ask for, and to see how her wishes evolve. Those parts would be great read-alouds at school.
This book was going to be a '5' for me all along until the last act. When Rebecca takes off again for a mission that is well-intentioned but very ill-advised, the results were just too weird and out of place for me.
I also wish a few questions had been answered, such as a simple question to Gran about the breadbox; the magic wouldn't have to be mentioned. I felt at times that Gran and Rebecca's mom were too easy on her (hiding the phone for days?), and that the relationships among them were depicted a bit unevenly.
I couldn't wait to get home to finish it, but was just a bit disappointed when it was over.
This book was going to be a '5' for me all along until the last act. When Rebecca takes off again for a mission that is well-intentioned but very ill-advised, the results were just too weird and out of place for me.
I also wish a few questions had been answered, such as a simple question to Gran about the breadbox; the magic wouldn't have to be mentioned. I felt at times that Gran and Rebecca's mom were too easy on her (hiding the phone for days?), and that the relationships among them were depicted a bit unevenly.
I couldn't wait to get home to finish it, but was just a bit disappointed when it was over.
choosejoytoday's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the way Snyder let Rebecca express her own feelings to her parents eventually. It seemed like the situation panned out in a realistic way (Rebecca knows her parents had been fighting, one day mom loads her and her little bro up in the car and takes off for grandma's in Atlanta) in which the adults are trying to do the best thing, but lose sight of what is most important. I loved the grandma! I also liked that her use of the breadbox came with consequences-- that for the magic to happen, something was taken from somewhere else-- I think that's a good message for the "instantaneous gratification" culture we've got going on now.
pwbalto's review against another edition
5.0
Our pick for the 2011 Newbery Award.
Reviewed by my friend Paula and her daughter:
ESP: So it’s a book about a magic bread box? Is that how you would describe it?
Not just about a magic bread box. It’s about school drama, family, and how unfair it is when adults make decisions for you that you don’t like.
ESP: How did the book make you feel when you were reading it?
I was excited and on edge! I couldn’t guess what was going to happen at all. She (Laurel Snyder) did a great job with the entire story. There wasn’t too much of anything or too little of anything. It was a perfect book. The ending is a good set up for a sequel, hint-hint!
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2011/08/bigger-than-bread-box-laurel-snyder-review.html
Reviewed by my friend Paula and her daughter:
ESP: So it’s a book about a magic bread box? Is that how you would describe it?
Not just about a magic bread box. It’s about school drama, family, and how unfair it is when adults make decisions for you that you don’t like.
ESP: How did the book make you feel when you were reading it?
I was excited and on edge! I couldn’t guess what was going to happen at all. She (Laurel Snyder) did a great job with the entire story. There wasn’t too much of anything or too little of anything. It was a perfect book. The ending is a good set up for a sequel, hint-hint!
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2011/08/bigger-than-bread-box-laurel-snyder-review.html
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
I think a lot of kids are going to see themselves in this book! Whether it's coming from a divorced home or because everyone needs some wishes now and then, this is a book that will be passed on from reader to reader.