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anne_abundantcolors's review
3.0
May Amelia is certainly a very lively character. She chafes against the restrictions placed on girls and loves to go boating, climb trees, and run. I liked reading about the relationship she has with her brothers, especially Wendell and Wilbert.
I also liked reading about the area. Coastal Washington is a new area for me.
What I didn't like so much was that the misfortunes in the second half of the book seemed to come so quickly and furiously. They made the book less plausible.
I also liked reading about the area. Coastal Washington is a new area for me.
What I didn't like so much was that the misfortunes in the second half of the book seemed to come so quickly and furiously. They made the book less plausible.
carrieksnider's review
5.0
I almost put this down, since it was written how a young girl thought and not proper grammar. I'm glad I kept reading! Once I got into the rhythm of it, it was easier to read. I loved the main character. She was so funny. There were heart-warming times, and also sad times. I was never bored and always interested in what might happen. The fact that it was based on a real person and a real place is a huge plus.
shighley's review
4.0
In trying to read as many books as possible on the "best of 2011" lists, I decided to read this book before I read the sequel, The Trouble with May Amelia. I did enjoy it, and can't believe I hadn't read it before. One of the things I really liked was that May Amelia is definitely a child, and acts like a child. Sometimes it was very maddening, just like being a parent! I don't think I've read that many books set in the NW US (although The Grape Thief comes to mind, but I liked this much better). It did bother me several times that Holm didn't use quotation marks (I had to re-read to be sure who said what). I enjoyed the portrayal of the Indians/Native Americans. As with many good books, there things I would like to look up and learn more about, such as Astoria. Some things had a bit too much detail, some not enough (for my taste) and I felt like too many things happened too fast toward the end, but I really did enjoy it, and can see why it earned the Newbery Honor. This is yet another book that has interesting, inspiring roots that led to its being written, and I appreciated the accompanying photographs as well.
jensaperstein's review against another edition
5.0
My mom's been married a few times now, and I can honestly say that not much good has come out of the multiple stepfathers I've dealt with. There is one notable exception: my first stepfather, when I was maybe 8 years old, randomly decided to give my sister and I a present each. He put his hands behind his back and told us to each pick a side, and then presented us each with our own book. My sister got "Because of Winn Dixie" and I got this book.
I remember being disappointed at first, because I had heard about "Because of Winn Dixie" and had never heard of this May Amelia character. Plus, the book wasn't pretty. Also, I had wanted to pick the other hand but the older sister got first call. Needless to say I didn't enter this book with any positive expectations.
I guess it goes without saying that I loved it, if I remember it all these years later as a favorite, so much so that I still have it on my elusive 'favorites' shelf ten years later at age 18.
The book is about a young girl who has grown up in a family of rambunctious brothers. She's unruly and rather wild, just goes about the riverside with her animal friends and her imagination to make a great day out of it. I remember the book felt rustic to me, that I was transported to this whole world that I, safely growing up in my upper-middle-class suburb, had no idea existed. And who knew that it could be so fun!
I might have been too young by conventional standards to read this at age 8 or so, so I'm not suggesting this as the prime reading age for any of my friends' and followers' children. But my gosh, please don't forget about this book. In 2000 it didn't win the Newbery Medal but it did win Honors, and it deserved every bit of recognition it got.
I remember being disappointed at first, because I had heard about "Because of Winn Dixie" and had never heard of this May Amelia character. Plus, the book wasn't pretty. Also, I had wanted to pick the other hand but the older sister got first call. Needless to say I didn't enter this book with any positive expectations.
I guess it goes without saying that I loved it, if I remember it all these years later as a favorite, so much so that I still have it on my elusive 'favorites' shelf ten years later at age 18.
The book is about a young girl who has grown up in a family of rambunctious brothers. She's unruly and rather wild, just goes about the riverside with her animal friends and her imagination to make a great day out of it. I remember the book felt rustic to me, that I was transported to this whole world that I, safely growing up in my upper-middle-class suburb, had no idea existed. And who knew that it could be so fun!
I might have been too young by conventional standards to read this at age 8 or so, so I'm not suggesting this as the prime reading age for any of my friends' and followers' children. But my gosh, please don't forget about this book. In 2000 it didn't win the Newbery Medal but it did win Honors, and it deserved every bit of recognition it got.
britomarte's review
4.0
I'm going to give both books about May Amelia the same review, because they feel like two halves of one book.
These are the saddest books ever. Every few pages, some child is being physically or emotionally wounded. Parents dying. Children dying. Permanent maimings. Loss and grief everywhere.
I feel like the author struggled a bit to find the right voice for the age of the protagonist, but she did settle into one. For me, the voice was a little young for a twelve-year-old, but I understood the choice and ran with it.
That said, the books were both quite good. I wouldn't recommend reading them back to back when you've already had a bit of a bummer week, though. Don't make the mistake I did.
These are the saddest books ever. Every few pages, some child is being physically or emotionally wounded. Parents dying. Children dying. Permanent maimings. Loss and grief everywhere.
I feel like the author struggled a bit to find the right voice for the age of the protagonist, but she did settle into one. For me, the voice was a little young for a twelve-year-old, but I understood the choice and ran with it.
That said, the books were both quite good. I wouldn't recommend reading them back to back when you've already had a bit of a bummer week, though. Don't make the mistake I did.
zoepagereader's review
3.0
Gosh, I finally finished this. I would have bailed immediately if this hadn’t been for Battle of the Books. There weren’t any quotation marks around the dialogue. Why? What is the point of that? It was nearly impossible to get through, because of that, and it just felt like a knockoff Little House in the Big Woods. It did get better as it went along, though. 3⭐️
sarahflanders's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
casehouse's review against another edition
3.0
The story of a young Finnish girl growing up and experiencing hardship in the Pacific Northwest. I enjoyed the tales of her adventures. I did find myself wondering what age child would like this book. Some of the events are too intense for the very young. I will probably try listening to this one with my 3rd and 5th grade sons and see what happens.
beecheralyson's review
5.0
Jenni Holm does a great job in writing girl characters that are spunky, funny, and able to win you over. I loved this story about a young girl in 1899 Washington State. Can't wait to dive into the next book [b:The Trouble with May Amelia|8566075|The Trouble with May Amelia|Jennifer L. Holm|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1279905051s/8566075.jpg|13434630]