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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
This book is a little dry, but the whole idea is really interesting.
I'm going to start my review with a digression. Often parents will ask children's librarians some form of this question: "Can you help me find books for my second grader who reads at an eighth grade level?" What they want is something challenging, but not too mature. Most times, I point these parents towards classics. Children's books written before, say, 1960 (if they're still in print) tend to be wholesome and full of unfamiliar words and complex sentence structures. So, bingo! There you have it. (I will also tell parents that just because their kid reads at an eighth level, doesn't mean they shouldn't be reading good books for second graders.)
The Borrowers definitely falls into this wholesome/challenging classics genre. I chose it for my middle grade book club this summer because it matches our theme (Dig Into Reading!) and because I have some smart cookies in the group and I want to see if they enjoy a book with a very different kind of appeal than most of the books I pick (our other books this summer were [b:Holes|38709|Holes (Holes, #1)|Louis Sachar|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327781893s/38709.jpg|1679789] and [b:Gregor the Overlander|262430|Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles, #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1173234171s/262430.jpg|524491]).
Though I shouldn't have been, I was surprised at how deep this book was. I especially liked this exchange (from page 84 of my copy):
"...Borrower's don't steal."
"Except from human beings," said the boy.
Arrietty burst out laughing; she laughed so much that she had to hide her face in the primrose. "Oh dear," she gasped with tears in her eyes, "you are funny!" She stared upward at his puzzled face. "Human beans are for Borrowers - like bread's for butter!"
This is an amazing lesson on perspective. Still, I only gave the book three stars because I didn't fall in love with it. I enjoyed it, and was impressed by it, but it didn't have the magic for me. Maybe because I'm a grown-up and I never read it as a child.
The Borrowers definitely falls into this wholesome/challenging classics genre. I chose it for my middle grade book club this summer because it matches our theme (Dig Into Reading!) and because I have some smart cookies in the group and I want to see if they enjoy a book with a very different kind of appeal than most of the books I pick (our other books this summer were [b:Holes|38709|Holes (Holes, #1)|Louis Sachar|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327781893s/38709.jpg|1679789] and [b:Gregor the Overlander|262430|Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles, #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1173234171s/262430.jpg|524491]).
Though I shouldn't have been, I was surprised at how deep this book was. I especially liked this exchange (from page 84 of my copy):
"...Borrower's don't steal."
"Except from human beings," said the boy.
Arrietty burst out laughing; she laughed so much that she had to hide her face in the primrose. "Oh dear," she gasped with tears in her eyes, "you are funny!" She stared upward at his puzzled face. "Human beans are for Borrowers - like bread's for butter!"
This is an amazing lesson on perspective. Still, I only gave the book three stars because I didn't fall in love with it. I enjoyed it, and was impressed by it, but it didn't have the magic for me. Maybe because I'm a grown-up and I never read it as a child.
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
De esos clásicos infantiles encantadores, para pasar una tarde entrañable y ligerita. Es una historia sencilla pero contada con mucha habilidad, mostrándonos los objetos y lugares más comunes de una manera totalmente nueva. Tiene un punto bastante refrescante y para nada ñoño (lo que me sorprendió gratamente).
De las dos historias que vienen en este volumen me gustó más la primera, pero ambas merecen la pena si te gustan este tipo de clásicos.
Ahora a volver a ver Arrietty :3
De las dos historias que vienen en este volumen me gustó más la primera, pero ambas merecen la pena si te gustan este tipo de clásicos.
Ahora a volver a ver Arrietty :3
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I can't recall for sure whether I read this as a child, but I believe that I did because it was just familiar enough. Much better than Bedknob and Broomstick (although the movie of that is still one of my favorites).
There are some parts of this book that were rather impenetrable for Jackson since they references to very dated objects used in English homes in the 1800s or early 1900s; however, that did not diminish his enjoyment of it. There is some captivating about the idea of Borrowers living in your home and using all of those little things that we all misplace. It's just charming enough that you find yourself thinking, "what if it could be true?" or at least, "wouldn't that be cool if it were true?"
Not one of my all-time favorites, but enjoyable.
There are some parts of this book that were rather impenetrable for Jackson since they references to very dated objects used in English homes in the 1800s or early 1900s; however, that did not diminish his enjoyment of it. There is some captivating about the idea of Borrowers living in your home and using all of those little things that we all misplace. It's just charming enough that you find yourself thinking, "what if it could be true?" or at least, "wouldn't that be cool if it were true?"
Not one of my all-time favorites, but enjoyable.