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roseleaf24's review
3.0
This is an extremely generous round up to three stars because this book was not nearly as bad as hey book about Johnny Appleseed. The writing was normal, not the horrible overwritten flowery junk from that book. She also tells us in the introduction that it's fictionalized, not a straight up biography, and it was pretty easy to read.
I did skim the chapters in England because they went on for soooo long, and I was ready to see him grow up. I do think it would have been better for it to be a straight up biography; shorter would have been fine, and her goal of making his life seem like a fairy tale (also noted in the introduction - I appreciated the warning) was misguided. The language ended up condescending both to the little people in the book and to people of color.
I did skim the chapters in England because they went on for soooo long, and I was ready to see him grow up. I do think it would have been better for it to be a straight up biography; shorter would have been fine, and her goal of making his life seem like a fairy tale (also noted in the introduction - I appreciated the warning) was misguided. The language ended up condescending both to the little people in the book and to people of color.
tamarayork's review
4.0
3.5 stars. Newbery Challenge 192/415. This is a biography of General Tom Thumb, the dwarf that helped P. T. Barnum rise to fame. It was written in 1942, so it lacks modern political correctness and sensibilities. Besides that, I found this book rather interesting, especially after watching (and loving) The Greatest Showman.
triscuit807's review
1.0
1 star not just because of the writing, although that was folksy and overly cute, but because I found the subject matter and how it was presented to be appalling. I felt like I was reading a novelization of a reality show like "Honey Boo Boo". I wish that someone had had more concern for the child who was Charles Stratton, who was marketed as Tom Thumb. Yes, he was unique; yes, his mother (and later his father, too) accompanied him; yes, he met the leaders of many lands; yes, child stars of tv and film are treated similarly today - but none of that makes it right. I cannot recommend this book. I read it for my 2019 Reading Challenge and my Newbery Challenge, (Honor book, 1943).
scaifea's review
2.0
A biography for kids of Charles Stratton (a.k.a. General Tom Thumb), who was groomed from a young age into an traveling attraction by P.T. Barnum. For its subject matter, this Newbery Honor Book could have been really interesting. Reader, it wasn't.
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