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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I think if I were a child, I'd find this book magical and delightful, which is exactly the point.
Reading with my 6th graders. It was fabulous. Every child should read this in the 4th-6th grade range.
This is such a weird book, I got a lot of Pixar Up vibes from it.
This was one of my favorite books as a child, reading it for myself but it isn't the best read aloud I discovered. There is a lot of explanation and very little action until the very end. My kids didn't enjoy it nearly as much with me reading it as they may have if they were older and read it on their own. It still gets four stars though because I still believe it is a marvelous book that delighted my imagination. Who doesn't want to escape the world in a balloon and discover an amazing unknown place. I would recommend with caution as a read aloud.
I liked parts of this book, then it was boring to me...Just wasn't my thing I guess.
I loved this story of a math teacher who builds a balloon to escape society, and ends up crashing on an island that has a small society of inventors, scientists, artists - people who wouldn't get bored on an island - financed by a secret diamond mine. The writing is humorous and fantastical, and the story is more inventive than that of The Mysterious Benedict Society. One flaw is the lack of closure at the end, but overall, a delightful read.
This is one of my absolute favourite books of my childhood. It is a fantastic adventure book, full of twists, turns and a story you just don't expect. I highly recommend it.
A fun, quick read. This children’s book won a Newberry award in the 1940’s, but somehow I missed it when I was young. It’s very dated now, and probably wouldn’t hold the interests of many children today, but I would have enjoyed this fine adventure tale when I was in elementary school.
I would have enjoyed this book much more in my Roald Dahl era of childhood. But as an adult I do fully appreciate that, after being a teacher for 30 years, this boyo was willing to live in a hot air balloon to be alone and read. Because same.
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a magical story about hot air balloons, a utopian society, engineering marvels, a diamond mine, and an active volcano. The atmosphere was vivid and creative and every chapter brought something unique and interesting.