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optimaggie's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVE this book. I love all of the little nature details, the hope and love and unexpected friendships, the freedom of a country childhood of the past, and pretty much everything else. A lovely story.
optimaggie's review against another edition
5.0
We loved this book (again). I chose to read this book aloud to my son for the second time when we did a brief unit on maple sugaring. This was the perfect book to read right now as much of the book takes place during maple sugaring season, which it was for us here in MN as well. Then it moves on further into spring, when Marley is shown all of the loveliness of the spring ephemerals coming up by the beloved Mr. Chris, and on through the seasons of the year and of life as both good things (the miracles) and hard things come to pass. This book is for people who believe in the power of love and friendship, of hard work and days spent outdoors in the natural world and in miracles, both big and small. We rooted for Marley and her family and friends. We wanted to spend our days fixing up the old house and rambling about through the forest learning about the various plants that grow there from Mr. Chris.
marlo_c's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of my favorite books to read aloud to my kiddos. Delightful, real, warm, and hopeful.
mcoleman1250's review against another edition
5.0
This newberry award winner felt like a warm hug. Its simple and sweet and just made me feel so grateful for my personal "maple hill" (pictured is our new yard). I LOVE all the exploration the narrator is having in nature. She is full of wonder and joy! It is a young reader chapter book with some pictures. I feel like some of the harsh reviews on goodreads were from people who were not considering it as a YA book. There are a few moments with some slightly sexist comments, but I think it is good discussion and it is a perspective that this little girl has about being a little girl. I can imagine reading this with my kiddos before bed in a few years :)
A sweet, easy YA to get you out of a reading funk.
Check out @realreaderreallife on instagram!
A sweet, easy YA to get you out of a reading funk.
Check out @realreaderreallife on instagram!
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
3.0
Just doesn't age well
Perhaps because I read "understood Betsy" first, which is also the story of a fish out of water, or rather a city girl in the country, leaning to do all the things that people had to do, to live off the land. And although they were written about fifty years apart, Miracles seems to be less relevant and out of date than Understood Betsy.
I think the problem stems from how each girl approached thing. Betsy would do what had to be done while Marly would say things like she was a girl so couldn't. Her brother Joe kept having all the adventures and the reader would hear about them second hand.
It is a Newberry award winner in 1957. So there is that. And you can read that with that in mind. But if you have a choice I would read Understood Betsy.
Perhaps because I read "understood Betsy" first, which is also the story of a fish out of water, or rather a city girl in the country, leaning to do all the things that people had to do, to live off the land. And although they were written about fifty years apart, Miracles seems to be less relevant and out of date than Understood Betsy.
I think the problem stems from how each girl approached thing. Betsy would do what had to be done while Marly would say things like she was a girl so couldn't. Her brother Joe kept having all the adventures and the reader would hear about them second hand.
It is a Newberry award winner in 1957. So there is that. And you can read that with that in mind. But if you have a choice I would read Understood Betsy.
kmc3050's review against another edition
4.0
4. Super cute, but a little sappy. The year is hard to place.
The full cast version is really good.
The full cast version is really good.
lacywolfe's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the audio version of this book. It was quaint, but highly gender stereotypical. Sorensen also uses the words "queer and cocky" in there original sense, which takes the modern reader a bit of guard. The little girl in the book, Marley, is what her mom calls a "tom boy", but really she just seems to be having fun. I wouldn't want a young child to read this because of how strict the gender roles are adhered to - "female work" in the house, while the men are working outdoors. Although during sugaring time everyone has to pitch in. Also boys can't be seen to cry. (Makes me think I might want to reread the Laura Ingalls books, although I don't want to find a problem with them!)