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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
This was a book I read in elementary school and I loved it. The story was fun and fascinating and it really related to how kids thought and felt.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
In the meantime she almost forgot why she was running away. But not entirely. Claudia knew that it had to do with injustice. She was the oldest child and the only girl and was subject to a lot of injustice.
I have always remembered the title of this book, it might be my favorite title of a book ever, but I couldn't remember much about it except it involved kids living in a museum, which I would have loved to do (heck I would love to do that now!).
I forgot how absolutely comedic the story is, truly told as Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler writing a letter to her lawyer in which she relays this adventure of the Kincaid children. Although the story is relayed by an adult it maintains a child's perspective of the story in which there are lines such as
You would think that her parents would know something about raising children by the time Kevin, their fourth, came along. But her parents hadn't learned.
and
It caused Claudia to want to embalm Jamie in a vat of mummy fluid right that minute. That would teach him inconspicuous.
This book gave me some of the same feelings as reading the Boxcar Children. I think I just like the idea of living in unusual places and the adventure involved in planning how you will spend your time. It also had a very fun sibling relationship between Claudia, the sister and the fussbudget, and Jamie, the brother and a cheapskate. Relentlessly harassing each other but with an undercurrent of genuine affection.
The mystery was an interesting element of the story because the important part of it wasn't solving it, but it was about gaining knowledge and discovering how it changes you. It is an unusual approach and very mature in a children's book, but presented in a way that felt very clear and understandable even for a young reader.
This was a delight to re-read! There was even a gentle twist that I didn't see coming, which was that
I was too young to fully appreciate this. Back then I only wanted to read Fairy tales and I was new to the "realistic" children's fiction. I remember being impressed by it, though, and liked it despite myself. I may have to read this again.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Complicated
I can't believe I never read this as a kid. I just read it in a few hours as an adult and really enjoyed it. I'm excited for Abby to be old enough for this in a few years.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated