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misajane79's review against another edition
4.0
A boy sets out to visit his friend who has moved across town. He's decided it's time to show himself that he can be courageous and that's he's no longer a kid (though only 9). And so he sets out, and things don't go quite as planned. First, he has to bring his sister along. He runs into various people along the way. Throughout, there are glimpses of others carrying out their day, and though there's no obvious connection, you have confidence that there will be.
And then, suddenly, it all comes together in a tragic and horrifying way.
I adored this book. There was a momentum to it that's hard to explain. I knew going in what the big event was, and there are some hints before the crisis. But when that crisis hit, I couldn't put the book down.
Beautifully written, and an interesting combination of sweet nostalgia and the suddenness of growing up due to an extraordinary situation. And pretty funny in parts.
Highly recommended!
And then, suddenly, it all comes together in a tragic and horrifying way.
I adored this book. There was a momentum to it that's hard to explain. I knew going in what the big event was, and there are some hints before the crisis. But when that crisis hit, I couldn't put the book down.
Beautifully written, and an interesting combination of sweet nostalgia and the suddenness of growing up due to an extraordinary situation. And pretty funny in parts.
Highly recommended!
alisa4books's review against another edition
5.0
An engaging read that begins innocently enough. Ramps up about 2/3 of the way through. Should absolutely be a movie!
lazygal's review against another edition
2.0
The blurb (from Stephen King, no less!) says "...a book to put on the same shelf as The Catcher in the Rye and The Outsiders" Well, not really. The jacket touts that we can Rediscover An American Classic, but again - not really. The thing about classics is that they're classic; a "classic" published in 1965 should not have gone out of print, right?
The story is historical fiction, set in Cleveland. I didn't mind the story, but the pacing was off. There were times when it dragged, and then there were times I felt it was really speeded up. It was never clear why there were subplots, until near the end (this is more like The Bridge of San Luis Rey or Hiroshima than the two that King references). Also, with a 9-year-old hero, you're not going to get the teenage angst that the other books expose.
All-in-all, meh.
The story is historical fiction, set in Cleveland. I didn't mind the story, but the pacing was off. There were times when it dragged, and then there were times I felt it was really speeded up. It was never clear why there were subplots, until near the end (this is more like The Bridge of San Luis Rey or Hiroshima than the two that King references). Also, with a 9-year-old hero, you're not going to get the teenage angst that the other books expose.
All-in-all, meh.
mmichellemoore's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully paced with a charming and believable narrator, I would have liked a historical note explaining more about the Cleveland East Ohio Gas Explosion. This book is my first exposure to this disaster and would have liked a few more notes and perhaps some suggestions for further readings.
betsygant's review against another edition
3.0
This book has an interesting writing style and story line. It's written from the perspective of a 9 year old boy. After reading this historical fiction, I know a lot more about the 1944 industrial disaster in Cleveland. It was bit difficult to follow the train of thought, but I usually find 1st person narratives difficult to follow anyway. It was a fun read, and I'm glad my friend loaned this book to me!
amysbrittain's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this a lot. Set in 1940s Cleveland, with a 9-year-old protagonist. Reminded me somewhat of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, without quite as much weight behind the young child's journey in this story.
haysm's review against another edition
4.0
Truly an amazing book. Living in Cleveland I know about this awful event, but this tells the story in such a powerful and authentic way.
vhp's review against another edition
4.0
Morris Bird III is 9y.o. and he's s typical boy in the '40's (or so I surmise from stories my dad has told me of his childhood.) The beginning of the book is slow, but very important to get the feel of the times and the characters.
When Morris's teacher gives a speech about self-respect he decides he wants that. He plans a trip to visit a friend that moved away to another part of town. He's going to visit his friend Stanley Chaloupka, whom is an odd bird and doesn't have any friends. From the beginning of the trip, things start to happen; first his sister Sandra demands she be taken with him or she'll scream and he won't get to go. Then a school friend loans him his wagon, but for a small fee. Some friend! On the way to Stanley's house many more incidences happen and one might just turn around, call it a good try and go back home. Morris doesn't though.
He is determined to do this one thing on his own!
In the end he saves four lives; his, his sister's, a burning woman, and a legless man. The legless man tells a police officer that 'Morris is the greatesst thing since sliced bread. He saved them. He's going to grow into a real man.'
Morris wonders if this has anything to do with what his teacher had talked about when she made her speech about Ulysses S. Grant.
This is a slow moving story, but it's such a powerful story of a 9 y/o's perseverance and a tragic incident in the city where he shows his strength of character, a step towards being an adult. And the situation is a catch-22. If he hadn't skipped his field trip to visit his friend Stanley, he wouldn't have been involved in the explosion, but then who would have saved the lady and the legless man?
I highly recommend reading this book.
When Morris's teacher gives a speech about self-respect he decides he wants that. He plans a trip to visit a friend that moved away to another part of town. He's going to visit his friend Stanley Chaloupka, whom is an odd bird and doesn't have any friends. From the beginning of the trip, things start to happen; first his sister Sandra demands she be taken with him or she'll scream and he won't get to go. Then a school friend loans him his wagon, but for a small fee. Some friend! On the way to Stanley's house many more incidences happen and one might just turn around, call it a good try and go back home. Morris doesn't though.
He is determined to do this one thing on his own!
In the end he saves four lives; his, his sister's, a burning woman, and a legless man. The legless man tells a police officer that 'Morris is the greatesst thing since sliced bread. He saved them. He's going to grow into a real man.'
Morris wonders if this has anything to do with what his teacher had talked about when she made her speech about Ulysses S. Grant.
This is a slow moving story, but it's such a powerful story of a 9 y/o's perseverance and a tragic incident in the city where he shows his strength of character, a step towards being an adult. And the situation is a catch-22. If he hadn't skipped his field trip to visit his friend Stanley, he wouldn't have been involved in the explosion, but then who would have saved the lady and the legless man?
I highly recommend reading this book.
jennseeg's review against another edition
5.0
Morris Bird III, the main character of this book, is what I think you'd get if you combined Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" and Holden Caulfield from "The Catcher in the Rye" and then sent the resulting boy on an adventure like in "The Body" (Stand by Me) by Stephen King. The cover of this book notes that Stephen King counts Don Robertson as one of his greatest influences, so I guess the parallels in the story make sense.
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