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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
I still have to see the movie - apparently it's a Blakey family classic.
I really liked this book. Though a Juvenile, category, I found it full of lessons and wonder if there are underlying messages that I did not understand.
Maybe twice I marveled over the cleverness of something said.
The first part of the book was ok, but after a while... I just didn't care about the "self-winding" or the Much into Little or any of that. It felt like a retread of books like [book:The Velveteen Rabbit] and [book:Pinnochio] with nothing really new added.
I read this in bits to my sons over many nights. It's written by Russell Hoban, the author of both the children's Frances the Badger series and the grownup apocalyptic Riddley Walker. It put me strongly in mind of the work of Kate DiCamillo--it's by turns funny, often sad, with difficult truths about life, but with overarching themes of hope, redemption and the beauty of created families.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ah, the serendipity of reading lists. How very strange, to read this over Christmas just after reading PILGRIM AT TINKER CREEK. It perfectly illustrates the violence of nature, but also begins and ends during the Christmas season.
This is almost "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" meets William Steig's DOMINIC, along with a touch of VELVETEEN RABBIT. It is a tale of the mouse and his child, a windup toy of two dancing mice who are broken and thrown out in the trash. They are found and briefly repaired by a tramp who winds them up and sets them on their journey, and what a journey it is. Between escaping the wiles of the malicious Manny Rat and searching for a family, the mouse and child seek the exalted status of "self-winding". A harsh yet lovely adventure story of toys and animals -- I never read this as a child and wonder how I missed it.
This is almost "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" meets William Steig's DOMINIC, along with a touch of VELVETEEN RABBIT. It is a tale of the mouse and his child, a windup toy of two dancing mice who are broken and thrown out in the trash. They are found and briefly repaired by a tramp who winds them up and sets them on their journey, and what a journey it is. Between escaping the wiles of the malicious Manny Rat and searching for a family, the mouse and child seek the exalted status of "self-winding". A harsh yet lovely adventure story of toys and animals -- I never read this as a child and wonder how I missed it.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes