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jason_pym's review against another edition
2.0
I like the anarchy of the Pippi Longstocking books, and you can give them to children now without them being bored. But this Astrid Lindgren book is very different, a children's book that recounts the ways young children spent their days in pre-World War 2 rural Sweden. Based on the village Lindgren's father grew up in, it's all handicrafts and hide-and-seek and camping, no cars or screens, the children roaming free day and night with adults only appearing as occasional diversions. I found it hard going, and there's no way you could give it to a child now without them going comatose with boredom. The illustrations are also very dated, Enid Blighton style twee, though I've seen an attempt at modern looking pictures online.
There was one thing that grabbed me. The grandfather gives the children little pieces of lead, saying '"You can't have a real New Year's wake without melting lead,"... He told us that you can find out what's going to happen to you during the coming year if you melt lead and pour it into cold water. If the lead takes the shape of a coin, for instance, it means that you'll get a lot of money.' I remember making lead soldiers when I was young, pouring molten lead into moulds, and my dad told me a story about his brother pouring lead into cold water doing the same thing, and there being a big explosion of shrapnel. I looked it up and pouring molten lead into water does just produce weird shapes (like the grandfather said), so my uncle must have been using molten pewter or similar I guess.
There was one thing that grabbed me. The grandfather gives the children little pieces of lead, saying '"You can't have a real New Year's wake without melting lead,"... He told us that you can find out what's going to happen to you during the coming year if you melt lead and pour it into cold water. If the lead takes the shape of a coin, for instance, it means that you'll get a lot of money.' I remember making lead soldiers when I was young, pouring molten lead into moulds, and my dad told me a story about his brother pouring lead into cold water doing the same thing, and there being a big explosion of shrapnel. I looked it up and pouring molten lead into water does just produce weird shapes (like the grandfather said), so my uncle must have been using molten pewter or similar I guess.
tuliptrees's review against another edition
4.0
Cute book that I enjoyed as I was reading it aloud to my children. It was fun to read about everyday life (at least life there once upon a time) and compare and contrast their holidays and traditions to our own here in the US. It didn’t hold my children’s attention very well though. I might try it again when they (4 & 7) are a little older.
nikireads100's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a book of many different stories about some children who live in Sweden. If you like pipi long stockings then you may like this book. While that book is full of fantastical adventures this is more about the life of some real children in a place called noisy village. We liked it for a slice of life of children in Sweden. Even if it was a little old.
plainviewfarmer's review against another edition
4.0
What a sweet book. Reminds me of Milly Molly Mandy, but.....better? We had previously read Christmas in Noisy Village, and this was a nice compliment to that beloved book.
heidisreads's review against another edition
I haven't read this for years. I honestly don't remember what it is about, but I have kept it in my collection since I was in third grade. I guess that means it is worth keeping. I need to reread it.
nina_rod's review against another edition
3.0
I guess children never change. The book was published in 1946 and the antics the children go through are still funny today. I love Astrid Lindgren! One thing I did find hilarious is how their grandfather gave the kids a hunk of lead and told the kids to melt it down and pour it into water and whatever shape it makes, tells your fortune. I just wanted to scream: "Noooooo! Lead is toxic, kids!" I guess some things do change.
mjjohn3's review against another edition
4.0
Charming. I will be reading this as a bedtime story for my children in the future.