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A review by onceupon_a_bookdream
They Threw Us Away by Daniel Kraus
3.0
3.5/5⭐
[I received a physical copy for an honest review]
Furrington Teddies DON'T
-Talk
-Walk
-Get in Trouble
-Be Mean
They Threw Us Away is a new middle grade novel by author Daniel Kraus. It follows 5 teddy bears who find themselves discarded at a trash dump and are determined to get back to their store shelves in order to be chosen by a child.
"Maybe that was the key to survival. Not to push fear away, but turn it into something else."
This story is not light and fluffy, it's dark and depressing. The story is told from the point of view of a teddy named Buddy. The teddy friends he finds in the dump are each unique. There's "girl scout" bear Sunny , "damaged merchandise" bear Sugar, Reginald the wise older bear, and the anxious and pessimistic bear Horace. The Bears have to survive vicious gulls, rats and man-made monsters like bulldozers and trucks.
"Buddy...they're not what teddies were built to do." He shook his head. "It makes me worry we're turning into things we weren't meant to be."
Daniel Kraus' writing is so descriptive and fantastic that the nasty trash heaps and filthy landscapes come to life in all their disgusting glory. The teddy bears' curiosity and feelings feel real as they struggle to survive the world. The story starts with 5 teddy bears with determination and hope but by the end they have each lost a good chunk of their innocence. Happy bears turn mean and cut-throat, not the type of teddies you want to bring home to your kids.
I really enjoyed They Threw Us Away by Daniel Kraus and I look forward to what other trails these teddy bears will have to endure in future books.
[I received a physical copy for an honest review]
Furrington Teddies DON'T
-Talk
-Walk
-Get in Trouble
-Be Mean
They Threw Us Away is a new middle grade novel by author Daniel Kraus. It follows 5 teddy bears who find themselves discarded at a trash dump and are determined to get back to their store shelves in order to be chosen by a child.
"Maybe that was the key to survival. Not to push fear away, but turn it into something else."
This story is not light and fluffy, it's dark and depressing. The story is told from the point of view of a teddy named Buddy. The teddy friends he finds in the dump are each unique. There's "girl scout" bear Sunny , "damaged merchandise" bear Sugar, Reginald the wise older bear, and the anxious and pessimistic bear Horace. The Bears have to survive vicious gulls, rats and man-made monsters like bulldozers and trucks.
"Buddy...they're not what teddies were built to do." He shook his head. "It makes me worry we're turning into things we weren't meant to be."
Daniel Kraus' writing is so descriptive and fantastic that the nasty trash heaps and filthy landscapes come to life in all their disgusting glory. The teddy bears' curiosity and feelings feel real as they struggle to survive the world. The story starts with 5 teddy bears with determination and hope but by the end they have each lost a good chunk of their innocence. Happy bears turn mean and cut-throat, not the type of teddies you want to bring home to your kids.
I really enjoyed They Threw Us Away by Daniel Kraus and I look forward to what other trails these teddy bears will have to endure in future books.