livlosiewicz 's review for:

Rascal by Sterling North

2.0

adventurous slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Pros: this is a short, relatively easy read. I think the idea of a domestic raccoon is interesting and probably really appealing to kids. I grew to really like Rascal, who was quite cute. 

 

Cons: 

·Ultimately I just found this to be lackluster. It was a lot of nature talk, which I thought was boring. There also, in my opinion, just weren’t strong themes or anything to keep the reader’s engagement besides the idea of a cute raccoon. 

·There were opportunities for interesting topics to emerge (he casually drops that two years later he’s in a wheelchair! -presumably polio; tell us more! The aftermath of the ending is probably really interesting too) 

·He makes a point to talk about how he stopped trapping animals and made a peace treaty between himself and nature. Yet he actively invaded a mother raccoon’s nest to get Rascal. I understand how these two things go together, though I wish we’d gotten a bit more from him about the implications of his actions and whether he had any mixed feelings 

 

Recommendation: I recommend for people who love animals and don’t need engaging plots or complex themes. This wasn’t bad, but it just really left me feeling bored and unsatisfied.