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A review by mamabh
Homer Price (Puffin Modern Classics) by Robert McCloskey
2.0
Very disappointing. This reads like a book written to convince adults that it’s a fun/funny children’s book. I wouldn’t consider this a children’s book as most of the stories have to do with adults, and the perspective isn’t even from Homer’s view. It feels over-the-top silly and overdone. But we read along, occasionally enjoying a tidbit here and there.
Then we got to the last story “Wheels of Progress,” which tells the story of Centerburg’s founding: the founder, a white man & cough elixir inventor, purchases land from “Indians” with his elixir, and then the Indians become addicts. Homer and his friend play Indians in the town pageant, wearing towels around their waists and mercurochrome on their skin to darken their appearance (i.e. blackface). I skipped the part about the scalping when reading this to my children. I did laugh internally, though, because all I could think of was Parks & Rec. Also, I found the portrayal of African Americans in an illustration to be offensive, as well as the casual reference to lynchings. Sigh. Finally, in this last story, I found misspelled words and a discrepancy with the spelling of Aunt Aggie’s name.
I do not recommend this book, simply because it’s silly and boring, but if you are compelled to read it, I’d recommend skipping that last story. As another reviewer said, this is old fashioned without being endearing.
Then we got to the last story “Wheels of Progress,” which tells the story of Centerburg’s founding: the founder, a white man & cough elixir inventor, purchases land from “Indians” with his elixir, and then the Indians become addicts. Homer and his friend play Indians in the town pageant, wearing towels around their waists and mercurochrome on their skin to darken their appearance (i.e. blackface). I skipped the part about the scalping when reading this to my children. I did laugh internally, though, because all I could think of was Parks & Rec. Also, I found the portrayal of African Americans in an illustration to be offensive, as well as the casual reference to lynchings. Sigh. Finally, in this last story, I found misspelled words and a discrepancy with the spelling of Aunt Aggie’s name.
I do not recommend this book, simply because it’s silly and boring, but if you are compelled to read it, I’d recommend skipping that last story. As another reviewer said, this is old fashioned without being endearing.