Went to the Parent/Child book talk on Tuck Everlasting at the library tonight with Olivia. It's a sweet and sad little book about immortality and is the story of a girl who breaks out of a sheltered life. It is told slowly, with lovely details and observations. I like that it tells an interesting story for kids but doesn't underestimate their need for beauty in language. Oliv was reluctant to read it because fountain of youth/live forever stories kind of freak her out, but she says that she liked it.
It was made into a fine movie, but as my friend Danika knows so well, a movie just ain't the book. This one changes the time period slightly (making it more recent) and changes the age of the main character from 10 to about 15 to allow for a romance that is just a childish crush in the book. But Ben Kingsley, William Hurt and Sissy Spacek are all in it, if that tells you anything.
Wonder if Oliv would like What the Dickens, the new kids' book by Wicked author, Gregory Maguire? It's gotten mixed reviews by my fellow workers at B&N, but they're all adults. We need a kid review. Zoe? Cam?
Erin, here's a bit about it from Amazon if you haven't looked into it yet:
A terrible storm is raging, and ten-year-old Dinah is huddled by candlelight with her brother, sister, and cousin Gage, who is telling a very unusual tale. It’s the story of What-the-Dickens, a newly hatched orphan creature who finds he has an attraction to teeth, a crush on a cat named McCavity, and a penchant for getting into trouble. One day he happens upon a feisty girl skibberee who is working as an Agent of Change — trading coins for teeth — and learns that there is a dutiful tribe of skibbereen (call them tooth fairies) to which he hopes to belong. As his tale of discovery unfolds, however, both What-the- Dickens and Dinah come to see that the world is both richer and less sure than they ever imagined.
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Here are my feelings on What-the-Dickens:
If you read it flatly (i.e. at face value) it is a nice, light-hearted fantasy romp. I can see it making a good holiday CGI-filled movie. Once it gets into the story-within-the-story (I'm blanking on the term for this, if anyone can help me out I'd be grateful!) things start moving but it takes longer than you'd like for that to happen.
However, or the "But" (with a capital B) if you try and think about it in more than a superficial way it is so lacking. It is a mishmash of various themes, and there are topics that are brought up but never fully addressed.
Some examples:
-The children of the "outer story" are apparently extremely religious. The boy is said to only read books about a certain saint, he talks about praying, they talk about the parents talking about praying, etc. Faith is mentioned several times. (Aside from the Saint issue, no specific denomination is mentioned that I recall, just a whole lot of Faith this, prayer that.)
-Slavery is a topic. Also free will, and destiny.
-Class systems
There are others, but I think you get my point. It just seemed a jumble. Maybe if the topics were addressed better, or if they weren't just brought up and forgotten because something else was brought up (usually by switching from the "What-the-Dickens" portion to what was happening to the real-life children).
Also, the real-life children? They are dealing with drama of their own. Their parents are "gone" during a storm and situations arise, including the possibility of looters and the police trying to make them evacuate during a storm (at which point the 10 year old girl seriously considers taking away the officer's gun).
So *rubs cobwebs from eyes* um...in conclusion. I didn't like it. I didn't HATE it. It was a book. However, this completely, without a doubt makes me know in my heart that I will NEVER like Gregory Maguire and can now stop attempting to read his bilge. I just wish he'd stop crapping on classic fairy tales, and leave "twisting" them to more competent writers. Unfortunately he is now a household name, along with James Patterson and Jodi Picoult, and we all know what that means.
Whoa there Martha. Let's not jump from "I didn't like this" to "this author isn't worthy to write grocery lists" in one go. I didn't care for the book either (and very much agree with your review). I too think he dropped the ball on the "outer story" in exchange for a very much by-the-book kid's story (read: Disney-fied). But Maguire's clearly bringing something to the adult table, so I think you're tarring with too broad a brush (to completey mix a metaphor). As Christine has said, we need a kid to tell us whether this works as it's intended. I don't think either you or I can get down from our high-horse enough to judge this one. Remember, sometimes good people read bad books. Sometimes they're us.
And as for Jodi Picoult; well, she really makes you think.
Don--
The next time I snort coffee on the keyboard because of you, you get extra hugs.
I, too, would like to hear what a younger reader's opinion would be. I have a feeling that most people that buy the book are going to be adults, but if Olivia reads it I would love to know what she thinks!
Olivia--in addition to being a guinea pig for this new Maguire book, can you explain why fountain of youth stories freak you out? I always find live-forever type stories interesting myself. I'd be interested to hear your perspective.
DRD
Don and Martha, thanks for the input on What the Dickens. I gotta agree with Don, too; I don't really think Maguire is ruining anything. But this is coming from someone who likes his stuff, so I'm totally biased. And I do think we need the opinion of someone from the "intended audience."
It's late and Oliv is sleeping, but I'll share your posts with her as soon as I can. Big day tomorrow: pony ride, Lego Club, fighting with her sister, refusing to try a new food, making up some crazy dance in the kitchen, putting off brushing her teeth until I have to YELL, reading scrunched up in the recliner, making slow-drying jewels out of rivers of Elmer's glue, listening to the Monkees. Ahh, to be a kid again.
*sigh* I want to BE Olivia... :)
Danika, I have no idea why fountain of youth stories freak me out. It is just plain weird. I get SAD. Tuck Everlasting did not make me sad. Though Mama cried. Or as you call her, Christine.
I don't know if I'm going to read What the Dickens. I have so much other stuff I'm reading right now. I'm rereading the 7th Harry Potter. And I'm reading the Series of Unfortunate Events. And I have so much homework that I barely get reading time! (Even as a homeschooler I get homework which I think is totally unfair.) Thanks for asking. See you later.
Yeah, Olivia, you're right, that homework thing is unfair. You should be allowed to rot your brains with television and never learn ANYTHING, because you are, after all, a Homeschooler.
And does your Mama really YELL? I can't imagine it. DRD
I'm having a hard time with that imagery too.
Unfortunately, my kids could tell you what a yelling mother sounds like.
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