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kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Trudy is my hero!
Trudy, like most girls with older brothers, feels left out, so she finds a tricky way to get the boys to let her play with them.
This fun story with a background of extraordinary artwork by Chris Van Allsburg= great book!
Trudy, like most girls with older brothers, feels left out, so she finds a tricky way to get the boys to let her play with them.
This fun story with a background of extraordinary artwork by Chris Van Allsburg= great book!
kurtwombat's review against another edition
4.0
The first time I have read a book where the title was designed to be forgotten. While the title may be intentionally elusive, the charm of the story is not. Van Allsburg has set among a black family a universal tale of sibling rivalry. Though simply told, the illustrations contain his usual magic of capturing big moments but understating them at the same time. The illustrations are done in browns and tans which convey how the kids see their world while also giving the book an instant feeling of nostalgia--of being kids again right along with the characters. Like the kids you are pulled in and left feeling surprise and wonder by the end.
calamitymane's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, I may have guessed the ending, but it was fabulous none the less.
I've always been a big fan of Van Allsburg's work and I'm quite pleased to see his choice of protagonists. I'm also *very* pleased to see a child disciplined for bad behaviour in a children's book - they so often get away with it.
The moral of the story is pretty obvious, but, probably one that always needs repeating.
Another stunner for me. I do love this guy's work.
I've always been a big fan of Van Allsburg's work and I'm quite pleased to see his choice of protagonists. I'm also *very* pleased to see a child disciplined for bad behaviour in a children's book - they so often get away with it.
The moral of the story is pretty obvious, but, probably one that always needs repeating.
Another stunner for me. I do love this guy's work.
jshettel's review against another edition
5.0
Missed this Van Allsburgh when it was published! A great story in typical VA style. Wonderful illustrations. Loved how little Sis Trudy has the last laugh...
tita_noir's review against another edition
1.0
I've always found Van Allsburg's art somewhat disturbing for children's books. I'm so used to kids' books with the bight saturated colors and the nonthreatening pictures of people and animals. So when I see Van Allburg's pictures with their sepia tones and vaguely sinister looking people I am somewhat put off.
The story of Probuditi is actually unobjectionable. It is the story of a young boy who tries to hypnotize his sister and the sister who turns the tables. But there is one picture of the little girl, squatting over a dog's bowl lapping up milk that I recoiled when I saw it. It was really off-putting to me.
My husband loves Van Allsburg's work and I admit I liked a on or two of his books, most notably Jumanji. But overall he is not my cup of tea and this book, well this one... just ...no.
The story of Probuditi is actually unobjectionable. It is the story of a young boy who tries to hypnotize his sister and the sister who turns the tables. But there is one picture of the little girl, squatting over a dog's bowl lapping up milk that I recoiled when I saw it. It was really off-putting to me.
My husband loves Van Allsburg's work and I admit I liked a on or two of his books, most notably Jumanji. But overall he is not my cup of tea and this book, well this one... just ...no.
calistareads's review against another edition
4.0
My nephew died laughing at this book and it might be one of his new favorites. A brother goes to a magic show where a hypnotist hypnotizes a woman to act like a chicken. The brother goes home and makes a machine to hypnotize his sister. He tells her she is a dog and this is where the trouble starts. It’s fun at first and then the brother doesn’t know how to make his sister a girl again.
The nephew wants to build this machine and hypnotize us all. The wheels in his head were working. He said he’ll turn me into a squirrel. I asked him why and he said, “So the dog can chase you.” He laughed at the story and wanted to know if hypnotism was real. He gets these ideas in his head. He gave it 5 stars.
The niece thought there were funny parts in it. She said that her brother could never hypnotize her. She wasn’t worried. She gave this 4 stars.
claudiaswisher's review against another edition
4.0
In Van Allsburg's hands, all stories become magical. This one is a strange little one, but very satisfying.
It's Calvin's birthday...and besides all his favorite foods for dinner, he recieves tickets to a magic show. He does NOT take his sister, as their mom hints. He takes his best friend Rodney. They watch the famous hypnotist, Lomax the Magnificent and have a great time.
At home, they are to watch Calvin's little sister, Trudy. But they decide they, too, are magnificent and will hypnotize Trudy. They have a great time with their new 'puppy' Trudy, until the spell refuses to wear off...even the magic word, "probuditi" will not work!
And mom is coming home! And Trudy is a puppy! They're desperate...and desperate kids are Van Allsburg's favorite kind of kids.
Gentle illustrations for this story set in the past...I loved the fact that Calvin is African American and Rodney is white, but there is no mention in the words...just two boys who play together, tease together, and get caught in troubles of their own making together.
It's Calvin's birthday...and besides all his favorite foods for dinner, he recieves tickets to a magic show. He does NOT take his sister, as their mom hints. He takes his best friend Rodney. They watch the famous hypnotist, Lomax the Magnificent and have a great time.
At home, they are to watch Calvin's little sister, Trudy. But they decide they, too, are magnificent and will hypnotize Trudy. They have a great time with their new 'puppy' Trudy, until the spell refuses to wear off...even the magic word, "probuditi" will not work!
And mom is coming home! And Trudy is a puppy! They're desperate...and desperate kids are Van Allsburg's favorite kind of kids.
Gentle illustrations for this story set in the past...I loved the fact that Calvin is African American and Rodney is white, but there is no mention in the words...just two boys who play together, tease together, and get caught in troubles of their own making together.