gracegreenlaw's review against another edition
4.0
"Fortunately one, day Ned got a letter that said, "Please come to a Surprise Party."" "Unfortunately the party was in Florida and he was in New York." The rest of the story is told through a series of fortunate and unfortunate events and situations that Ned encounters. Charlip has very cleverly used bright colours for the fortunate events (such as not landing on a pitchfork) and then the unfortunate events (like Ned's parachute having a hole in it) are in black and white. This is a really fun book and made me think of a story game I have played since I was a child where you take turns to tell a story starting each new sentence with 'fortunately' or 'unfortunately'. Could definitely be used in KS1 or even KS2 to think about sequencing stories and making sure that plots are explained.
shogins's review against another edition
4.0
This book, alternating between the fortunate and unfortunate things befalling Ned on his way to a party in Florida, is very funny, but I worry that the illustrations are too dated too appeal to most kids. I'm definitely going to try it at an upcoming storytime though, just to see how it goes!
abigailbat's review against another edition
Fortunately, this book is hilarious. It's got a kind of irreverent humor to it that I think kids would super love and many teachers would probably frown at. If I was still doing Afterschool storytimes, I would definitely be trying this one out on the kids.
jwmcoaching's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing...it borders on ghoulish horror but never crosses the line into it. It's weird that the original title was "What Good Luck! What Bad Luck!" and they jettisoned it. It was also the refrain instead of "Fortunately, Unfortunately..."
jeremychiasson's review against another edition
4.0
Remy Charlip's classic picture book is silly, fun and colourful, but it contains so much more than mere fun. In fact, I think it can be used to teach children about the ying-yang of fortune and misfortune:
Fortunately, Ned was invited to a surprise party.
Unfortunately, the party was a thousand miles away.
Fortunately, a friend loaned Ned an airplane.
Unfortunately, the motor exploded.
Fortunately, there was a parachute in the airplane.
Unfortunately, there was a hole in the parachute.
And on the dance goes, just like that. We all have a habit of thinking of everything that happens to us in terms of gain and loss. But how can we possibly know what is good or bad luck? Alan Watts once said:
"The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity, and it’s really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad — because you never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune."
Not only do we really have no idea what the consequences of events will be, but by thinking you can, your sense of well-being is left at the mercy of the ebb and flow of fortune. The only way to liberate yourself from this cycle is to resist labeling the processes of nature, and just go with the flow. There is no end, there is no beginning, this is the eternal dance! If you cultivate the mental discipline of staying open and not labeling your experience, you can cut the chains of good/bad luck, and live freely.
Fortunately, Remy Charlip can teach your children this valuable lesson about life early on, between fits of giggles.
Unfortunately, public schooling will probably squash that lesson and those giggles, before the week is out.
Fortunately, Ned was invited to a surprise party.
Unfortunately, the party was a thousand miles away.
Fortunately, a friend loaned Ned an airplane.
Unfortunately, the motor exploded.
Fortunately, there was a parachute in the airplane.
Unfortunately, there was a hole in the parachute.
And on the dance goes, just like that. We all have a habit of thinking of everything that happens to us in terms of gain and loss. But how can we possibly know what is good or bad luck? Alan Watts once said:
"The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity, and it’s really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad — because you never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune."
Not only do we really have no idea what the consequences of events will be, but by thinking you can, your sense of well-being is left at the mercy of the ebb and flow of fortune. The only way to liberate yourself from this cycle is to resist labeling the processes of nature, and just go with the flow. There is no end, there is no beginning, this is the eternal dance! If you cultivate the mental discipline of staying open and not labeling your experience, you can cut the chains of good/bad luck, and live freely.
Fortunately, Remy Charlip can teach your children this valuable lesson about life early on, between fits of giggles.
Unfortunately, public schooling will probably squash that lesson and those giggles, before the week is out.
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
5.0
Love the back and forth of the events and how the pictures mirror that. Very fun.
kristinajean's review against another edition
4.0
Fortunatelt, this 1974 reprint stands the test of time! Circular, great use of contrasting color and very clever.
sarahmyers122's review against another edition
Very imaginative! Great book for having kids listen and draw what they are seeing! (uses the senses)
pussreboots's review against another edition
5.0
Remy Charlip is a choreographer, dancer, poet, artist and children's book author. He's also one of my favorite authors of children's books.
His books are surreal and playful. Fortunately builds on a series of events much like The House the Jack Built nursery rhyme. Each new event poses a new problem that requires a solution. The problem comes with "unfortunately" and the solution is provided with "fortunately."
The basic story follow's Ned's travels from New York to Florida to attend a party he has been invited to. On the way he has a number of misfortunes, each one more surreal than the previous. And yet all these apparently random events do help Ned reach his goal.
His books are surreal and playful. Fortunately builds on a series of events much like The House the Jack Built nursery rhyme. Each new event poses a new problem that requires a solution. The problem comes with "unfortunately" and the solution is provided with "fortunately."
The basic story follow's Ned's travels from New York to Florida to attend a party he has been invited to. On the way he has a number of misfortunes, each one more surreal than the previous. And yet all these apparently random events do help Ned reach his goal.