laviaenrose's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
smedsayshi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.25
juliana_aldous's review against another edition
5.0
I feel that there are little lessons in American values in White's children's books.
A boy named Applegate Skinner stood up.
"Mr. Brickle," he said, "what about me? I don't care for birds. I never liked birds."
"O.K., Applegate," said Mr. Brickle. "You don't have to like birds. If that is the way you feel about it, just go ahead not-liking birds. Everyone is entitled to his likes and dislikes and to his prejudices. Come to think of it, I don't care for pistachio ice cream. I don't know why I don't like it, but I don't. Do not forget, however, that Louis is one of your counselors. Whether you like him or not, he must be treated with respect."
...later Louis saves Skinner from drowning.
Applegate thought hard for a moment. "Well," he said, "I'm grateful to Louis for saving my life. But I still don't like birds."
"Really?" said Mr. Brickle. "That's quite remarkable. Even though a bird saved you from drowning, you don't care for birds? What have you got against birds?"
"Nothing," replied Applegate. "I have nothing against them. I just don't care for them."
"Really?" said Mr. Brickle. "I guess we'll just have to leave it at that. But the camp is proud of Louis. He is our most distinguished counselor--a great trumpet player, a great bird, a powerful swimmer, and a fine friend. He deserves a medal. In fact, I intend to write a letter recommending that he be given a Lifesaving medal."
A boy named Applegate Skinner stood up.
"Mr. Brickle," he said, "what about me? I don't care for birds. I never liked birds."
"O.K., Applegate," said Mr. Brickle. "You don't have to like birds. If that is the way you feel about it, just go ahead not-liking birds. Everyone is entitled to his likes and dislikes and to his prejudices. Come to think of it, I don't care for pistachio ice cream. I don't know why I don't like it, but I don't. Do not forget, however, that Louis is one of your counselors. Whether you like him or not, he must be treated with respect."
...later Louis saves Skinner from drowning.
Applegate thought hard for a moment. "Well," he said, "I'm grateful to Louis for saving my life. But I still don't like birds."
"Really?" said Mr. Brickle. "That's quite remarkable. Even though a bird saved you from drowning, you don't care for birds? What have you got against birds?"
"Nothing," replied Applegate. "I have nothing against them. I just don't care for them."
"Really?" said Mr. Brickle. "I guess we'll just have to leave it at that. But the camp is proud of Louis. He is our most distinguished counselor--a great trumpet player, a great bird, a powerful swimmer, and a fine friend. He deserves a medal. In fact, I intend to write a letter recommending that he be given a Lifesaving medal."
alg_144's review against another edition
5.0
I read this is 2nd grade and it became my first ever favorite book. I think that this book is what really got me into reading. I had always loved reading and my mom was never shy about her obsession with all things books and reading but I think this book is what really made me love reading for myself and not just because it’s what I was used to. Needless to say, this book has a special place in my heart.
elenajohansen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I forget exactly how this came to my attention, but my thinking in putting it on my TBR was "I remember loving Charlotte's Web, so why wouldn't this be great too?"
But I haven't actually reread Charlotte since I was a child, so maybe it wouldn't be as good as I remember now.
Even if I set aside the lackluster presence and portrayal of women (this was published in 1970 by a male author, and the conventional wisdom was, and often still is, boys won't read books about girls) and the racism ("Indian" this and "Indian" that--again, published in 1970, and I was a kid in the 80s and we still talked that way because colonialism is baked into the fabric of my country), this still wasn't a very enjoyable book for me. I don't disagree with the most baseline message of "people (swans) who are different can and should still get to be happy and accepted," because I'm not a misanthrope. But the adventures necessary to get Louis from a voiceless cygnet to a happily "married" adult swan are weird and shallow and oddly capitalist, in a way I would have accepted at face value back in kid-logic times but struggle with as an adult.
I don't think this book has aged well. I think the prose is probably suited better to reading aloud than internally, which makes sense for a kid's book. I think this is a "classic" we should probably collectively agree set aside in favor of more modern works that are more inclusive and less casually racist.
But I haven't actually reread Charlotte since I was a child, so maybe it wouldn't be as good as I remember now.
Even if I set aside the lackluster presence and portrayal of women (this was published in 1970 by a male author, and the conventional wisdom was, and often still is, boys won't read books about girls) and the racism ("Indian" this and "Indian" that--again, published in 1970, and I was a kid in the 80s and we still talked that way because colonialism is baked into the fabric of my country), this still wasn't a very enjoyable book for me. I don't disagree with the most baseline message of "people (swans) who are different can and should still get to be happy and accepted," because I'm not a misanthrope. But the adventures necessary to get Louis from a voiceless cygnet to a happily "married" adult swan are weird and shallow and oddly capitalist, in a way I would have accepted at face value back in kid-logic times but struggle with as an adult.
I don't think this book has aged well. I think the prose is probably suited better to reading aloud than internally, which makes sense for a kid's book. I think this is a "classic" we should probably collectively agree set aside in favor of more modern works that are more inclusive and less casually racist.