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quantum_singularity's review
4.0
So I feel like, this isn't the best children's book in the world.
But the thing I really like about this book is that it reminds me that Sylvia Plath wasn't just a one dimensional Depressed Poet.
It reminds me that she had the capacity for so many other things, and I think that my obsession with her when I was younger definitely focused majorly on the parts of her as an icon that I wanted to see, and identified with most strongly.
So this book reminds me that people are more complicated, and have more depth than I assume.
But the thing I really like about this book is that it reminds me that Sylvia Plath wasn't just a one dimensional Depressed Poet.
It reminds me that she had the capacity for so many other things, and I think that my obsession with her when I was younger definitely focused majorly on the parts of her as an icon that I wanted to see, and identified with most strongly.
So this book reminds me that people are more complicated, and have more depth than I assume.
themandimonster's review against another edition
5.0
A really cute children's book by one of my favorite authors of all time. I absolutely love it!
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Three short stories, old-fashioned whilst still being charming and very amusing.
Bell Jar. Not for kids. But saw the author's surname on this and thought it looked rather lovely, fancied reading her writing for a young audience. This selection she wrote for her own children, and I can imagine them curled up listening to these.
They really are quite charming, and gigglesome. I loved the Suit story, where the youngest of seven children just wants his own suit that can be worn on any occasion... and one day a suit arrives with no name on the package. Who will want it? Who will it fit? The repetition is spot-on, the story is wonderful. The references that seem out of date won't really matter, it's just a lovely little story.
We move onto a great moral tale of fulfilling your role (a bit like Pumpkin Soup) even when you have aspirations to do other things. The pixies in Mrs Cherry's Kitchen are dismayed when all the appliances are bored with their own roles and want to try other things - the coffee maker wants to make ice cream, for example. Well, the pixies decide to let them try... and yes, you'll laugh at how that tale goes.
Finally, a poem about different sorts of beds, elephant beds, North Pole beds, it's a nice way to finish for bedtime.
David Roberts illustrates a lot of writers' work, including Julia Donaldson I believe, and brings out the nostalgic elements of these old stories while still making them look mischievous and fun.
This will keep little ones amused for a few nights, I loved them.
For ages 5-9.
Bell Jar. Not for kids. But saw the author's surname on this and thought it looked rather lovely, fancied reading her writing for a young audience. This selection she wrote for her own children, and I can imagine them curled up listening to these.
They really are quite charming, and gigglesome. I loved the Suit story, where the youngest of seven children just wants his own suit that can be worn on any occasion... and one day a suit arrives with no name on the package. Who will want it? Who will it fit? The repetition is spot-on, the story is wonderful. The references that seem out of date won't really matter, it's just a lovely little story.
We move onto a great moral tale of fulfilling your role (a bit like Pumpkin Soup) even when you have aspirations to do other things. The pixies in Mrs Cherry's Kitchen are dismayed when all the appliances are bored with their own roles and want to try other things - the coffee maker wants to make ice cream, for example. Well, the pixies decide to let them try... and yes, you'll laugh at how that tale goes.
Finally, a poem about different sorts of beds, elephant beds, North Pole beds, it's a nice way to finish for bedtime.
David Roberts illustrates a lot of writers' work, including Julia Donaldson I believe, and brings out the nostalgic elements of these old stories while still making them look mischievous and fun.
This will keep little ones amused for a few nights, I loved them.
For ages 5-9.
bigbookgeek's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great story! I was pleasantly surprised at how fun and upbeat a Sylvia Plath children's story could be. This is the story of young Max who wants nothing more than to own a suit! One day a package arrives with a flamboyant suit in it, his father and six siblings each try the suit on and decide it isn't plain enough for them. Max gets the suit and it is everything he ever could have hoped for!
thebookofdanny's review against another edition
3.0
Reading Sylvia Plath's stories for children is akin to watching a Carry On movie. There's at least one (unintentional) innuendo per page, my internal Kenneth Williams cried 'Ooh Matron' rather frequently. Carry On Up The Bell Jar
atalanta_nins's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was actually planning on reading Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar but I saw this and decided to plunge into the story with no idea what was it about. It is a children story, nevertheless, I find the story very compelling as it is masked as a children's story but like many adults, we were all children once. So, a little bit spoiler ahead, <the story revolved around the Nix family, focusing on their youngest Maximilian "Max" Nix as Max wants to have a suit. Ouf of all seven brothers, Max is the only one who doesn't own a suit. One day, a package was brought to their home and it contains a woolly, whiskery, brand-new, mustard-yellow suit. They didn't know who the package is for so they kinda tried who would fit into the suit first. Of course, the first to try the suit was Papa Nix, which fitted him perfectly but he struggles as if he did wear this suit, he'll be the first one to wear it in his work. And in his work as a banker, he's scared (i guess?) of what his colleagues might say as bankers only wore dark blue or dark grey clothes. Papa Nix then passed the suit to his eldest son, Paul. But even though Mama Nix fixed the suit to fit Paul, he too thought of what the people would say if they saw him wear the
woolly, whiskery, brand-new, mustard-yellow suit. So, he then gave it to the second son, Emil. Emil too thought of how people will perceive him if they say him wear the woolly, whiskery, brand-new, mustard-yellow suit. The older son giving the woolly, whiskery, brand-new, mustard-yellow suit to the younger son continued until the suit reaches Max whom the family realized that Max doesn't own any suit. So Mama Nix fix the suit once more and it fitted little Max and Max wore it anywhere and everywhere he goes. I might have spoiled the ending but I dont think I would have explained or tell it the same way the author narrated the story.
As most of the adults or older men in the story, I think, one reaches a point where we are so concerned by how people are going to perceive us. We are so afraid to do one different thing just because we might be the first one to do it but like Max, maybe what's important in the end is if this different thing will make us happy if we do it, regardless how people perceive us.>
woolly, whiskery, brand-new, mustard-yellow suit. So, he then gave it to the second son, Emil. Emil too thought of how people will perceive him if they say him wear the woolly, whiskery, brand-new, mustard-yellow suit. The older son giving the woolly, whiskery, brand-new, mustard-yellow suit to the younger son continued until the suit reaches Max whom the family realized that Max doesn't own any suit. So Mama Nix fix the suit once more and it fitted little Max and Max wore it anywhere and everywhere he goes. I might have spoiled the ending but I dont think I would have explained or tell it the same way the author narrated the story.
As most of the adults or older men in the story, I think, one reaches a point where we are so concerned by how people are going to perceive us. We are so afraid to do one different thing just because we might be the first one to do it but like Max, maybe what's important in the end is if this different thing will make us happy if we do it, regardless how people perceive us.>
cygnetcommittee's review against another edition
4.0
This was a lovely story that shows the importance of wearing clothes with confidence and comfort, and that is what matters, not other people's opinions.
kpdoessomereading's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Kids book of 3 stories written by Sylvia Plath for her children. Definitely worth reading and adding to the collection if you are a lover of Plath. If not, it’s good and safe for the kids.
shaimaa's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first Sylvia Plath read. I did not know she wrote children literature. It was a fun read.
The It-Doesn't-Matter Suit shows how true to their wishes children are. Max wanted a suit that he could wear whenever and wherever he wanted not caring if people would think it did not fit some place or another as long as he liked it.
Mrs Cherry's Kitchen conveys that things should do what they are assigned for. Likewise, people should do the things that they are good at without complaining about doing the other things they don't know anything about just for some Change-About.
The Bed Book has fanciful poems about different kinds of beds.
Quentin Blake's descriptive illustrations are a delight, as always.
The It-Doesn't-Matter Suit shows how true to their wishes children are. Max wanted a suit that he could wear whenever and wherever he wanted not caring if people would think it did not fit some place or another as long as he liked it.
Mrs Cherry's Kitchen conveys that things should do what they are assigned for. Likewise, people should do the things that they are good at without complaining about doing the other things they don't know anything about just for some Change-About.
The Bed Book has fanciful poems about different kinds of beds.
Quentin Blake's descriptive illustrations are a delight, as always.