Chicken Boy

Book Description

Meet Tobin McCauley. He's got a near-certifiable grandmother, a pack of juvenile-delinquent siblings, and a dad who's not going to win father of the year any time soon. To top it off, Tobin's only friend truly believes that the study of chickens will reveal...the meaning of life? Getting through seventh grade isn't easy for anyone, but when the first day of school starts out with your granny's arrest, you know you've got real problems. Throw on a five-day suspension, a chicken that lays green eggs, and a family feud that's tearing everyone to pieces, and you're in for one heck of a ride.

Customer Reviews:

See the world through new eyes.......2007-02-13

Chicken Boy, by Frances O'Roark Dowell, sounds very childish and silly, but is a very true and can almost be sickening. The boy, Tobin, lives with is brothers and sisters in an old house behind a gas station. They live in pretty much a pig sty. This is mainly because Tobin's mother died of cancer and since then, their house has been a mess and his Grandma and dad will not talk to each other. This book gives you a real life feeling, it shows you how other people's lives can be. Tobin goes back to school and he doesn't have any friends. There is only one class he likes, and that is English. His teacher really believes he can do great things when no one can. One day, he gets in a fight with a boy and another boy, Harrison, helps him. Tobin and Harrison become good friends. Harrison raises chickens and is using them for a science extra credit project. Tobin gets to know all the chickens and soon gets involved with taking care of them. He buys his own chickens and takes care of them. He gets very close to them and learns that he can relate to them more than some humans and they give him a new outlook on life. This book is really touching because even through all Tobin is going through, he always goes to see the chickens.
By Grace

Am I just missing the charm?.......2007-01-11

I've given this book two tries---- once with my eyes and once with my ears (iPod). I just can't get through it. Sometimes the starred reviews in SLJ and Booklist completely mystify me-- this is a book that needs some filling in. The characters have the complexity of line drawings. I bet there's a good book here; it just needs a few more drafts.

For example, the protaganist's new friend--- I'm sure there are less believable characters in literature, but I can't think of any at the moment. And the little goofy bits of description--- the father remarks that the boy's school smells like every other school, like chalk. Ok, who here can dredge up the odor of chalk? Have I just missed the odor of chalk all these years working in a school? It all reminds me of narrators who refer dramatically to the smell of blood-- when really that's a remark that only a vampire character is justified in making. Have I been missing the well-known smell of blood all these years, too? Good lord, the smell of chalk. Granted, the father character also says the school smelled of gym socks, and that smell would apply to the locker room. Quibbles, yes. But when the characters are so dull, my mind drifts to the little annoying flaws of language. Whose doesn't?

When I saw Chicken Boy was up for a 2008 Grand Canyon Reader Award, I thought I would just chime in here. Different strokes, I guess--but kids will be bored by this book. Librarians, be ready to contend with the smell of boredom.

Another Winner from Dowell.......2006-02-02

Frances Dowell is one of the finest young people's authors
out there today. From the masterful and gripping Dovey Coe
to the canny Secret Language of Girls, to the thoughtful
and gripping world of Chicken Boy, Dowell shows again and
again that she understands kids and their concerns. Her books
have both strong storytelling and a moral code. She makes characters that provoke lively discussion between parents
and kids and teachers. There's so much gloss out there today,
books that seem more concerned with showing girls how to be pretty and boys how to be cool. Dowell's books show kids and grownups how to be loving, responsible, kind human beings.
And she does it with grace and style and wonderful stories.
Her characters seek to improve and expand their hearts and
minds.
Dowell's books are essential.

Discovering the real Chicken Boy.......2005-11-23

Chicken Boy tells the story of young Tobin McCauley who comes from a bad family and who is just sure he will end up the same way. People do not expect much from him and he does not expect much from himself. His world changes when he enters the seventh grade and begins to form his own identity rather than accepting the one forced on him by his family's reputation. He is surprised when he makes a friend and together they learn how to raise chickens so as to discover if the birds have souls. Tobin begins to recognize that his family does not have to be the way that they are and he makes small efforts to alter their lifestyle. He is torn between staying with his father who only attempts to provide a home life after a Social Services visit and his granny who called Social Services because she resents Tobin's father, but Tobin is sent to a foster home instead. He realizes how much he loves his family when they gather for counseling sessions and he learns that the good things in himself come from his family as well and not just the bad. The character of Tobin is well written with a "who cares" attitude because he knows what the world thinks of him. He surprises himself when he feels strangely good inside for sticking up for a teacher and for giving an extra credit oral report to the class about the soul of a chicken -- a feat never attempted by a McCauley. He does not like how his family lives up to their public image and longs to be away from them until he is forced into the situation. Chicken Boy captures the time in a boy's life when he feels most alienated from his family but his situation makes him realize how much he never wants to be away from them. He learns about himself while trying to figure out the nature of chickens and forges his own identity rahter than becoming just another lowdown member of the McCauley family.

Average customer rating:

face stretching, rib hurting total fun
Harris and Me- a fantastic quick read choice
Harris and Me
Zac's Review
Another well-told story

Harris and Me
Gary Paulsen
Manufacturer: Harcourt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 015205880X

Book Description

A young city boy is sent to spend the summer on his aunt and uncle's farm. Though he has lived many places over the years, he has never experienced anything like farm life . . . and he has never met anyone like Harris, his daredevil of a cousin. If the two of them can survive wrestling three-hundred-pound pigs and mouse-hunting with toothless old Louie's fire-spitting pet lynx--which, unlike his master, has plenty of teeth--they just might make it through the summer!

Customer Reviews:

face stretching, rib hurting total fun.......2007-09-12

When my children were younger this was one book we read over and over again. I recently purchased six of the copies and gave one to each of my children. My son and his wife read it on their trip home and totally enjoyed it again. It has a few cuss words but is a very enjoyable read for any age. Make sure your boys don't try some of the "activities" Harris and his cousin participated in.

Harris and Me- a fantastic quick read choice.......2007-05-19

Wildly imaginations of Harris, the main character's cousin, can create a mess. But with Harris, everything is fun; starting from playing comme jap to writing a bike with a motor on, life in the countryside is full of excitements. Because of Harris' rude and violent use of language, the house is never settled, but the main character spends a great time at his cousin's house during the summer.

I recommend this book to probably a boy, even though I am girl, since it deals with some "harsh" languages such as swearing. I would think it's about the right level for 5-7th graders :) enjoy!

Harris and Me.......2007-05-14

The funniest book I have ever read. Shared with both my grandchildren (ages 12 and 18) and we laughed till we cried. Reminds me so much of when I was growing up.

Zac's Review .......2007-05-07

Harris and Me
By Gary Paulsen

The book Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen is a memoir about Paulsen going to live with his cousin, Harris, the summer he is 12 years old because his parents are alcoholics. The story is about all the things he does in his best summer ever. The boys have many crazy adventures with not as many consequences.
The book is a hilarious comedy about boys being boys. For example, they go out one day Gary Paulsen dares Harris to pee on an electric fence. The things that they think of will keep the reader on his or her toes. The book is best for middle school students and up.

Another well-told story.......2007-03-15

A young boy is taken from his drunken parents and sent to live with family. He ends up on a farm with family he's never met. His cousin Harris takes it on himself to teach the new kid about his special brand of country life. Harris is a kid full of energy, humor, and cuss words. Being smacked several times a day by his sister doesn't seem to help the latter. The two boys wrestle pigs and attempt to jump onto a horse from a barn loft like Roy Rogers did in the movies. Somehow, even after getting his business kicked by a cow, the boy and Harris bond over the summer.

The story moves at a fairly quick pace, taking the reader from barn loft to horse back to a field with a lynx for a mouse-hunting partner. The reader's interest is kept just wondering what Harris will get them into next and a smattering of kindness and true family heart will help him remember Harris and Me.

Be warned that there are several "hells" and "damns" in the book, and talk of some dirty pictures, though nothing graphic. Fast-paced and laugh-out-loud funny, this is one that the middle-schooler is sure to enjoy.

Armchair Interviews says: Sounds like a fun read.

Average customer rating:

Great Motivational book for children
Almanzo's Childhood: Preparing for His Life and His Wife (His Bride)!
Farmer Boy
...makes it impossible for readers to follow the saying 'early to bed, early to rise'...keeps you reading long into the night
Read it aloud yourself, please.

Farmer Boy (Little House)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064400034

Book Description

The story of a boy named
Almanzo Wilder . . .

While Laura Ingalls grows up in a little house on the western prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Almanzo and his brother and sisters work at their chores from dawn to supper most days-no matter what the weather. There is still time for fun, though, especially with the horses, which Almanzo loves more than anything.

Farmer Boy is the third book in the Laura Years series.

From shearing sheep and milking cows to training young calves, Almanzo Wilder worked very hard on his family's farm in New York. But when his chores were all done, Almanzo could go to his favorite place in the whole world -- the Horse-Barn. Although his father wouldn't let him handle the frisky colts, Almanzo could still look at them and dream of one day having a horse all his own!

Customer Reviews:

Great Motivational book for children.......2007-05-17

If your kids complain that you give them too many chores to do and they never get any time to have fun this book should be a must read! Not only does it contain numerous lessons about farming techniques and problems but it also shows how much a little boy of 10 years is capable of doing and how willing and proud he is of doing it. I was very impressed with the book and found myself reading it on my own, without my child. Laura Ingalls Wilder has quite a talent in putting pictures down in words. Almanzo Wilder's one year in this book was facinating and enlightening. I have a much larger appreciation for both what times were like and how much easier they are now.

Almanzo's Childhood: Preparing for His Life and His Wife (His Bride)!.......2007-04-27

Of all the Laura Ingalls Wilder "Little House" books, FARMER BOY is, hands down, my very favorite.

The book covers a portion of the boyhood of Almanzo Wilder, who was to grow up to become Laura's husband. Almanzo grew up on a thriving, successful farm in New York state. Almanzo's father was especially known and respected for raising top-quality horses. Almanzo's mother had her own home business ventures and was known for making top-quality butter, fetching top dollar, to be served in some of the finest restaurants in New York City.

I could probably write a book about this book and why I love it so much. Through the examples of the Wilder family, its strengths and limitations, the author puts forth some enduring lessons about hard work, mutual respect, the value of time and money, hope... and more. FARMER BOY stands out among the other "Little House" books because: a) it is about Almanzo, long before he ever met Laura, ten years his junior (so Laura was not even born yet at the time this book starts its story); and b) the Wilder family, like the Ingalls family, faced hardships, but not to the relentless and ridiculous level that the Ingalls family seemed to do so, leaving more room to delineate normal, day-to-day life, which itself was incredibly rich and interesting.

During the time that Laura, many miles away, was an infant and young child, Almanzo was growing up in New York, developing his love of horses and skill in working with them. During the time he was a young man venturing out west, Laura herself was developing her love of horses and skill in riding them. That they were both "horse lovers" provided a lovely and important common ground later when they met, courted and married.

Almanzo James Wilder was born February 13, 1857 and died on October 23, 1949, at the age of 92. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867 and died on February 10, 1957, at age 90. They were married on August 25, 1885. These details mean that Almanzo was very much alive in 1933 when FARMER BOY was published, and presumably, very much available as a resource for his wife Laura, the author. To me, that is precious and relevant, for it attests to longevity (both of their marriage and their lives) and to the presumption of authenticity regarding this wonderful book. Highly recommended!

Farmer Boy.......2007-04-03

Farmer Boy

Do you like farms? Well, this boy certainly does! This boy named Almanzo is a boy who just loves the farm. Farmer Boy tells you how farming was done in the 1870's. It describes how they used to have to spend two weeks cutting hay, and how they had to wake up at three o'clock in the morning on Independence Day just to save the corn. It tells what it was like to live in the house with his two parents, and his annoying big brother and sisters! This is the life of a true farmer! I thought that this book was great, and I really encourage you to read it.
Farmer Boy is recommended for kids eight to twelve. Personally, I think that this book is great for people8 and older. I know s that still like it, and I know that I do! Even though a lot of people over twelve do not give it a chance, I hope that you will.
The words in this book are very easy to understand, and there is no inappropriate content either. For example, in the book it says, "The ice-house was built of boards with wide between. It was set high off the ground on wooden blocks, and looked like a big cage."(Sic) You can see just from this quote that it is easy to read, and Laura Ingalls Wilder did a great job of describing things.
Farmer Boy is also a good chapter book for visual learners. In every chapter there is at least one picture. This helps you visualize what is happening in the book, and it helps you understand what is going on.
I thought that Farmer Boy was a great book. I really learned a lot about life and farming in the 1870's. This book is perfect for people who love history and biographies. The best part of the book is at the end when Almanzo gets a big present; it is something that he has always wanted. The only way you will find out what it is is read the book!

...makes it impossible for readers to follow the saying 'early to bed, early to rise'...keeps you reading long into the night.......2007-01-24

Nine-year-old Almanzo "Manzo" Wilder has a delightful family, complete with three older siblings (Royal, Eliza Jane, and Alice), along with two loving parents, and never wants for anything - especially not food, as the table is always laden with lavish spreads of food, from mashed potatoes to chicken, and pumpkin pie to apples and onions. But now, as Manzo begins preparing for school, he realizes that there's something he wants more than anything, and that's a colt of his very own. Pa, however, doesn't believe that Almanzo is old enough to break a colt. He feels that Almanzo's duties lie more within weeding the fields, and training a team of young oxen to pull carts, and assist with the daily chores. So Almanzo decides to prove to his family that he has the strength, and the maturity, to have his own colt. From sun up, until sun down Almanzo works as much as he possibly can, helping his father with everything from seeding to weeding, and pulling to sheering. It is only, however, when the New York State resident realizes that skipping school all the time to work among a farm, and neglecting his studies to play with his friends and spend the day sledding, that Almanzo learns that proving your responsibility doesn't only take a lot of manual labor, but labor for your mind, as well.

As an avid viewer of the "Little House On the Prairie" TV show, I wasn't exposed to the character of Almanzo Wilder until he was well out of childhood, and considered a man. So I was quite excited to have the opportunity to learn more about his quirks as a pre-pubescent boy growing up in northern New York State. Almanzo, even at the age of nine, was a responsible boy who grew up to be a responsible man. He worked hard, but never forgot to enjoy his youth by getting into all sorts of mischief - from overeating ice cream, to staining the family's parlor wall with blacking. His interactions with his older brother and sisters are comical, as he is treated like a baby more often than not, and appears to resent it more than anything. As strange as it sounds, I was a big fan of Almanzo's mother throughout the tale. Talk of her days and nights slaving over a stove, preparing the most mouth-watering meals known to man really gave me an accurate depiction of the amount of work that took place during the frontier years, while at the same time leaving me with a serious craving for a thick slice of pumpkin pie. As with the previous book in the series, LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS, FARMER BOY includes a biography about the author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, along with a brief history on two very important subjects (the county fair, and school days), the lyrics to a song (Yankee-Doodle), and a recipe (Pulled Molasses Candy). FARMER BOY makes it impossible for readers to follow the saying "early to bed, early to rise," for it will keep you reading long into the night.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Read it aloud yourself, please........2006-11-29

I love all of the Little House books, and have since I was a little girl. I can spew out more information about the books than most readers, and have visited all the Little House sites. I love that I am getting to do this all over again with my daughter, and that she loves the books too.

That said, I do not like the CD versions of the books. There is an insincerity that comes across in the readings of the books, almost a mocking. Cherry Jones' accent is actually very distracting from the story. Her sense of the writing in the story, and how it would be delivered is very off. I'm not sure why anyone would have approved of the readings much less printed them and sold them at such a high price.

I know that Ms Jones is an accomplished actresses. That's why it's so sad that these wonderful stories are mangled by someone who should be able to give them the beauty they deserve.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful idea!
These books are great for new readers

County Fair (My First Little House)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064434931

Book Description

It's an exciting day for Almanzo as the Wilder family visits the county fair in this second My First Little House Book adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic Farmer Boy. There are contests, races, and good things to eat, and Almanzo can't wait to see what the judges think of his special pumpkin. Jody Wheeler's luminous illustrations bring Laura's beloved farmer boy to life.

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful idea!.......2000-07-07

This is wonderful! A Little House Book for even the youngest of readers! The complete books of the series may seem a little long for the little ones, this is great to get them familiar with the series. This book is kid sized, and is very well illustrated, the colors are vibrant, Laura would be proud, it is a very cute book! I will be buying more of these books in the future, the Farmer Boy Books are great for getting little boys interested in the Little House Series. A true Winner!

These books are great for new readers.......1999-07-27

I have always been a Little House fan, and I wanted to pass on the enjoyment of Laura and her friends to my 5 year old niece. She loves them so much and asks me when she is going to receive another one. It is our special thing because she will only let me read them to her!!

Diary of an Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805 (Dover Books on Americana)

Average customer rating:

So... what happened to Noah Blake and Sarah Trowbridge?
Not really a diary
Not what I expected
One of the best
This Book Should Be In Classrooms

Diary of an Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805 (Dover Books on Americana)
Eric Sloane
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486436667

Book Description

This reprint of an actual early 19th-century diary provides today's readers with an engaging rarity: a 15-year-old's brief, concise notebook and Sloane's 72 drawings and explanatory narrative. "An extraordinary glimpse into everyday Early American rural life . . . will delight readers of all ages." — History in Review.

Customer Reviews:

So... what happened to Noah Blake and Sarah Trowbridge?.......2007-04-20

I echo what everyone else has written here - an excellent book. Noah's diary is very terse, but Sloane fleshes it out with fascinating details of what living on a farm must have been like for Noah.

Sad thing, though... as I was reading this I wondered if Noah and Sarah Trowbridge, whom he frequently writes about (it's clear he was attacted to this girl) ever married. Alas! I can find no mention at all of Noah Blake or his parents on any online genealogical database. Other than via Sloane's book, Noah Blake seems to be unremembered... but that's sufficient, I guess. (I can find a Sarah Trowbridge born in 1791, but it might or might not be the right one. Not enough genealogical details in Sloane's book.)

Not really a diary.......2007-03-22

Like the previous reviewer, this book was not what I was expecting. Thinking that most teenage boys hundreds of years ago are just like teenage boys today, I was very surprised to find a published diary of a kid who was willing to write down his thoughts on life. With many entries consisting entirely of one or two words like "Plowed today." and "Do." (ditto), this book does little to offer the reader insight into the thoughts of this boy. The diary portion of the book is disappointing, and is used as a jumping off point for the author to explain in words and pictures about the technology of the early 19th century. The explanations are fascinating, the technology amazing. Anyone who has ever thought about how the pyramids could have been built by thousands of slaves should take a gander at how a covered bridge (that could hold the weight of oxen and a cart and it's load and driver) was constructed by a few neighborhood farmers. The illustrations are the backbone of this book and they are excellent. I wish the author would strike a deal with the publishers of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" series to draw and explain the machinery described in those books. I would recommend this book as a gift for anyone, kid or adult, who is interested in architecture or engineering, or who loves history.

Not what I expected.......2007-03-11

I read the other reviews before I bought. I guess this wasn't for me. I love diaries but this wasn't really a diary.

One of the best.......2007-03-09

Somehow the sum of the story, descriptions of tools and techniques, and simple drawings adds up to one of the most compelling, accessible, and effective depictions of life in 19th century America I've every read. I came across this wonderful book while doing research for my undergraduate thesis over thirty years ago, I used it very effectively to teach high school history, and just last year I had a great time reading it with my 11 year old son. In all those years I have never seen it fail to engage and energize the reader, often compelling them out of their seats to try one the contraptions for themselves (the ink recipe works well). How cool is that!

This Book Should Be In Classrooms.......2006-04-09

What a unique and interesting concept: take a diary of a 15 year old boy and write a virtual living history book around it! That takes quite a bit of writing talent, knowledge of the time period, and, for the detailed sketches, an artistic talent. And, thankfully for all of us, Mr. Sloane had it all, as he is the one with all of the above said talent to put such a piece together.
Interspersing the original 1805 writings of Noah Blake and Mr. Sloane's own "liberties" was a stroke of genius that brings to life the lives of early Americana - farming, milling, building, forging, as well as interaction of parent and child, friendships, and courtley love.
This is the sort of style that would get school-age kids, from the upper El through high school, interested in our historical past. What did the folks of 200 years ago do during rainy days? It's here. How about the affects on their lives do to seasonal changes? Yep, that info is here, as well.
Mr. Sloane has a passion for history and it shows in his writing and detailed sketches. He tends to bring up the minute details of daily life that is rarely - if ever - brought up in the "scholarly" history books that cost five times as much. Mr. Sloane's work is always interesting and never stodgy. I have numerous books by this author and have yet to be disappointed.
If you have any interest in American social history, then Diary of an Early American Boy (and all of Eric Sloane's books) come highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Growing Taller in Moral Courage
Morgan from Creston
Midnight fox
Foxy Loxy
The Mysterious Fox

The Midnight Fox
Betsy Byars
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140314504

Customer Reviews:

Growing Taller in Moral Courage.......2007-07-15

Ten-year-old Tom resents being obliged to spend the summer at the farm of his relatives, while his parents bicycle through Europe. As an only child he amuses himself making models and indulging in crazy games of imagination with his bet pal, Petie. Sure that the two months will prove a washout, Tom arrives with quiet dignity and is outwardly obedient, but he harbors privately gloom. He rarely speaks, shows enthusiasm for their attempts to amuse him, or even gratitude for their welcoming efforts--preferring to play the role of the loner.

A loner, that is, until the day he spots a rare, black fox dancing and leaping in the luxuriant green grass. Instantly the boy is fascinated by her grace and beauty, her kinship with the freedom of wild nature. Seeing her again and finding her secret den become Tom's personal obsessions. Then--to his secret horror--his uncle announces plans to track her down and shoot her, as she poses a serious threat to Aunt Millie's poultry,

Literary tension builds like an inevitable summer storm, climaxing one stormy night--when Tom defies common sense and respect for his elders and his hosts. Determined to rescue not one but both foxes from certain death, he seizes the opportunity to grow tall in moral courage, by acting
upon his conscience and then bravely accepting the consequences of his actions. Related as a detailed flashback this story grabs the reader's attention from the outset; but which of several possible endings will prevail? Can a Fox learn wisdom along with a young boy? An excellent read for kids of all ages.

Morgan from Creston.......2006-12-08

The book The Midnight Fox is one of the most perfect books ever. It really caught my interest in the middle of this book. Between exciting and beautiful moments.
In the book, the characters were so trustworthy you could even be their best friend. That is one of the reasons why I liked this book so much. One of my favorite characters was Tom, though he was a really mean and argumentative with his family. Tom is a person who has one best friend and Tom's very caring. After he got sent to the farm his attitude changed. He became quieter and went and sat by the creek bed every day. He tried calming his cousin down. Her name is Hazline. She thinks she's really fat, but Tom doesn't. Tom helps do chores everyday, and then goes and plays.
In the book, Tom was an interesting person and no one really listened to him, until the end of the book. Betsy Byars caught my interest in the middle of the book when Tom found out he had to go the farm. Byars , managed to catch my interest, by making it more dramatic.
After reading this novel, I learned many different things. I also felt I could relate to Tom in a situation. The situation was when he ran out and saved the baby fox and set it free. I learned you have to do things in life you don't want to do, but this one, I did.

Midnight fox.......2006-05-31

The midnight fox is about a boy who goes to a farm and then sees the fox the fox is in danger can the boy save the fox from hunters or will he watch the fox die. this book is about courage and wisdom and sadness. But will tom be brave to stay at the farm in till there parents come to get him. Find out all you have to do is read the book.

Foxy Loxy.......2005-01-24

Back in 1968, I think it's fair to say that your average male hero in children's fiction was usually an athletic or at least agile young man. The Hardy Boys, after all, were still popular and the degree of introspection most young men in today's fiction are apt to was significantly less. Not so the hero of Betsy Byars's, "The Midnight Fox". A small unassuming but still interesting book from the last 60s, the tale is of an unathletic average boy, his summer spent on a farm in the country, and his chance encounters with a mysterious woodland creature. There is no magic. No mystical occurrences or significant coincidences. Just ordinary people acting and reacting to one another and the appearance of the animal that divides them.

Tom is under the distinct impression that animals of all sorts, regardless of species or family, hate him. And this is just one of the myriad of reasons Tom does not want to stay on his Aunt Millie and Uncle Fred's farm. He'll be far away from his best friend, alone with family members he hardly knows, and he'll probably get loaded down with chores. Still, Tom's parents are adamant, so it's off to the farm for a couple months he goes. Of course, nothing is as bad as he had anticipated. His relatives are sweethearts, his chores miniscule and his best friend is writing him regularly. As for animals, Tom meets one that becomes his summer fixation. Living on the acres of land surrounding the farm is a rare and beautiful black fox with a single cub. Intrigued by this elusive creature, the boy discovers her lair and protects her secret. But when the fox angers the family by making off with a few chickens, Tom has to figure out exactly what to do to save his new friend from people with excellent fox-tracking skills.

Confession time: This is the first Betsy Byars book I've ever read. I know her name is often synonymous with great children's writers everywhere. And I know that not having read, "The Summer of the Swans" yet I'm probably going to earn the pity of children's librarians everywhere. But honestly I didn't know what to expect from her as an author. What I found, to my delight, was a writer who's not afraid to use humor while tapping into childhood fears. Tom's remarkable in some ways because he's just an average guy. He can't swim, can't run very fast, and isn't a fan of sports particularly. His best friend Petie (who conjures up fake headlines like, "BOY FALLS DOWN BANK WHILE GIRL ONLOOKERS CHEER", to describe his everyday experiences) is just as interesting as Tom and provides a lot of comic relief in this tale. But best of all, this book tapped into one of my favorite kiddie lit conventions. It didn't include a villain. Oh, it includes adults doing thoughtless acts without realizing how they affect the children around them, sure. But no one here is a bad guy. And no one here ends up as the evil nefarious fox hunter or anything like that. If there had been someone like that in this book, it probably would've tipped this book dangerously into the world of melodrama. Oog. Fortunately, this is not the case and "Midnight Fox" just strikes the reader as a good well-written piece o' work.

Now, if you know a kid who's into foxes and the like, this isn't a bad book to hand them. Fortunately, a love of those animals is not a requirement. This is just a good read for anyone. Boys and girls alike. It has an exciting conclusion, some spots of beautiful writing, and likable characters. It will charm any and all comers, regardless of age.

The Mysterious Fox.......2004-06-15

If you like mysteries and stimulating books, then you will love this book. The book is about a kid named Tom who goes to spend his summer at his uncle's farm and finds a mysterious fox. Read how he will save the fox from getting killed by his uncle. This takes place at his uncle's farm and at a gorgeous forest. This book contains no pictures so you could use your imagination in this astonishing book. I enjoyed how he would trick his uncle into saving the fox. There is some tragedy in this story for Tom. It was difficult to move away from his parents for the whole summer. The author of this book is Betsy Byars. So if you want to find an exciting book like this one, look for books that Betsy Byars wrote and I think they will be as magical as this one.

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Well-written but SLOW
His best work...
Glad I read this book
My First John Grisham Book.
Little Luke's World Comes Alive with Mr. Grisham creative genius!

A Painted House
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 038550120X
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Amazon.com

Ever since he published The Firm in 1991, John Grisham has remained the undisputed champ of the legal thriller. With A Painted House, however, he strikes out in a new direction. As the author is quick to note, this novel includes "not a single lawyer, dead or alive," and readers will search in vain for the kind of lowlife machinations that have been his stock-in-trade. Instead, Grisham has delivered a quieter, more contemplative story, set in rural Arkansas in 1952. It's harvest time on the Chandler farm, and the family has hired a crew of migrant Mexicans and "hill people" to pick 80 acres of cotton. A certain camaraderie pervades this bucolic dream team. But it's backbreaking work, particularly for the 7-year-old narrator, Luke: "I would pick cotton, tearing the fluffy bolls from the stalks at a steady pace, stuffing them into the heavy sack, afraid to look down the row and be reminded of how endless it was, afraid to slow down because someone would notice."

What's more, tensions begin to simmer between the Mexicans and the hill people, one of whom has a penchant for bare-knuckles brawling. This leads to a brutal murder, which young Luke has the bad luck to witness. At this point--with secrets, lies, and at least one knife fight in the offing--the plot begins to take on that familiar, Grisham-style momentum. Still, such matters ultimately take a back seat in A Painted House to the author's evocation of time and place. This is, after all, the scene of his boyhood, and Grisham waxes nostalgic without ever succumbing to deep-fried sentimentality. Meanwhile, his account of Luke's Baptist upbringing occasions some sly (and telling) humor:

I'd been taught in Sunday school from the day I could walk that lying would send you straight to hell. No detours. No second chances. Straight into the fiery pit, where Satan was waiting with the likes of Hitler and Judas Iscariot and General Grant. Thou shalt not bear false witness, which, of course, didn't sound exactly like a strict prohibition against lying, but that was the way the Baptists interpreted it.

Whether Grisham will continue along these lines, or revert to the judicial shark tank for his next book, is anybody's guess. But A Painted House suggests that he's perfectly capable of telling an involving story with nary a subpoena in sight. --James Marcus

Book Description

The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father, over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop."

Thus begins the new novel from John Grisham, a story inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it.

For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.

A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience.

On-sale February 6, 2001.

Customer Reviews:

Well-written but SLOW.......2007-08-30

I am a big John Grisham fan and this was my first experience with a non-lawyer novel of his. I have to say I prefer the suspense books a lot more. While Grisham certainly has an extraordinary gift for painting a detailed picture with his words, in this case that of a little-known slice of the American past, the picture turns out to be not all that interesting to look at. Perhaps it's the fact that it's told through the eyes of a 7-year-old, perhaps it's the fact that life as an Arkansas cotton farmer in 1950 was incredibly dull, but this book was much more put-downable than other Grisham books. Even the book itself seems to conclude that this is a rather miserable way to live out one's life, and that those who could escape it, did. If you're looking for something slow and meandering, read it, but don't be expecting "The Firm".

His best work..........2007-08-22

I have to say that this one Grisham book surpasses all his other efforts. I wish we'd see more like this one from him. This is southern fiction at its best. I want to feel, smell, and breathe the south when I read a southern author who writes about the south; someone like Robert Paul Blumenstein in his book Flirtin' with Jesus set in Richmond, VA. In A Painted House, I could smell the harvest air rising from the cotton fields late in the fall. And I've walked similar cotton fields in the Sand Hills of North Carolina; I was right back there in this book. Grisham is on par with the great southern authors from the past such as Flannery O'Connor and Faulkner with this masterpiece. I highly recommend you read it if you yearn for a heaping helping of southern fiction.

Glad I read this book.......2007-07-10

Grisham's "Testament" is one of my favorite books, and I have enjoyed a number of his others. This book was very, very different from other Grisham titles, and in fact, different from anything I've ever read. There's not a great deal of excitement as in most Grisham novels. In this one, it's the development of the characters that held my attention. I could almost see the Chandler family and their farm, the Spruill family and their tents, the Mexicans, the bridge, the town, etc. Having an implicitly adult Luke Chandler tell the story in past tense, first person, also kept my interest. I think I was also fascinated to read about growing up on a farm in the early 50s, since I was growing up a few years later in a small town. I rate the book 3 stars because I really prefer books with excitement and action. Still, I'm glad I read this book.

My First John Grisham Book........2007-07-07

I truly enjoyed "A Painted House"; Grisham did a brillant job painting a picture for me of the life of a poor cotton farmer family in 1952 Arkansas. At times I could feel the thorns of the cotton plants as they picked the cotton and the warmth of their caring way of life.
Even though at times I thought Luke had the insights of an older person than a seven year old boy, I enjoyed the clever way Grisham got me feeling that I was part of the Chandler Family. I found myself laughing out loud at the funny way Luke looked at life.
This will certainly be the first of many books that I will read by John Grisham.

Little Luke's World Comes Alive with Mr. Grisham creative genius!.......2007-07-05

"A Painted House" reminded me of the novel Tommytown that I read 2 or 3 months ago. Both novels take the reader back to the 1950's where few people had smooth hands; calluses were the norm, and boys ran free outside, laughing their way to another adventure with no thought of danger from adults or even nature.

Both authors do a fantastic piece of work of transforming their minds down from the level of a mature adult to that innocent world of young boys. In "A Painted House", Mr. Grisham reveals the thinking of the 7 year old Luke Chandler and Mr. Saunders reveals the world of the 11 year old Barry Foreman, and his younger brothers in the Tommytown series. I don't know too many authors that can make that transformation and still create a story that is entertaining and well written.

I just loved the scene in which Mr. Grisham explains how Luke, the only son of a cotton farmer family that are living on the edge of poverty in the state of Arkansas feels about sitting through a Baptist church sermon on a very hot morning. I had to smile as Luke tried to understand how the Sisco boy would go to heaven even though he never had to sit in church every Sunday like he had too. There are many wonderful scenes in the novel and won't expound on them. It's a great story for adults and young adults. And it's refreshing to read this "home grown" story from Mr. Grisham. I highly recommend "A Painted House" and for a different slant of coping with the struggles of living in poverty check out the novel Tommytown by Robert L. Saunders. Kathy

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A Farmer Boy Birthday Review
Another winner for the series.

A Farmer Boy Birthday (Little House)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0060274778

Book Description

Long, long ago, a little boy named Almanzo Wilder lived on a farm in the New York countryside with his father, his mother, his big brother, Royal, and his big sisters, Eliza Jane and Alice. One special day is Almanzo's birthday. He gets to stay home from school, and even better, Father gives him a yoke for his calves, Star and Bright, and a beautiful hand-sled. Almanzo spends the morning learning how to break the calves, and then he spends the afternoon flying down the hill in his brand-new sled.

Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers. Now for the first time, the youngest readers can share Almanzo's adventures on the farm in these very special picture books adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved storybooks. Jody Wheeler's warm paintings, inspired by Garth Williams' classic Little House illustrations, bring Almanzo and his family lovingly to life.

Customer Reviews:

A Farmer Boy Birthday Review.......2004-01-17

This story reflects the way a birthday boy growing up on a farm in the late 1800's might celebrate his birthday. The editor has done an excellent job of taking a short story from within Laura Ingalls Wilder's original book FARMER BOY and making it a short story for youngsters. The pictures are appealing and the story stays focused. I wish the publishers would print another edition of the book. All the stories we have read from the "My First Little House Books" have been thoroughly enjoyed by my family. We often give copies as gifts to other children and we borrow the copies we can't get from the library.

Another winner for the series........2000-07-09

This is another great story in the Little House series. This one is about Almanzo and his life on the farm when he was a young boy. The day begins like any other but ends with a special gift towards "man-hood" for his birthday. My pre-school children love all the Little House books, but this one is particularly loved and read over and over again. The story also teaches selflessness with a surprise at the end.

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Wonderful Illustrations and a Story to Match
An Instant Favorite

Harry's Home
Catherine Anholt , and Laurence Anholt
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374328706

Book Description

A city boy discovers the pleasures of country living

Harry loves the city, where he lives with his mom. This year he is finally old enough to visit his grandad in the country. Grandad comes to pick him up, and they take a bus, then a train, a boat, another bus, and finally a taxi to Grandad's farmhouse. At first things feel too different for Harry, but the day after he gets there, Harry gets to hold a newborn lamb. From then on, there's no limit to Harry's enjoyment of all the interesting things on a farm - he almost forgets to miss his own home in the city. The Anholts have crafted a gentle picture book that proves "There's no place like home" holds true for all kinds of places.

Full-color pictures throughout

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Illustrations and a Story to Match.......2001-01-05

I checked this out of the new books section at our local library, and my 3-year-old really likes it. He is a child that loves the familiar and seems to empathize with both the grandfather's desire to go back to the country and Harry's desire to go back home to his mom in the city. The illustrations are really fabulous -- detailed, but with great whimsy, and a really extraordinary use of color. We had never read anything before by the Anholts, and Harry's Home led us to check out another five or so yesterday. Both my 2-year-old and 3-year-old loved Billy and the New School, one of the Anholts' previous books. Harry's Home is a great discovery. I recommend it.

An Instant Favorite.......2000-05-24

This is a charming book with a clever story and appealing illustrations. The moral is that new things grow on you, as did this book. After checking it out several times at the library, we decided we must have it. Bravo.

American Aria: From Farm Boy to Opera Star

Average customer rating:

MR. MILNES OPERAS GREATEST BARITONE.
AMERICAN ARIA ENCORE is a fine, lively account.
Not quite what it could have been
An American Divo
Straightforward, non-operatic look at an operatic life

American Aria: From Farm Boy to Opera Star
Sherrill Milnes , and Dennis McGovern
Manufacturer: Schirmer Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0028647394

Amazon.com

A funny thing happened to Sherrill Milnes along his way to becoming one of the best American Verdi baritones of the 1960s and '70s. In fact, dozens of funny things happened; he took careful note of them and poured them into an autobiography that will appeal to his many fans and anyone who relishes backstage opera gossip. The anecdotes are the best part of this book: they are abundant, sometimes mildly malicious, and often very funny--at least to those readers who are familiar with operatic plots, personalities, and music. For casual readers, Milnes explains why the story is funny--for example, why a tenor should have been executed after making a mistake in Puccini's Turandot. Milnes must be read skeptically when he calls himself shy--his ego is healthier than his voice--but he writes well of the anxieties of an opera star's life, particularly in discussing the vocal problems that hit him in the 1980s and that (whatever he may think) were never entirely cured. He is indignant about the Metropolitan Opera's failure to renew his contract in 1997. They could have been more sensitive, but he should have known that he had stopped singing reliably at the Metropolitan Opera level years before. The book has a useful discography and a list of his most notable performances. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

MR. MILNES OPERAS GREATEST BARITONE........2007-09-18

MR. MILNES WAS MY INTRODUCTION TO OPERA. HIS RECORDINGS WITH DOMINGO AND PRICE ARE THE GREATEST RECORDINGS IN THE HISTORY OF RECORDED OPERA.MANY YEARS LATER I MET THIS MAN , AFTER HIS MET PERFORMANCES WERE OVER. I WAS AT A FINE HOTEL IN NEW HAVEN CT. AND MILNES WENT TO THE FRONT DESK AND SAID" I AM SHERRILL MILNES AND I AM A STAR AND I EXPECT TO BE TREATED LIKE A STAR!!!!!!!" I LAUGHED SO HARD MILNES TURNED TO ME AND ASK WHY I WAS LAUGHING AND I TOLD HIM THAT HIS HUBRIS MATCHED HIS GREAT TALENT AND WE BOTH LAUGHED. HE WAS NO MORE EGO RIDDEN THAN ANY SINGER AND LESS SO THAN THE NO TALENT FREAKS THAT CALL THEMSELVES SINGERS TODAY.THIS BOOK IS MR. MILNES AND IS A GREAT READ FOR OPERA BUFFS OR ANYONE .GET IT AND YOU WONT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TALENT MR. MILNES AND YOUR HONESTY IN THIS BOOK.

AMERICAN ARIA ENCORE is a fine, lively account........2007-09-03

Libraries interested in opera star biographies will want to include AMERICAN ARIA ENCORE in their collections: it's been updated and revised, appears in a new paperback edition, and presents Met Opera star Sherrill Milnes' biography offering plenty of insights into not only her life, but the politics and processes of the opera world as a whole. From encounters with opera masters to behind-the-scenes politics and events, AMERICAN ARIA ENCORE is a fine, lively account.

Not quite what it could have been.......2002-09-30

Now that Sherrill Milnes' career is winding down after four decades, it appears that the long line of twentieth-century American baritones with the vocal amplitude and stamina to tackle the great Verdi roles (Lawrence Tibbett, Robert Merrill, Leonard Warren et al.) is indeed coming to an end.

Opera singer memoirs are a literary breed unto themselves. This one has many points of interest, especially early on. Milnes' recounting of his ancestry, youth, family and upbringing gives a fascinating picture of how a great operatic voice arose out of the farm town of Downers Grove, IL. His early tales of life as a student musician, itinerant opera singer and band member make funny and sometimes harrowing reading. There are many of the usual backstage anecdotes, some very funny, with names discreetly veiled at appropriate moments.

Milnes courageously tackles the issue of the vocal crisis that began in 1981 and dogged him for much of the succeeding decade head-on in a separate chapter, the best in the book. His recounting of the terror that overtakes a performer who sees his entire artistic life and livelihood endangered pierces the reader's heart. These pages are written with an honesty and a willingness to put aside ego that is absent elsewhere in this volume.

The reader who picks up _American Aria_ hoping for any penetrating self-analysis or significant thoughts from Milnes about the music and operatic roles he sang so well will ultimately be disappointed. About the callous termination of his long and distinguished Met career in 1997 he is justifiably indignant; still, one wishes for some sense that perhaps his abilities had changed and that it was necessary to turn his career in a new direction. Though it is fashionable to denigrate ghostwritten autobiographies, a perceptive co-writer or interviewer in this case might have drawn more insights and revelations from Milnes than he appears willing to give of his own volition.

An American Divo.......2001-07-13

In 1965, I was 13. I was dragged kicking and screaming to the opera at the Old Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Little did I know that evening would change my life. I saw Faust and the debut of two singers - Monserrat Caballe and Sherrill Milnes. Now I have to tell you, I didn't know much about voice at that time, but the young Milnes sure looked good to me! And when he sang Avant de Quitter ces Lieux - well, I was hooked. His voice was a remarkable thing. Terribly American in quality and that was a wonderful thing. Here was a big strapping lad from the Midwest, singing like an American and filling the house with a remarkable sound.

Okay, so this crush I had hasn't dwindled any since '65. I still have an infatuation for the guy. When his biography appeared I ran to the bookstore to buy a copy. I read it from cover to cover and (sigh) it's okay. I think I would rather Milnes wrote about technique or style. He is a wonderful teacher. I have seen several of his master classes and the difference he makes in just a few minutes of coaching is amazing.

Sherrill Milnes brought a sexiness to the opera stage. He gave America its first born and bred baritone (he had no European training). He legitimized the American-sounding voice. These are no minor accomplishments. What this stalwart fan would like is for him to share his knowledge about music. I have seen his Master Class video and the tape he made about Verdi. PBS should snatch him up and have him do a series on opera for young people, teaching singing maybe! That's what I'd love to see.

Straightforward, non-operatic look at an operatic life.......2000-09-27

As a bass-baritone singer, I came to this book wanting to learn from it as much as I have learned from his Met performances and Master classes at Juilliard. And the book does not let you down in that regard at all. In many ways it can be seen being even more exclusive in its readership solicitation than one would expect; written for the professional singer even more than just the opera buff. The anecdotes and informative stories about the perils and joys of a career on the rise, the things a singer must know but can't learn in the studio, the sacrifices made for a lasting art, the joy of being in a safe, supportive place to learn your craft, and of course the funny stories about the legends of the business, keep you turning the page.

Unfortunately there are times where I felt as if I am reading a story so specifically designed to highlight certain areas of his life- or to put his life in its entirety in a narrow, safe-for-discussion context- that he wrote it with the same preconceptions of a professor writing a college textbook. It's as if he made a point of not making it literary or dramatically potent to prove a point and to be honest when, as an opera singer, he knows that more often than not in drama is where the real spiritual truths are. At first I figured it is simply his personality to be so deadpan in print when I read some of what he glossed over like a journalist writing headlines, combined with having no intention of being a professional writer of novels or anything else; just wanting to tell his story. But so many fascinating and illuminating events in his life- and the corresponding psychology of the man that had to produce most of them- were summed up in sentences and paragraphs, where they could have and probably should have bloomed into pages and chapters. Again, as a singer I couldn't stop reading about his perception of various operatic roles and his performances of them, and how events in his life were put to use by him in them. But as a man, who has had failed relationships before for reasons both related and unrelated to being a performing artist, he had to tell me more than he just grew apart from both of his wives over time to keep me interested. (I have to admit though, the story of his young son seeing him do an ELIJAH with symphony orchestra soon after he and his wife's divorce, and the child, overwhelmed with pride, love and grief over his absence yelled to him, "Why won't you come home?", broke my heart.) In other words, one of the overarching themes of the book, along with his love of music, his love of women that is not out of control but is almost as powerful, and the obvious subtitle of his rise out of the farm to the houses of Paris, La Scala, Covent Garden, Vienna, and of course the Met, is one that seems to be unstated but equally there. And that for me was unsettling: his unwillingness in life still to subject himself completely to the revealing of the actual architecture of his soul, in both its beauty and ugliness, to gain a greater wisdom and understanding of who he has been and still, with the same voice he had in 1975 or not, singularly is. To some degree he hides his truest self behind the music and career that has revealed him. God only knows what roles he took early on in his career and the perofmance and rehearsal habits that over many years could have built up and contributed to his unexpected vocal trauma in the eighties. We'll never know. God only knows what kind of husband he must have been during the traumatic times he talks about, and during his rise to success beforehand, and if there were any affairs with any of the many great sopranos and mezzos he has workes with. We'll really- unless his ex-wives, God help us, decide to write tell-all books- never know. And God only knows what other personalities within each of his wives he had to contend with before the divorces, as very often women without a recognizable talent that their families would support (or the world would forgive their strange issues for) are attracted to men with similiar issues but an unkillable talent and spirit to match, and find themselves overtaken with envy instead of unconditional love when the honeymoon is over. God only knows which of all his many operatic roles performed he secretly relates to the most. The effect the above forces alone can have on an artist's self-expression, and his emotional/spiritual/professional life, is the stuff of legend. And regardless of what National Enquirer thinking may lead us to believe about their validity, they are extremely important parts of an artist's life story, if it is to be told. He in large part left them out, in such a way as to say to me that they and their implications are known by him implicitly, but left out purposely.

Sherrill I'm sure tried his best to keep it from sounding like a tell-all, Hollywood dish-the-dirt biography that wouldn't be worth a damn. AMERICAN ARIA doesn't devolve into that at any time, as far as I'm concerned. But he took too much of his Verdian baritone personality out of it, and played it too safe when speaking of his personal emotional issues the difficult and unexpectedly joyous moments in his development and professional life, and the dramas they- as they do to all of us- made out of his existence. And of course, how he overcame them all to create, WITH them (and his craftsmanship), as opposed to vice versa, the superstardom and honorable life he has lived...

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