Have you ever been away from home for a year? In the book Phebe Fairchild, set in the 1830’s, a girl named Phebe travels from her New Haven home to spend a year with her Aunts in the Connecticut Countryside while her parents are at sea. During the year Phebe is with them, she struggles to meet the strict Puritanical expectations of her relations, but her greatest trial is protecting her jewels and cherished book of nursery rhymes. Will she make it through with her things, or will she discover that the greatest treasure lies in her heart? Phebe Fairchild is a great book for kids ages 8-12, especially those interested in nineteenth-century cultural history. It is emotionally balanced, historically rich, and full of fun rhymes and songs that readers will enjoy. This book is a heartwarming tale of trial, culture, and character development, and it’s full of humor. It has interesting historical content, showing the strict traditional upbringing practices of the time. Phebe has parents who believe in loosening the restrictive bonds of the breeding of children in that period, as well as allowing “worldly things” in their home. Thus, Phebe has been brought up on an easier basis, increasing her struggles with her strict Aunts. Though the book talks about hard things like the harshness of Phebe’s relations, it tells of them in a soft, gentle way. It also keeps the hard parts spread throughout the book by alternating them with many interesting and fun sections. This is a good example of how the book is emotionally balanced. While her older relatives scorn the nursery rhymes Phebe loves, some of the cousins like them. Lois Lenski uses the children’s poems as a symbol of the changing attitudes of adults on the subject of child rearing. Readers who are interested in nineteenth-century traditions will definitely like this story because it has rhymes from Phebe’s book, is emotionally balanced, and is culturally interesting. It is true, the book is more of an emotional experience, not an adventure story. As it does not have as much action as some, some readers will like it more than others. For instance, there is more talking in the book than some may prefer. However, the talk of the characters articulates the cultural and historical essence, even if it is less exciting than action. Phebe Fairchild is a good book for kids 8-12 because of all these reasons. It is historically rich, is emotionally balanced, and also has fun and funny rhymes. The emotional story really shows what growing up in nineteenth-century America was like. This is such a fun and cool historical novel and a very good book. Happy reading! Phebe Fairchild by Lois Lenski. Purple House Press, 2020; orig. 1936. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
book review
Bridge to Terabithia, Reviewed by Alex Reuhs, 13
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson, is a beautifully-told coming-of-age story. It is, rightfully so, an award-winning novel, with likable characters, a simple yet deeply meaningful plot, and a spectacular ending. The book is told through the eyes of the main character, Jess, though not with his voice. Jess is a young boy who is entering 5th Grade. He lives with his 4 sisters and parents on a farm. They are a particularly poor family, where most of the chores fall to him. At school and at home, he is expected to fill a masculine role as a man. His father especially pressures him to have more manly and adult responsibilities, views, and hobbies. Jess has a talent and passion for art, but he is forced to suppress it, as his family views it as feminine. The only thing Jess knows will distinguish him from others is his running. He clings to his love for running as a way to satisfy the standards people have set for him, and a way to fulfill himself. All that Jess really wants is to be the fastest boy in 5th grade. He has a golden opportunity to take his title, and as the first day of school edges closer, Jess can’t wait. The rest of his summer goes by mundanely, with the only interesting bit being Jess’s new neighbors (a rich family with a daughter named Lesley). Recess comes fast on the first day of school, and the racing begins. Heats one, two, and three come and go. However, before heat four, a girl shows up — Jess’s neighbor Lesley. She asks to race, and Jess decides to show sympathy and vouch for her. Gary Fuelcher, the boy in charge of the races, decides to let her race in heat four. The runners line up. The countdown reaches zero and they’re off. Jess takes an early lead, but something unimaginable happens, Lesley passes Jess, and wins. The entire 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades are stunned. Jess is speechless and dumbfounded. For the rest of the week, Lesley follows Jess around school, much to Jess’s disgust, until eventually, Jess decides to give her a chance, and they become best friends. One day, they decide to make themselves a kingdom, a magical place where they would be King and Queen. They swing across the creek in the woods behind their fields and create Terabithia. They build a castle stronghold in Terabithia, and discover the sacred oak tree grove, a place of pure magic and true tranquility. Jess and Lesley spend every day at Terabithia: talking, making plans to defeat school bullies, listening to the spirits in the grove, and telling stories. On one particularly rainy morning, Jess’s favorite teacher invites him to Washington D.C. Jess accepts and decides not to invite Lesley. This point in the book is what I would call the start of the climax. The climax of this book has a perfect balance of fulfillment and surprise. It is elegantly written, and although the end of this book is not what I expected, it didn’t disorient me. It concluded Jess’s character arc, and accentuated the changes that Lesley caused. The second reason I recommend this book is the plot, especially Jess’s character arc. It is a classic coming of age tale, told in a beautiful way. The plot is simple and easy to follow at its surface. It follows Jess and Lesleys adventures together, in their kingdom, Terabithia. But if you look deeper into the plot you find the intricate details of Jess’s character. Every decision Jess makes is related and motivated. It brings him alive in a special way. Jess’s character arc is also creative and well written. Jess begins the book nervous and fearful. It is entertaining and beautiful to watch Lesley change him into a confident and independent person. The third and final reason I recommend this book is because of the value it holds in literature as a whole. It is no doubt a “classic” and is worth taking just a day to read. It was published in 1977, and won the Newbery Medal the next year in 1978. The novel is widely considered top ten among children’s books and is used in English classes across 12 different countries. It has also been in the center of discussion about the limits of children’s books, with people questioning its language and even banning or censoring the book. In the end, Bridge to Terabithia is a novel written with relatability and meaning. It follows likable characters, has entertaining and beautiful character development, a creative plot, and a satisfying ending. By writing such a meaningful and touching book, Katherine Patterson has shown children everywhere that there is a place like Terabithia for everyone, where you are king or queen even if you feel like a misfit. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1977. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
All the Answers, Reviewed by Madeline Male, 14
All the Answers is an enjoyable novel, and so much more. It explores a yearning that humankind shares: having all the answers of the world, at your fingertips. Say goodbye to questions and guesses, right? The world would be so much simpler! Actually, when a shy middle schooler, Ava Anderson, finds a magical pencil that can answer any factual question, it just makes her life more complicated — not less. At first, it’s fun to ask the pencil trivial questions. As Ava’s best friend Sophie says, “It’s like we have a secret spy camera on the whole world!” Later, the two friends realize this might not be a good thing. Nevertheless, Ava continues to ask the pencil her questions. Through the pencil, Ava learns that her mom has a health problem. The pencil shares this shocking information with a matter-of-fact tone, like it didn’t just throw a wrench in Ava’s life. Obviously, Ava is scared and worried by this news, and she feels that she has to face it alone. This is a huge burden looming over her. Original photograph by Madeline Male, 14 As life with the pencil goes on, asking it questions spirals out of control. Even though the pencil’s answers are clear, it still creates confusion and anxiety in her life. Ava is a kind and thoughtful person, but stressful times can put anyone’s personality to the test. Even before she found the pencil, Ava was someone who worried about everything. Now, she uses the pencil to feed her worries and let them grow. As one question leads to the next, Ava feels that she needs all the answers of the world. Plus, Ava realizes that pencils don’t last forever; there are only so many questions she can ask it before the lead runs out. As Messner writes, “Ava could imagine herself scraping desperately away at the wood with her fingers until they bled, trying to get the last bit of lead to give up its answers. And then what?” This is one book that sticks with you long after you finish reading it. In a way, we can all relate to it. We don’t have all the answers, but maybe that’s a good thing. If we knew “all the answers,” then we might be so worried about “what-ifs” that we stop living fully. All the Answers made me think about my world in a positively upside down way. After finishing All the Answers, I realized that strong tug-and-pull emotions distinguish the nuanced books from the all-happy books. The book brought me along a journey, letting me into Ava’s mind. If you’re looking to explore our human desire to have more answers, then this book is for you. All the Answers by Kate Messner. Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books, 2016. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
