Miniature Magic: This is not about miniature towns, furniture, or food (though I love those too and could look at them for hours aswell!) but this is about a ‘Nutshell Library’.
‘Nutshell Library’ is a collection of four books by Maurice Sendak – consisting of Chicken Soup with Rice, Alligators All Around, One Was Johnny, and Pierre.
I saw that this item had many good reviews on Amazon (did not read them at that time) and ordered them for my then five-year-old daughter. When I received the books, my first thought – oh, Nutshell in this case means small, tiny and I was a wee bit disappointed, thought about returning the books. Then my little one saw them, got excited about the little books, and so I opened them – and what a treasure house it is!
plucky nine-year-old with a mind of her own and a rich imagination!
I picked up Thimble Summer in an effort to complete my many reading challenges. I am so glad that this was my choice after researching so many books. This book is written and illustrated by Elizabeth Enright.
‘Thimble Summer’ tells the story of Garnet – she is now on my list of girl-heroes (which include Jo from Little Women, Anne Frank, and more). The story almost tells like a journal Garnet might have kept of day-to-day happenings at the farm – if it had been just that, it might have been a dull read – but Garnet has wonderful misadventures, which make this book so much fun. The joys, innocence, and adventurous spirit of a childhood in a world where it was safe to talk to strangers and hitchhike as well, where county fairs were looked forward to, where neighbors were part of the family, and kids found entertainment in a bus ride and at the library. (I grew up in such a place and enjoyed that freedom – today I would worry about my little ones doing the same – of course, the world today is a different place than in the thirties where this book is set)
Garnet finds a thimble at the beginning of a hot, dry summer, and she thinks it must be magic! Sure enough, things start to happen – good things – rain, a new barn, an unexpected addition to the family, and more fun
adventures for Garnet. She has a nice family (in her own words), and friends as well as neighbors who care and these relations are portrayed in their daily interactions in the book.
The descriptions of farm-life are so vivid, the style of writing so beautiful that the reader is drawn into this farm in the 1930’s and will want to read through the book once started. The author’s illustrations are simple but lively. I love that Garnet is not a girly-girl, indeed, she is a girl who wears sailor-pants, helps with nailing the shingles on the roof, and we watch her first shaking her fist at the sky to let down some rain and bid her good bye as she turns handsprings on the pasture.
Overall, a great read if a little dated though this is a minor issue and the only real issue I had with this was references to Garnet’s friend being fat repeatedly while the illustrations show a normal girl.
Some lines from the book:
135
Rating: A
Next on my list to read:
This week’s new meme:
Monday Mingle over at Tough Cookie Mommy – This is a place for networking:) So please link up and follow other blogs on this blog hop/linky on Google Friend Connect, Facebook, or Twitter. Today also happens to be TCM’s birthday – so happy birthday! So here is my first attempt to mingle at Mingle Monday.
I had also planned to participate in Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie, but will start from next week.
NaBloPoMo:
Monday, December 3, 2012
What do you consider yourself a “pro” at?
I consider myself a ‘Jack-of-all(well, not all, but definitely a few)-arts’ rather than a pro at any one. I often find myself with my fingers in many pies:)
Very cool sounding book. My 8 year old is obsessed with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. He just reads them over and over and over again. Hey, at least he's reading.
thank you.. yes, my son loves the wimpy kids series as well, but right now he is hooked on to all the rick riordan series.. and whatever(well, with some exceptions!) gets them reading works for me…
Great review, sounds like quite the array and a pro, hmm my rhyming display? haha The small book idea is an interesting one too.
thank you, Pat…love reading what you write..and no rhymes here today:(
Pride and Prejudice is awesome 🙂 enjoy!!
Have a wonderful reading week! Whatcha readin' this week @ the Brunette Librarian 🙂
thank you.. am enjoying it.. I have read almost all of Jane Austen's other works but not this one:)
I'm trying to finish up challenges this month too–all those books I didn't quite get to in the first 11 months of the year! Good luck with your goals!
haha.. same here.. now i am wondering what i did those 11 months.:)
Thanks for visiting my blog. I love to read. I have stuff this morning, but I started perusing your reading challenges and that looks like something I might like to participate in next year. How fun!! (I read Pride and Prejudice every year… it's one of my all-time favorite books) I like Cheryl's comment… I am pretty sure that would be me. I read a lot of fluff, but reading 9 Classics might be challenging. HA! Following back!
next year, fewer challenges for me.. 🙂