25 Apr 2011 No Comments
“Gooney Bird Greene” by Lois Lowry
THE BOOK MAMA BASICS
For ages: 6 -10
Gender specific: Girl friendly
Any pictures?: B&W illustrations
How long?: 96 pages
Are there more?: Three more books
Similar to?: Clementine or Moxie Maxwell
What’s it cost?: $5.99 on Amazon
Synopsis: Gooney Bird by Lois Lowry (ages 6 -10) appears in Mrs. Pidgeon’s second-grade class one October, asking for a desk “right smack in the middle of the room” because she likes to be in the middle of everything. She dresses the part, too: it’s pj’s and cowboy boots that first day, green stretch pants, a polka-dot T-shirt, and a tutu the next. And she loves to tell stories, every bit of them “absolutely true,” from the tale of how she got her name to how she got her diamond earrings (gumball prizes) from the prince. The tales themselves, about moving, pets, and neighbors, are multilayered. They not only amuse but also illustrate characteristics of good storytelling. Before she’s done, our heroine has even found ways to elicit stories from her classmates from the silent Felicia Ann to the twitchy Barry. (edited from Booklist)
Review: As a parent, sometimes it’s frustrating when your child decides to read a book beyond their reading level. Sadly, this was just such a book at my house. But, lo and behold, apparently it wove such an enchanting tale that my struggling reader stuck with it the whole way through. Gotta love a book like that. Perhaps not Lois Lowry’s best, but she once again demonstrates that she understands kids and what they respond to. Gooney Bird has her own website that little fans may want to check out. http://www.loislowry.com/goonybird.html
