2006-11-01 02:26:08 · 4 answers · asked by robbie_playa98 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I read it to my children when it was first published. Not only it is a masterpiece of storytelling and characterization (as Ellen Raskin's few novels are), but it also gives the readers a chance to try out their own reasoning skills--to play Sherlock Holmes on their own. This is great fun, especially if you have a group who can collect the clues and keep a chart of connections. But just as intriguing as the mystery is the fun Raskin has with word play and names.
An even better novel, or at least deeper and more thought-provoking, was her earlier Figgs & Phantoms (1974). It does deal with serious themes, such as faith, imagination, family, immortality, and Edenic ideals. But you can't find a funnier family than the Figg Newtons nor a more interesting and admirable main character than Mona Lisa Figg Newton, nor a more congenial mentor than Mona's Uncle Florence.
What a shame that we lost such a versatile writer and illustrator as Ellen Raskin was in 1984 at the age of 56. But what a legacy she left to children--and us adults who like to read to/with them (and, truth be known, to revert to childhood ourselves).
Our children liked to climb the shade trees in our front yard, where they read, wrote, and let their imagination run riot. Each had her/his own tree; one of our daughters named hers Sunset Towers. Can't beat that as an eleven-year-old's response to a book.
2006-11-04 17:52:08 · answer #1 · answered by bfrank 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are you serious? The bible is God's word or whatever and if you're saying "well don't just read that cause it won't make sense read the scholar's writing too" then you're saying the bible won't make sense and you shouldn't have to read any scholar's writing's to understand the bible. The bible is supposed to be the words to live by and if you need to further understand it with scholars writing's then you know in your heart the bible is pure crap.
2016-05-23 02:18:23 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Such a cool story. Read it in grade school. The idea was really cool! I had a great time reading it!
2006-11-01 05:50:43 · answer #3 · answered by Alex 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yup. long time ago. don't remember it unfourtnately, but it was a decent book
2006-11-01 02:28:03 · answer #4 · answered by Joanna Banana 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋