Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

 

Ballet Shoes: A Story of Three Children on the Stage. Noel Streatfeild. First Published 1936. 191 pages. Genre: Classic, Children's Literature.

First Line: "The Fossil sisters lived in the Cromwell Road."

Summary:  Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil are orphans who have been added to the household of Great Uncle Matthew.  While Great Uncle Matthew is traveling the world in search of artifacts, Nana and Sylvia run the household and care for the orphans.  Their lives get exciting when the three girls are accepted into the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training.  The girls make a vow to make a name for themselves.  Through hard work and sacrifice, they each learn that there is more than one way to make a name for yourself.  

My thoughts: This is a book I didn't know about until I was grown up.  But it is one I would have liked when I was young.  

Sylvia is the great-niece of Great Uncle Matthew, G.U.M. for short.  She was the first child to live in the house full of fossils.  She lived there with her mother and her nurse, Nana.  After her mother died, Sylvia became the caretaker of the house.  When G.U.M. is injured on one of his expeditions and can no longer search the land for fossils, he decides to take to the sea.  The first treasure he finds is Pauline, who was the only survivor besides himself when the ship they are sailing on hits an iceberg.  Naturally, he brings her home for Sylvia and Nana to take care of.  Petrova and Posy are collected along the way as well.

Soon the girls are old enough to be educated and some decisions need to be made.  Through a series of happy events, all three are accepted into the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training.  

Each of the girls is unique in her own way.  Pauline really acts like an oldest child, she follows the rules and looks out for her siblings.  Petrova tolerates dancing, but she would rather be working on a car or flying in an airplane.  And Posy is naturally gifted at dancing and thinks she is loved by everyone.  I appreciated how each of the girls were allowed to suffer the consequences of their behavior.  But my favorite character was Nana.  She keeps everyone in line and keeps the household running on a daily basis.  At times she seemed like a drill sergeant, but she had a tender heart for the girls. 

There is a lot of specific detail about the classes at the school and the plays that were performed.  I could see how some readers might find this boring.  I like that kind of detail and enjoyed being able to form a clear picture in my mind of what was happening.  

This was a fun, quick read that I would recommend. 

Quotes:

"Both doctors had lovely ideas about the sort of things to have in the middle of lessons - a meal they called a beaver.  They took turns to get it ready . Sometimes it was chocolate with cream on it, and sometimes Doctor Jakes' ginger drink, and once it was ice-cream soda; and the things to eat were never the same: queer biscuits, little ones from Japan with delicate flowers painted on them in sugar, cakes from Vienna, and specialties of different kinds from all over England."

"Pride has to come before a fall, and that's the law of nature; you've got your fall, and now you've got to be brave and get up again."

Book Review: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia #5). C. S. Lewis. Collier Books/MacMillan Publishing (1970) (First published 1954). 217 pages. Genre: Classic, Children's Literature.

First Line: "This is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him."

Summary:  Shasta lives with a fisherman in Calormen.  He calls him Father as he is the only father he has ever known.  When he overhears the fisherman making arrangements to sell him to a stranger, he determines to run away.  He soon discovers the horse he is fleeing on is a talking horse, named Bree.  The two of them begin a journey to Narnia.  Along the way they meet Aravis and her talking horse, Hwin.  As they travel through the desert to the north, they encounter lions, suffer hunger and become separated.  When they learn of the Calormenes' plot to invade Narnia, they are in a race to reach the king before it is too late. 

My thoughts:  I enjoyed getting a glimpse into what is going on in Narnia while Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are kings and queens in the land.  

Shasta has not had an easy life.  The fisherman has given him food to eat and a place to stay, but he treats him as a slave.  Shasta has never been able to love the fisherman like a boy should love his father.  So, when he overhears the conversation with the stranger about selling him, he is excited and thinks that maybe this will be a good thing for him, until he realizes that the stranger could just as likely, perhaps more likely, be cruel.  The decision to run away is not a difficult one.  

Aravis is the daughter of an important man who has been promised in marriage to a base man who has made himself important by flattery and evil counsels.  For obvious reasons, Aravis is not excited about the prospect and feels her only way out is to run away.  Only after fleeing on her horse does she discover Hwin is a talking horse.  Aravis thinks very highly of herself and looks down on Shasta.  In fact, she only speaks to the horses.  

I had a hard time connecting with either Shasta or Aravis.  I am not sure why.  The story is full of adventure and an exotic location.  There is danger as well as fun and the story culminates in a battle.  Aslan makes several appearances, which were my favorite parts of the story. 

Overall, the story is a good one.  But, because I didn't feel a connection to the characters, it is one of my least favorite in the series. 

Quotes:

"For in Tashbaan there is only one traffic regulation, which is that everyone  who is less important has to get out of the way for everyone who is more important, unless you want a cut from a whip or a punch from the butt end of a spear."

"But as long as you know you're nobody very special, you'll be a very decent sort of horse, on the whole, and taking one thing with another."

"'Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?' said Shasta.

'There was only one lion,' said the Voice. 

'What on earth do you mean?  I've just told you there were at least two the first night, and -'. 

'There was only one, but he was swift of foot.' 

'How do you know?' 

'I was the lion.'"

Book Review: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

The Wind in the Willows.  Kenneth Grahame. Grosset & Dunlap (1967) (First published 1908). 228 pages. Genre: Classic.

First Line: "The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home."

Summary:  When Mole feels something up above calling to him, he leaves his underground home and discovers a world that was unknown to him.  He meets Rat, who lives on the river bank.  Rat introduces him to Toad and Badger.  The four friends have many adventures together. 

My thoughts:  The first time I read this was to my children when they were young.  We immediately were drawn into the story and fell in love with the four friends.  This time through was no different, except that I have lived longer and have more experience to draw from.  I still found the characters endearing and it is such a fun story full of adventure.

At its core, this is a story of friendship.  Rat immediately welcomes Mole into his world.  Rat is the kind of friend everyone needs.  He doesn't expect much, but is always ready to lend a hand.  

Mole is so enchanted with the world above ground, that he is eager to see and experience everything he can.  Even the dark and scary things.  However, he quickly sees the error of his ways and is eager to be a good friend.

Toad is constantly chasing the newest and shiniest technology.  He is addicted to the thrill of the machine - the faster, the better.  Unfortunately, he has the means to support his habit, but lacks the self-control to stop chasing these things, even when it leads to bodily harm or imprisonment. 

Badger can seem intimidating.  He is large and serious, but he is always ready to offer hospitality.  He doesn't grudge his friends for interrupting his winter nap when they need a place to stay and a hot meal.  

While this is considered a children's book, there is plenty in it for adults to enjoy.  The writing is beautiful and it touches on some serious topics.  There are parts of the book that remind me of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.  Other parts that are reminiscent of the Redwall series.  There are parts that are hilarious and other parts that are a little scary.  It is full of all the things that make a cozy British novel, such as walks in nature and descriptions of feasts around a table near a roaring fire.  However, to children it is just a story with great characters embarking on grand adventures.  It is a great book to read in the spring as that is when the book opens.  I highly recommend this classic.

Quotes:

"The Rat hummed a tune, and the Mole recollected that animal etiquette forbade any sort of comment on the sudden disappearance of one's friends at any moment, for any reason or no reason whatever."

"The Rat looked very grave, and stood deep in thought for a minute or two.  Then he re-entered the house, strapped a belt around his waist, shoved a brace of pistols into it, took up a stout cudgel that stood in a corner of the hall, and set off for the Wild Wood at a smart pace."

"'Who ever heard of a doormat telling anyone anything?  They simply don't do it.  They are not that sort at all.  Doormats know their place.'"

"Indeed, much that he related belonged more properly to the category of what-might-have-happened-had-I-only-thought-of-it-in-time-instead-of-ten-minutes-afterwards. Those are always the best and the raciest adventures; and why should they not be truly ours, as much as the somewhat inadequate things that really come off?"

Book Review: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Book 3 in the Chronicles of Narnia). C.S. Lewis. Macmillan Publishing (1970) (First published 1952). 216 pages. Genre: Children's Fiction.

First Line: "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."

Summary:  Edmund and Lucy Pevensey are spending the summer at the home of their relatives, the Scrubbs.  Eustace Scrubb is their cousin and he is a rather difficult boy to be around. One afternoon, Edmund and Lucy were sitting in her bedroom talking about Narnia.  Eustace thinks all their talk about Narnia is silly.  When he enters the room he begins teasing them.  Soon they are all looking at the picture on the wall.  It is a picture of a ship at sea.  But something is different about this picture.  It seems that they can actually see the waves moving and feel the sea spray on their faces.  Suddenly, they are in the water inside the picture.  

They have once again entered Narnia.  The ship belongs to King Caspian who is sailing in search of seven friends of his father's that his Uncle Miraz got rid of by sending them to explore the unknown Eastern Seas.  They are welcomed on board and reunited with old friends.  Edmund, Lucy and Eustace will join them on their voyage to find the lost men.  Along the way they will encounter danger, meet some interesting creatures and discover long lost secrets.

My thoughts:  When I read these books as a child, I usually identified with Susan.  I think because I was the oldest girl in my family.  Of course, Peter and Susan are now too old to visit Narnia, so they are only mentioned in this book.  I am finding that I am now relating more to the difficult people in the stories.  In this one that is Eustace.  

He grumbles and complains.  He doesn't like it when things are different.  He has no sense of adventure.  There are times when I feel exactly like that.  I really love the way C.S. Lewis portrays his metamorphosis.  I don't want to say too much in case you haven't read the book.  I'll just say it is very fitting.  When he returns to our world, he returns a better person.

A sea-faring adventure is always a lot of fun and this was no exception.  Traveling by sea allows the characters to encounter many different types of places and meet creatures they didn't know existed.  But also, we got to spend time with some characters we already know such as Reepicheep.  For such a small creature, he has such a large sense of duty.  He is also quite brave and often annoying.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a magical read full of adventure, danger, nobility and fun.  

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter #1). J. K. Rowling. Arthur A. Levine Books (1997). 309 pages. Genre:  Children's Literature, Fantasy. 

First Line: "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."

Summary:  After his parents were killed in a car crash, Harry went to live with his aunt, uncle and cousin.  Mr. and Mrs. Dursley didn't approve of his parents' 'kind of people', so they try their best to ignore Harry.  They do feed him, but mostly he stays under the stairs.  One day Harry receives a letter that changes his life.  He has been accepted into Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  

When Harry arrives at Hogwart's, he finds that many teachers and children know who he is.  He has only recently discovered the truth about his parents and how they really died.  They were killed by the evil Voldemort, who also tried to kill Harry and left him with a scar. This made him a legend in the world of wizards and witches.   Nobody knows what happened to Voldemort.  As Harry traverses his first year at Hogwart's, he discovers there is still evil at work.  

My thoughts:  Harry Potter is a very relatable character.  When living with the Dursely's he is neglected and unappreciated, but he realizes there is not a lot he can do about it so tries to make the best of it. When he finally gets to Hogwart's he has to stand on his own two feet.  Even though he is a legend, he is not given special treatment.  He is expected to follow the same rules as everyone else.  But, at times he chooses not the follow the rules and there are consequences.  I appreciated that Harry was always willing to accept those consequences.  There were a couple of other characters who were always trying to get away with something and felt entitled.  They were definitely unlikeable.  

This was a great story with themes of good vs. evil, overcoming obstacles, kindness, things are not always what they seem, and found family.  

I decided to read this thinking I had never read it before.  But when I went to enter it into Goodreads, I saw that I had read it in 2014.  Some of it was familiar, but it felt like I was reading it for the first time.  I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and I am looking forward to reading more in the series. 

Book Review: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia #2). C. S. Lewis. MacMillan Publishing Co. (1970) (First Published 1951). 216 pages. Genre: Children's literature, middle grade, fantasy. 

First Line: "Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, and it has been told in another book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe how they had a remarkable adventure."

Summary:  The Pevensie children are summoned back to Narnia by Susan's magic horn.  Prince Caspian is the rightful heir to the throne, but his uncle Miraz has declared himself king.  It is up to Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy with the help of Aslan, to bring the magic back to Narnia and put Caspian on the throne.

My thoughts:  This one is such an adventure!  As the Pevensies journey through the land, discovering talking beasts that are in hiding, they begin to change.  They become braver and more noble.  They more quickly recognize when they are being unreasonable and want to do better.  I loved this aspect of the story.

The characters are wonderful.  Trumpkin, the Red Dwarf or D.L.F (Dear Little Friend) with his silly exclamations - "Whistles and whirligigs!" or "Wraiths and wreckage".  The Bulgy Bears who would rather just have a nap.  Reepicheep, the valiant mouse.  The Giant Wimbleweather who is large, but not very wise.  

The four children play a much larger role in this one working together to put Caspian on the throne.  This is a great follow up to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

Mini Reviews: The Boxcar Children and Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Boxcar Children series was one of my favorites when I was young.  I don't remember how many I read, but I know I read all of the books originally written by Gertrude Chandler Warner.  She wrote the first 19 books.  There are currently over 150 titles in the series. Clearly, readers were not ready for an end to their adventures.  

The Boxcar Children summary:  The parents of Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden have recently died.  They have a grandfather who is looking for them, but they believe he doesn't like children and are afraid to go live with him.  As they set out on their own, they discover an abandoned boxcar.  This seems like the perfect place to make a home.  However, as their grandfather is looking for them they need to stay out of sight.  So they sleep during the day and set up their home in the evening.  Will they be able to avoid their grandfather?

Surprise Island summary:  School is out for the summer and Grandfather has a surprise for them.  He has made arrangements for the children to spend the summer on a island near his home.  It will be like living in the boxcar again, only this time it is on an island in a barn.  There is lots of exploring to be done and a few mysteries to uncover.

My thoughts:  These stories are still delightful.  I had forgotten that they really are mysteries.  Some of the titles have the word "mystery" in them, but they all contain some sort of mystery.  The mystery in The Boxcar Children involves their grandfather.  Who is this man?  Why is he looking for them if he doesn't like children?  In Surprise Island, the mystery involves a young man staying on the island with Captain Dan.  He claims to be a handyman, but he seems to know a lot about shells, animals, birds and Indian artifacts.  Who is he really?

I had also forgotten how industrious the children were.  They are constantly working in some way.  They each have a job and do it, but when the work is done, they rest constructively.  Sometimes this means swimming, other times they build things or make crafts.  Occasionally, they invite someone to dinner or have a birthday party.  

There is always an adventure and sometimes danger.  But, in the end, the children are safe and the problems are solved.  This was comforting to me as a child and brought back that feeling as an adult. 

When I was young, my sister and I, along with our cousins, spent time  at our grandparents' home.  They lived in a house in the country surrounded by woods.  We spent hours playing in those woods, setting up our "house" and just wandering around.  I hadn't realized how much these books inspired what we did.  

I enjoyed these stories just as much as an adult as I did as a child.  As an adult I found them to be refreshing and a reminder that it is the simple things combined with hard work that make a fulfilling life.  I highly recommend this series for children or adults.  They also make great read-alouds.  

Book Review: The Story of Edith Cavell by Iris Vinton

The Story of Edith Cavell

Author:  Iris Vinton

Publisher:  Signature Books (1959)

178 pages

Genre:  Children's Biography

Edith Cavell grew up in the village of Swardeston, England.  Her father was the local vicar.  From a young age Edith was tidy, paid attention to detail and did her best to tell the truth.  These were all traits that served her well when she became a nurse.  

After graduating from school, she went to Brussels as a governess for a wealthy family.  When her father became ill, she left Brussels to return to Swardeston.  In an effort to help her mother, she volunteered to become her father's nurse while he recovered.  It was during these months that she realized she wanted to become trained as a nurse.  When her father was well, Edith went to London for nurse's training.  She carried out her tasks with swiftness and attention to detail.  The head nurse in London showed great respect for Edith and gave her more and more responsibility.  

Eventually she was asked to be a Directrice of a Clinique in Brussels that would train nurses.  World War I broke out during this time and Edith found herself assisting wounded soldiers from France and England to get well and then get out of Belgium to a safe country.  Eventually the Germans discovered what she was doing and arrested her.

This is a thrilling story well told.  The theme of honesty is woven throughout.  Edith was a woman who wasn't afraid to do what was right, even at threat of her life.  She was a woman from whom peace emanated.  When her pastor came to see her before she died, she told him,

"Standing as I do, in view of God and eternity, I realize that patriotism is not enough.  I must have no hatred and no bitterness toward anyone."

Those words were engraved on her head stone at the Cathedral of Norwich in England.  

This book was written for middle school aged children, but older children would enjoy it as well.  It was enough information for me and I felt like I learned something about Edith, the history of nursing and World War I.  It would also make a great read aloud for younger children.

I recommend this book for anyone who would like to learn more about the history of nursing or World War I, as well as anyone who likes a good story about a godly woman.

Book Review: The Great Fire by Jim Murphy

The Great Fire

Author:  Jim Murphy

Publisher:  Blackstone Audio (2003)

Narrated by Taylor Mali

3 hours (approx.)

Genre:  Juvenile Nonfiction

The Great Fire is the story of the 1871 fire that destroyed a large portion of Chicago.  Author Jim Murphy combines first hand accounts and careful research to create a narrative that is hard to forget.  We are able to follow several individuals through the course of the fire based on their first hand accounts.  The author fills in the missing details based on his research and what was learned about the fire after the fact.  

It was interesting to learn how human carelessness combined with the right conditions led to the fire being much worse than it needed to be.  But equally interesting was how people helped one another in the midst of the fire and how quickly things were rebuilt once the fire was extinguished.  

While this is considered a children's book, I found that it had just the right amount of information for me.  I think that anyone, middle school age and up would find this compelling.  I listened to the audio book version narrated by Taylor Mali.  I enjoyed his reading and use of different voices for the individuals in the story.

February Reading Wrap-up

In the month of February I read 9 books and did not finish (DNF) 2.  My goals for February were to read at least one book from my own shelves, a biography or memoir and a children's book.  I met all three goals!

Here are the genres I read from:

Mystery:  3
Amish Fiction:  1
Biography/Memoir:  1
Southern Fiction: 1
Children's Fiction:  2
Inspirational Contemporary Romance:  1

Books from the library:  6
Audiobooks: 1
Books from my shelves:  2

My favorites were:


Two Steps Forward by Suzanne Woods Fisher


Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter



The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano


The two I did not finish were:

A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle - it was too disorderly and I wasn't connecting with it

Atonement by Ian McEwan - it was beautifully written, but contained content inappropriate for me

I always give a book at least 50 pages before deciding whether to abandon it.  I did that in both of these cases.  It is always frustrating to abandon a book after having invested some time in it, but there are so many books to read that I have realized it is actually wise to not finish a book if it is not working for me.  Also, even if I abandon it, I have experienced it for myself and come to my own conclusion rather than relying on the opinions of others.

The two books I read from my own shelves were Delta Wedding and Pollyanna.  My husband and I took a trip to Phoenix and these were the books I brought along.

For the month of March I have no goals other than to keep reading.  I am co-teaching a homeschool literature class and will be reading/re-reading four books for that.  For any other reading I do, I will just see what I am in the mood for.

How was your reading February?

Book Review: Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna

Author:  Eleanor H. Porter

Publisher:  Puffin Classics (1994), (first published 1913)

288 pages

Pollyanna has recently lost her dad and has no one else in the world, except her aunt, Miss Polly Harrington.  Miss Polly, one of the wealthiest residents of the town,  has never been married and lives in a big old house.  When she is asked if she will take her niece, she says yes out of a sense of duty.  

Miss Polly is often shocked by Pollyanna and calls her a "most extraordinary child".  Pollyanna has learned to see the good in all things and this is most unusual.  She and her father played a game of looking for the good in every situation.  Pollyanna makes friends of most everyone she meets and often has occasion to tell them about "the game".  But one day, tragedy strikes.   Pollyanna loses her courage and can't bring herself to play the game.  Many people have been encouraged by Pollyanna's game and they in turn try to encourage her when she is down.

This was the first time I had read Pollyanna.  Many years ago, someone accused me of being a "Pollyanna".  It was not meant as a compliment.  I knew enough about the story to understand something of what they meant.  Now that I have read the story for myself, I would take that as a compliment!  I loved this story!  I loved Pollyanna and her ability to believe the best about everyone she met.  There are themes of wealth vs. poverty, friendship, love, loneliness and the difference one person can make in someone's life.

The copy of the book I read had an afterward written by author Lois Lowry.  

She said this, 

"Now, suddenly, I find something charming in the book's innocence."

"Now I read it with a consciousness that is weary of a lot of worldly, contemporary troubles.  And I find the book refreshing for their absence."

"Strangers transport the eleven-year-old from West to East and then put her alone on a train from Boston to Vermont, sending her to other strangers - and no one worries about whether she will disappear en route and end up as a photograph on a milk carton."

"The child is sent up to bed in a hot attic room of an old house, carrying a lighted candle - and I don't have to wonder whether there is a smoke detector up there."

"Aunt Polly announces that her niece will share her bed, and it never once occurs to me that Aunt Polly may be a sex-starved spinster turned to grievous vice."

"Pollyanna runs to call the doctor when Mr. Pendleton breaks his leg - and the doctor, not an answering service, answers the phone; more than that, the doctor comes, in person, and transports the injured man away  - and no one ever asks whether his malpractice insurance is up to date."

"I love it."

I agree!  This was a refreshing read.

Book Review: The Secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea by Eileen Beha

The Secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea 

Author:  Eileen Beha

Publisher:  Beach Lane Books (2014)

288 pages

First Line:

"Once, in a fine house on a high cliff above a frozen sea, Throckmorton S. Monkey heard the frenzied barks of the family dogs announcing the approach of a stranger."

This book caught my eye as I was wandering through the children's section of my local library.  When I was a girl I owned and loved a sock monkey.  I also liked to read books told from the perspective of dolls or stuffed toys, so I thought I would give this one a try.

Throckmorton is the hand-sewn sock monkey belonging to Annaliese Easterling.  She is nine years old and has moved on from playing with dolls.  One day a letter comes to the house addressed to Throckmorton S. Monkey, so Annaliese, with the help of a maid, searches frantically for him.  Once they locate him, the letter is opened.  It is an invitation from Annaliese's Great-Grandmama requesting the presence of Throckmorton and his keeper at a party in honor of her ninetieth birthday.  Great-Grandmama made Throckmorton, in fact she made a sock monkey for each baby born in the family and has sent invitations to them all.  

The story is told from the perspective of Throckmorton mostly.  Sometimes it shifts to a narrator voice.  The story seemed delightful at the beginning, but became less so as it went on.  Many of the adults in the story are portrayed as unloving or even cruel.  Annaliese doesn't remember her mother.  She left when Annaliese was a baby, but no one will tell her why she left.  In fact, her father has forbade her from speaking about her.  Her father is portrayed as cold and even cruel.  One of the maids is referred to as "that wicked Madge" and is often cruel to Annaliese and her brothers.  Even Great-Grandmama is rather cold and uncaring, even though she orders Annaliese to her quarters to have tea.  This is a common trope in children's literature, but in stories where it works, the reader has grown to love the hero or heroine of the story.  They have been shown to be moral or selfless or loving or interesting or relatable.  Unfortunately, I didn't feel that way about Annaliese.  

This is not a bad story and I think a young middle school child would probably enjoy reading it.  However, because of the negative portrayal of adults in the story and the lack of a strong heroine, I don't know that I would recommend it.