by Lois Lowry Gr. K-2 88 pages Houghton, 2002; Dell paperback, 2004
With the annual publication rate for children's books now reaching more
than 8,000 titles, it's inevitable that any reviewer (even the most
attentive) will miss a good one here or there. Such is the case with
Lois Lowry's Gooney Bird Greene, whimsical short novel who is the
antithesis of Junie B. Jones in civil behavior but a carbon copy in
uniqueness and irrepressibility. Somehow, I missed Gooney when it first
came out and discovered it only recently through the recommendation of a
classroom teacher.
And just like Junie, Gooney Bird would be a welcome addition to any
classroom, except with the latter, even the teacher would be glad to
have her aboard. She's smart, mature, kind, and in charge at all times —
or at least she wants to be, which sometimes presents a challenge for
the teacher. Here's how Lowry introduces us to Gooney Bird:
There was a new student in the Watertower Elementary School. She arrived
in October, after the first month of school had already passed. She
opened the second grade classroom door at ten o'clock on a Wednesday
morning and appeared there all alone, without even a mother to introduce
her. She was wearing pajamas and cowboy boots and was holding a
dictionary and a lunch box.
"Hello," Mrs. Pidgeon, the second grade teacher, said.
"We're in the middle of our spelling lesson."
"Good," said the girl in pajamas. "I brought my dictionary.
Where's my desk?"
"Who are you?" Mrs. Pidgeon asked politely.
"I'm your new student. My name is Gooney Bird Greene that's Greene with a
silent 'e' at the end - and I just moved here from China. I want a desk
right smack in the middle of the room, because I like to be right smack
in the middle of everything. "
The class stared at the new girl with admiration. They had never met anyone like Gooney Bird Greene.
She was a good student. She sat down at the desk Mrs. Pidgeon provided,
right smack in the middle of everything, and began doing second grade
spelling. She did all her work neatly and quickly, and she followed
instructions.
But soon it was clear that Gooney Bird was mysterious and interesting.
Her clothes were unusual. Her hairstyles were unusual. Even her lunches
were very unusual.
At lunchtime on Wednesday, her first day in the school, she opened her
lunch box and brought out sushi and a pair of bright green chopsticks.
On Thursday, her second day at Watertower Elementary School, Gooney Bird
Greene was wearing a pink ballet tutu over green stretch pants, and she
had three small red grapes, an avocado, and an oatmeal cookie for
lunch.
On Thursday afternoon, after lunch, Mrs. Pidgeon stood in front of the
class with a piece of chalk in her hand. "Today," she said, "we are
going to continue talking about stories."
"Yay!" the second-graders said in very loud voices, all but Felicia Ann,
who never spoke, and Malcolm, who wasn't paying attention. He was under
his desk, as usual.
"Gooney Bird, you weren't here for the first month of school. But our
class has been learning about what makes good stories, haven't we?" Mrs.
Pidgeon said.
From this point on, Gooney pretty much takes over and teaches both the
art of storytelling and the fact that everyone has their own unique
story to tell. Of course, no one's tale is quite as original as Gooney
Bird's. For example. her first class offering is "How Gooney Bird Came
from China on a Flying Carpet," which proves to be absolutely true, to
the amazement of her teacher and class.
[b]Sequels: [/b] Gooney Bird and the Home Room Mother; Gooney the Fabulous; and Gooney Bird Is So Absurd. The Newbery-winning Lowry has long been one of our most gifted writers for children and this series proves again her great versatility. Anyone who can give us Autumn Street; The Giver; Number the Stars; Anastasia Krupnik; and Gooney Bird Greene in one lifetime of writing— now that is a true world-class children's author. Also by the author, the memoir Looking Back: A Book of Memories. For more on Lowry at this site (including a 50-minute audio interview, see [url=http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah-treasury-nfull3.html#numberthestars] [b]Number the Stars[/color] [/b][/url].
[b]Product Description [/b]
This four-story collection includes:
[b]Gooney Bird Greene [/b]
There’s never been anyone like Gooney Bird Greene at Watertower
Elementary School. She is the star of story time and keeps her class on
the edge of their seats with her “absolutely true” stories. But do her
classmates have stories good enough to share?
[b]Gooney Bird and the Room Mother [/b]
Gooney Bird wants to have the lead role of Squanto in her class
Thanksgiving pageant. But that role will go to whoever finds someone to
be the room mother. Gooney Bird finds a room mother alright, but
promises not to tell who it is until the day of the play. But will the
mystery room mother really show up?
[b]Gooney the Fabulous [/b]
Gooney Bird has a fabulous idea after her teacher reads fables to the
class. Her fabulous idea is that each student create their own fable and
tell it to the class! Everyone but Nicholas is excited about their
stories and costumes. Can Gooney Bird find out why Nicholas is unhappy
and get him to join in the fun?
[b]Gooney Bird Is So Absurd [/b]
On the day that Gooney Bird wears her special brain-warming hat to
school, Mrs. Pidgeon is teaching her class about poetry. But just when
things are going well, the kids get some terrible news. And Gooney Bird
will need all the inspiration her brain can muster to organize the most
important poem the class has ever written.
[b]About the Author [/b]
Lois Lowry has written many books beloved by children and adults alike.
From the popular Anastasia Krupnik series to her best-selling novel The
Giver, her books have garnered countless honors and awards, including
two Newbery Medals. Look for Number the Stars, Messenger, The Silent
Boy, Gathering Blue, Gossamer, The Willoughbys, and The Giver on audio
from Listening Library.
[b]Product Details [/b]
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Audio CD
Publisher: Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition (March 24, 2009)
(以上介绍转自amazon)
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[b]Editorial ReviewsFrom Publishers Weekly [/b]
Starred Review. SignatureReviewed by Lemony SnicketLois Lowry, who casts
her noble and enviable shadow wide across the landscape of children's
literature, from fantasy to realism, here turns her quick, sly gaze to
parody, a word which in this case means "a short novel mocking the
conventions of old-fashioned children's books stuffed with orphans,
nannies and long-lost heirs." These clichés are ripe if familiar
targets, but Ms. Lowry knocks off these barrel-dwelling fish with
admirable aplomb in The Willoughbys, in which two wicked parents cannot
wait to rid themselves of their four precocious children, and vice
versa, and vice versa versa, and so on. The nanny adds a spoonful of
sugar and a neighboring candy magnate a side order of Dahl, if you
follow me, as the book's lightning pace traipses through the hallmarks
of classic orphan literature helpfully listed in the bibliography, from
the baby on the doorstep to the tardy yet timely arrival of a crucial
piece of correspondence. The characters, too, find these tropes
familiar-"What would good old-fashioned people do in this situation?"
one asks-as does the omniscient, woolgathery narrator, who begins with
"Once upon a time" and announces an epilogue with "Oh, what is there to
say at the happy conclusion of an old-fashioned story?" This critic even
vaguely recognizes the stratagem of a glossary, in which the more
toothsome words are defined unreliably and digressively. (He cannot put
his finger on it, at least not in public.) Never you mind. The novel
does make a few gambits for anachronistic musings ("Oh goodness, do we
have to walk them into a dark forest? I don't have the right shoes for
that") and even wry commentary ("That is how we billionaires exist,"
says the man who is not Willy Wonka. "We profit on the misfortune of
others") but mostly the book plays us for laughs, closer to the Brothers
Zucker than the Brothers Grimm, and by my count the hits (mock German
dialogue, e.g., "It makesch me vant to womit") far outnumber the misses
(an infant named Baby Ruth, oy). There are those who will find that this
novel pales in comparison to Ms. Lowry's more straight-faced efforts,
such as The Giver. Such people are invited to take tea with the Bobbsey
Twins. Ms. Lowry and I will be across town downing something stronger
mixed by Anastasia Krupnik, whom one suspects of sneaking sips of Ms.
Lowry's bewitching brew. Tchin-tchin!Lemony Snicket is the author of A
Series of Unfortunate Events.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.
All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
[b]From School Library Journal [/b]
Grade 4–7—Lois Lowry's hilarious novel (Houghton Mifflin, 2008) is a
parody of "old-fashioned" children's books and features the requisite
uncaring and self-centered parents, orphans, nanny, and the like.
Timothy, the oldest of the Willoughby children, makes all the decisions
and the youngest, Jane, just wants to be more assertive. Twins Barnaby A
and Barnaby B, the middle children, are so alike that their parents
can't tell them apart even if they bothered to try. When the youngsters
find a beastly baby on their doorstep, they leave it at a rich
neighbor's house to get rid of it. The melancholy candy maker tycoon who
lives there adopts the baby and his life becomes happy after years of
grieving over the death of his wife and son in an avalanche in
Switzerland. Meanwhile, the Willoughby children concoct a plot to get
rid of their insufferable parents and turn themselves into orphans by
sending them on a dangerous trip. The nanny who comes to take care of
them turns out to be just what they need to bring out the best in their
personalities. The two stories intertwine when the children and the
nanny must find a new place to live and the long-lost son of the tycoon
makes his way home. A lengthy and humorous glossary at the end defines
old-fashioned words in the story (lugubrious, affable, etc.) with
examples and hints for proper use. Arte Johnson does a wonderful job of
narrating all the characters' diverse voices, enhancing the comedic
elements of the tale. This is a clever parody on classics such as James
and the Giant Peach and Pollyanna with wonderfully imperfect orphans and
memorable characters. Teresa Wittmann, Westgate Elementary School,
Edmonds, WA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.
All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or
unavailable edition of this title.原帖由 snazkf 于 2010-9-17 06:02 发表……比如Crow Call，这个作品去年的时候被时代杂志评为去年的10大儿童作品，看不到真是可惜啊！ ...
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