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midwifereading's review against another edition
5.0
Any book that brings me to tears like this gets 5 stars. It even made Dain tear up. This a powerful, beautiful story, exquisitely written. It doesn't shy away from some serious, traumatic topics, and handles them with empathy, grace, and piercing honesty. I am so grateful for a homeschool program that sees the value in powerful fiction, and lays the topics of suicide and abandonment before children and teens in a way that they can take it in and understand. Good fiction matters.
roseleaf24's review
4.0
Odd story, with a very spooky feel, but it captures that in between time of childhood well, and deals very sensitively with two children who have dealt with some serious trauma. This book will be very intense for young children, or for sensitive children who have not had to deal with the issues of parental abandonment, addressed here in many different forms. I would have liked for the time to be set a little earlier. The setting was so well done, but a mountain coal town in Virginia does not age in the same way as the suburban world I live in, so I had trouble placing the era until it was made clear in the third chapter.
thebrainlair's review
5.0
The audio, read by Alison Eliot, is well-done. Eliot does the regional dialect without seeming affected or making the characters sound less than. She captures White's emotions perfectly.
The book itself is quiet and unassuming. The seeming tale of cousins who are forced to spend more time together when the other comes to live next door. Gypsy and Woodrow don't know each other very well but soon become thick as thieves. Over the course of a year we listen as the relationship develops and deepens and weathers disappointment and jealousy.
The book itself is quiet and unassuming. The seeming tale of cousins who are forced to spend more time together when the other comes to live next door. Gypsy and Woodrow don't know each other very well but soon become thick as thieves. Over the course of a year we listen as the relationship develops and deepens and weathers disappointment and jealousy.
lannthacker's review
3.0
Another touching historical fiction novel from Ruth White. Set in the 1950s in Appalachia this is the story of two cousins each betrayed by a parent. With some mature themes, I would only recommend this to older kids who like sad stories. A good read-alike for "Moon Over Manifest"
townsendhouse1's review
3.0
I read this as a read-aloud for my kids' homeschool. They were not big fans of this story. I knew there were some tough topics to deal with and some good conversation came from those topics. However, overall my kids didn't resonate with the characters or enjoy the book. They were very disappointed with the ending. Overall, not a win for us, but the writing was good and the setting was well developed.
kat_rowlen's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andipants's review against another edition
5.0
Date read is today, but this is actually one I owned and read repeatedly as a kid. I was thinking about it the other day and decided to re-read to see if it was still as good as I remembered. Short answer: oh yes. The prose is lovely, the descriptions are gorgeous, the setting is vivid, and the main characters are smart and sympathetic but still believable as twelve-year-old kids. The story mostly alternates between sweet (but not saccharine) childhood scenes and Important Conversations about the themes of the book (forgiveness, looking past appearances, dealing with sadness and change); the balance between fun and serious is good, and the Important Conversations feel realistic, not stilted or forced. There is tragedy and darkness in the book, but no one suffers a Death by Newbery Medal, and the ending is more sweet than bitter, which I appreciate. Overall, it's a lovely book that I think kids and adults alike can appreciate.
mallorykjorgensen's review
4.0
Awards Won: Newbery Honor (1997)
Belle Prater's Boy is the story of a young girl named Gypsy and her cousin, Woodrow. Woodrow comes to live next door to Gypsy after his mother simply vanishes one day. Though Woodrow and Gypsy worry about what might have happened to Belle Prater, they also learn about the power of friendship, family, acceptance, and unconditional love. Woodrow, who is cross-eyed, learns about what it takes to have people overlook appearances to see the real Woodrow. Gypsy, who carries a huge burden about her father's death, learns to see things for what they are and not let the past weigh her down. Though this story is set in a historic town in Virginia, the trials and tribulations of Gypsy and Woodrow could easily have taken place today.I would recommend this book for students grades 5-7. I think that this story could be used when comparing and contrasting historical America with current America. Inventions, such as the television, could also be compared.
Belle Prater's Boy is the story of a young girl named Gypsy and her cousin, Woodrow. Woodrow comes to live next door to Gypsy after his mother simply vanishes one day. Though Woodrow and Gypsy worry about what might have happened to Belle Prater, they also learn about the power of friendship, family, acceptance, and unconditional love. Woodrow, who is cross-eyed, learns about what it takes to have people overlook appearances to see the real Woodrow. Gypsy, who carries a huge burden about her father's death, learns to see things for what they are and not let the past weigh her down. Though this story is set in a historic town in Virginia, the trials and tribulations of Gypsy and Woodrow could easily have taken place today.I would recommend this book for students grades 5-7. I think that this story could be used when comparing and contrasting historical America with current America. Inventions, such as the television, could also be compared.
elles_expositions's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
god this book was so good