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gmamartha's review against another edition
3.0
historical fiction. Avi's normal - good writing and intriguing story.
thebrainlair's review against another edition
4.0
Can't believe I didn't like this one when I first tried it back in Dec of 2011. Must have been the time of year and I was just done. Once I got pulled into the story it was hard to put down. It was dark and gritty and gave insight into New York in the 1890s. Recommended.
librariandest's review against another edition
3.0
I will always think of this book as The Story that Lacked Pronouns. None of the kids in this book use personal pronouns when they talk about themselves. To give you an idea of what this is like, I will now write my review in the style of Maks...
Liked it okay. Thought it lagged a little in places, but was fun. Wasn't impressed by the audiobook narrator-- the mug read without really seeming comfortable with the rhythm of the language. Know that Avi is a great writer, so of course it's good, but not up there with Charlotte Doyle.
Liked it okay. Thought it lagged a little in places, but was fun. Wasn't impressed by the audiobook narrator-- the mug read without really seeming comfortable with the rhythm of the language. Know that Avi is a great writer, so of course it's good, but not up there with Charlotte Doyle.
boffybeau's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
lorathelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I did not expect the awesome mystery this book had. It was so awesome because it was solvable. And when kids read books, it's great when they realize they can figure out what's going on and solve the mystery! So that was just a lovely bonus.
I originally picked up this book to booktalk for teachers. I was pairing fiction and nonfiction titles and I chose "Shutting Out the Sky" by Deborah Hopkinson about tenements and immigrants in the early 1900s in New York City. This Avi book was the perfect match for it. Avi really did describe the tenements and the dirt and famine and extreme poor conditions that people suffered then quite well. Yet with that mysterious element, and great character development this book became fantastic.
I originally picked up this book to booktalk for teachers. I was pairing fiction and nonfiction titles and I chose "Shutting Out the Sky" by Deborah Hopkinson about tenements and immigrants in the early 1900s in New York City. This Avi book was the perfect match for it. Avi really did describe the tenements and the dirt and famine and extreme poor conditions that people suffered then quite well. Yet with that mysterious element, and great character development this book became fantastic.
mhlackman's review against another edition
Good story for children, probably ages 10+. Really enjoyed it. Historical fiction!
wiseowl33's review against another edition
4.0
Good story. A bit predictable, but glad Willa found a good home with Maks and his family. Quite a contrast to the life of kids these days.
iffer's review against another edition
2.0
2 stars for me, 3+ for kids
I really enjoyed Avi historical fiction books as a kid. I remember buying several with my allowance money from the Scholastic book order forms.
With City of Orphans, Avi shows that he's still at it, being unbelievably dependable when it comes to writing engaging children's historical fiction. That said, this novel didn't "sparkle" in any way for me. I just found it solid. The characters were fine, and the historical information was appreciated, but this actually felt "fine" or "okay" (but not bad) to me as an adult. I think that kids would find it interesting, though, especially as read in conjunction with learning about this period in their social studies classes.
I really enjoyed Avi historical fiction books as a kid. I remember buying several with my allowance money from the Scholastic book order forms.
With City of Orphans, Avi shows that he's still at it, being unbelievably dependable when it comes to writing engaging children's historical fiction. That said, this novel didn't "sparkle" in any way for me. I just found it solid. The characters were fine, and the historical information was appreciated, but this actually felt "fine" or "okay" (but not bad) to me as an adult. I think that kids would find it interesting, though, especially as read in conjunction with learning about this period in their social studies classes.