bookmarc reviewed Stuart Little by E.B. White
Review of 'Stuart Little' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Cute
Hardcover, 131 pages
English language
Published Oct. 29, 1999 by HarperCollins Publishers.
Stuart Little
by E.B. White
4 stars
(36 reviews)
This is the first children's book by the distinguished author E.B. White. Stuart Little, the hero, is a mouse in the family of Frederick C. Little and is a debonair little character with a shy, engaging manner and a somewhat philosophical turn of mind. He is a great help around the house, and everybody except Snowbell the cat likes him a great deal. In spite of his small size, Stuart gets around in the world, riding a Fifth Avenue bus, racing (and winning in) a sailboat in Central Park, teaching school for a day, and so on. His size--just over two inches--does give him some trouble now and then, like the time he was rolled up in the window shade, or when he got dumped into a garbage scow. But on the whole his life is a happy one. His great adventure comes when, at the age of seven, he …
This is the first children's book by the distinguished author E.B. White. Stuart Little, the hero, is a mouse in the family of Frederick C. Little and is a debonair little character with a shy, engaging manner and a somewhat philosophical turn of mind. He is a great help around the house, and everybody except Snowbell the cat likes him a great deal. In spite of his small size, Stuart gets around in the world, riding a Fifth Avenue bus, racing (and winning in) a sailboat in Central Park, teaching school for a day, and so on. His size--just over two inches--does give him some trouble now and then, like the time he was rolled up in the window shade, or when he got dumped into a garbage scow. But on the whole his life is a happy one. His great adventure comes when, at the age of seven, he sets out in the world to seek his dearest friend, Margalo, a beautiful little bird who stayed for a few days in the Littles' Boston fern. It is on this search that we leave Stuart, going north in his little car, sure he is heading in the right direction.
In this special gift-book edition of a beloved classic, renowned artist Rosemeary Wells has lovingly added delicate watercolor to the original black-and-white drawings by Garth Williams. Stuart Little, small in size only, has the indomitable spirit of a heroic figure, and his story, funny and tender and exciting by turns, will be read, reread, and love by young and old. (front flap)
ManyRoads reviewed Stuart Little by E.B. White (A Harper trophy book ; J56)
Review of 'Stuart Little' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Yet another 6-star favorite for my 8 year old grandson. He simply loves stories that leave him wanting for more.
Jack 💜 reviewed Stuart Little by E.B. White (A Harper trophy book ; J56)
Review of 'Stuart Little' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I thought going into this that I'd have a good idea on what I was getting into. Even if it was his first book, E.B. White had outdone himself as an author multiple times over! How bad could his debut novel be??
Well.. I wouldn't call it 'bad' so much as I'd call it 'unfinished'.
It's especially interesting since the writing itself already reflects White's style, especially with the first half of the book. The beginning vignettes with Stuart living with the Littles in New York seem like the most finished parts of the book, and it's when Stuart leaves his family that things start getting especially weird.
It's almost as if White wanted to tell a kind of experimental slice of life style that never got halfway through. By the end of the book we not only get left hanging on whether or not Stuart will ever find Margelo …
I thought going into this that I'd have a good idea on what I was getting into. Even if it was his first book, E.B. White had outdone himself as an author multiple times over! How bad could his debut novel be??
Well.. I wouldn't call it 'bad' so much as I'd call it 'unfinished'.
It's especially interesting since the writing itself already reflects White's style, especially with the first half of the book. The beginning vignettes with Stuart living with the Littles in New York seem like the most finished parts of the book, and it's when Stuart leaves his family that things start getting especially weird.
It's almost as if White wanted to tell a kind of experimental slice of life style that never got halfway through. By the end of the book we not only get left hanging on whether or not Stuart will ever find Margelo again, but we also have that bitter draft of never really hearing from his family again either.
There's also this really bizarre scene where Stuart attempts to impress an eight-inch human girl named Harriet. He fails, and then never sees her again. I don't know what reaction White wants us to have from this, especially since we never really get know Harriet and it seems like Stuart's letter to her was more on a whim than anything else.
So why would I rate this three stars if the book itself is such an unfinished mess? I guess it's just one of those guilty pleasures for me. The book's story is all over the place, but I still can't help liking it a bit. I think it's a combination of finding a lot of appeal in the ideas it tries to play with along with the pleasant illustrations. It's also got an overall melancholy vibe to it that's often so rare in children's lit. That's all entirely personal on my part though, so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone but those who are interested in White's work as a whole.
Subjects
- Little, Stuart (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction