I just finished listening to this book on tape and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I have never listened to books before, especially not for a class. I always thought of it as "cheating" somehow. In fact when my husband discovered I had listened to it on tape he was upset with me. He said, "That doesn't count. You ruined the whole book." At first I thought he might be right. On second thought I disagree. Why shouldn't I indulge in the pleasure of being read to from time to time. Lord knows I do it for my students and my own children for hours a day.
If I haven't made it clear before now you should know that I LOVE CHILDREN'S LITERATURE. I have always loved reading to children, starting with my own little brother and younger cousins and continuing now with all the children that fill my life with joy. I was also an avid reader growing up. It was always my escape. My own private world inside my head. The characters in the stories I read were like friends to me.
The one thing I have never been able to do is share my thoughts about what I was reading. None of my teachers did reading journals or literature circles. We read and we took the test or did a book report and that was it. The thinking that I am putting in to these blogs and these books we are reading is opening a whole new dimension for me and I am very excited about it. I find myself comparing characters in different stories, wondering how a character from another story would have solved the current characters dilemma, and wishing that some of them could meet because I am sure they would be friends. WOW, is just about all I can say, WOW.
O.K. enough about me and my dorky addiction to kids books. I am here to talk about Tuck Everlasting. I am glad that I experienced Tuck and Bridge back to back like this. I had read both novels before but, not close together like this time. The similarities between the two are striking.
Both books deal with the problems of adolescence, feeling isolated and alone, trying to separate from the family unit, and developing a sense of self. Leslie (Bridge) and Jess (Tuck) are the catalysts for Jess (Bridge) and Winnie (Tuck). They help them discover the meaning of true friendship, help them find their inner strength, and accept them for who they are. Although Jess and Leslie are very lonely themselves they have self assurance that neither Jess nor Winnie possess.
The similarities between the novels continue with the family structure. Both of the "stronger" characters have supportive, open and loving homes. Winnie and Jess feel more accepted and "free" to be themselves around their friend's parents than their own. Although Winnie and Jess (Bridge) have very different families on the surface the problems that plague both families are quite similar. There is a coldness and distance between both characters and their parents. Also, Winnie and Jess's parents are very closed off to the rest of the world. They let their own insecurities limit how they deal with life and with their children.
Finally, the works of Natalie Babbit and Katherine Patterson are similar in the way that the characters ultimately find their own strength. The loss of the friendship. Both Winnie and Jess suffer through the loss of their friend and some how find a way to come out stronger because of it in the end.
I enjoyed both books. However, Tuck Everlasting was less heartbreaking and I love a good fantasy. On a scale of 1 to 10 Bridge to Terabithia would rank a 7 while Tuck Everlasting is a 9.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Tuck Everlasting By: Natalie Babbitt
I just finished listening to this book on tape and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I have never listened to books before, especially not for a class. I always thought of it as "cheating" somehow. In fact when my husband discovered I had listened to it on tape he was upset with me. He said, "That doesn't count. You ruined the whole book." At first I thought he might be right. On second thought I disagree. Why shouldn't I indulge in the pleasure of being read to from time to time. Lord knows I do it for my students and my own children for hours a day.
If I haven't made it clear before now you should know that I LOVE CHILDREN'S LITERATURE. I have always loved reading to children, starting with my own little brother and younger cousins and continuing now with all the children that fill my life with joy. I was also an avid reader growing up. It was always my escape. My own private world inside my head. The characters in the stories I read were like friends to me.
The one thing I have never been able to do is share my thoughts about what I was reading. None of my teachers did reading journals or literature circles. We read and we took the test or did a book report and that was it. The thinking that I am putting in to these blogs and these books we are reading is opening a whole new dimension for me and I am very excited about it. I find myself comparing characters in different stories, wondering how a character from another story would have solved the current characters dilemma, and wishing that some of them could meet because I am sure they would be friends. WOW, is just about all I can say, WOW.
O.K. enough about me and my dorky addiction to kids books. I am here to talk about Tuck Everlasting. I am glad that I experienced Tuck and Bridge back to back like this. I had read both novels before but, not close together like this time. The similarities between the two are striking.
Both books deal with the problems of adolescence, feeling isolated and alone, trying to separate from the family unit, and developing a sense of self. Leslie (Bridge) and Jess (Tuck) are the catalysts for Jess (Bridge) and Winnie (Tuck). They help them discover the meaning of true friendship, help them find their inner strength, and accept them for who they are. Although Jess and Leslie are very lonely themselves they have self assurance that neither Jess nor Winnie possess.
The similarities between the novels continue with the family structure. Both of the "stronger" characters have supportive, open and loving homes. Winnie and Jess feel more accepted and "free" to be themselves around their friend's parents than their own. Although Winnie and Jess (Bridge) have very different families on the surface the problems that plague both families are quite similar. There is a coldness and distance between both characters and their parents. Also, Winnie and Jess's parents are very closed off to the rest of the world. They let their own insecurities limit how they deal with life and with their children.
Finally, the works of Natalie Babbit and Katherine Patterson are similar in the way that the characters ultimately find their own strength. The loss of the friendship. Both Winnie and Jess suffer through the loss of their friend and some how find a way to come out stronger because of it in the end.
I enjoyed both books. However, Tuck Everlasting was less heartbreaking and I love a good fantasy. On a scale of 1 to 10 Bridge to Terabithia would rank a 7 while Tuck Everlasting is a 9.
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