Jacobson, Jennifer Richard Small as an Elephant, 275 pgs. Candlewick Press, 2011. $15.99. Language: G; Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.
Jack wakes on the Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend, comes out of his tent and finds his mom has taken the car, her tent, and all the camping supplies. He has no idea where she’s gone or when she’ll be back. They have the campsite reserved for three nights, but Jack has no food and only a small amount of money. The book is about the situation Jack finds himself in and the decisions a thirteen-year-old boy would struggle to make in this situation. He resists telling anyone about his situation because he doesn’t want to be taken away from his mom. Some of his adventures on his own include: befriending others he meets; sleeping under the stars, in a barn, in an old car, and in an L.L. Bean store; stealing a bike; hitching a ride in the back of a truck; eating out of a dumpster; and deciding to visit the only elephant in Maine on his way to Boston.
I enjoyed the book overall but felt there were times when the writing didn’t flow. I was intrigued as I began reading this book but felt a bit let-down as I got into it. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to someone, but only because I’ve read better writing and better storytelling. Book seemed to be very drawn out and slow until the ending, which happened very quickly. Resolution was satisfactory.
EL, MS--OPTIONAL Reviewed by, S. Weston.
No comments:
Post a Comment