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The Willoughbys Review
User Submitted The Willoughbys ReviewsAugust 27, 2008 I quirky fun story! I throughly enjoyed this little book. I thought it was quite charming. It kind of reminded me of the series of unfortunate events. Mainly because of the way it's written. I'm glad it ended happily and thought it was whimsical and silly. I think this would be a great story to read as a family. August 11, 2008 Whether readers are familiar with classic literature or not, they will soon have their own example of classic parody to point to Lois Lowry is nothing if not versatile. From serious, Newbery Award-winning fare such as NUMBER THE STARS and THE GIVER to brilliantly funny family comedy in the Anastasia Krupnik series, Lowry has successfully explored many different genres and moods in her fruitful career. Now, in THE WILLOUGHBYS, she demonstrates her range once more. Specifically, this book exhibits her extensive knowledge of the history of children's literature and playfully re-purposes those occupants of the bookstore's "Classics" shelf into a clever parody. At the center of the tale are the four Willoughby children: bossy eldest son Tim, twins Barnaby and Barnaby (nicknamed A and B) and youngest sister Jane, who is convinced that her plain, ordinary name might be one of the reasons her parents seem to keep forgetting about her. The Willoughbys are a thoroughly old-fashioned bunch, engaging in just the kinds of wholesome activities that populate the pages of their favorite old children's stories. But something is holding the kids back from becoming exactly like their storybook heroes and heroines --- their parents. If only their mom and dad would disappear, they could become "worthy," "winsome" and "deserving orphans," just like so many of the characters --- from Mary Lennox in THE SECRET GARDEN to Jane Eyre --- they emulate. So they hatch a plot to rid themselves of their parents once and for all. Little do they know, though, that their mom and dad (inspired by the story of Hansel and Gretel) might have an old-fashioned plot of their own in mind. What follows is a glorious, tongue-in-cheek romp through the images and icons of classic stories --- from a baby abandoned on a doorstep to a no-nonsense nanny (who is nothing like Mary Poppins: "It almost gives me diabetes just to think of her: all those disgusting spoonfuls of sugar!") to a boy who pulls himself up by his bootstraps (whatever those are). Chock full of delightful asides from the narrator and genuine moments of dramatic irony and suspense, THE WILLOUGHBYS is --- if it's not oxymoronic to say so --- a thoroughly modern old-fashioned yarn. Lowry even manages to warp the traditional sentimental ending, as the Willoughbys reflect wistfully over their tragically lost parents (whose loss is somehow more comical than tragic). Of course, the readers who will most appreciate the book's sense of play are those who themselves have knowledge of the stories the author references. But all will enjoy the snarky narrative, and no one should miss either the clever glossary or the hilarious summaries of the classic tales referenced in the novel (LITTLE WOMEN: "Meg is mature and sensible. Jo is literary and boyish. Amy is vain and foolish. Beth is saintly and dies."). Whether readers are familiar with classic literature or not, they will soon have their own example of classic parody to point to --- THE WILLOUGHBYS. --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl August 9, 2008 From Plotting Parents to Swiss Boys Finding Home This book was excellent. The parents were uncaring and cruel. The childeren were yerning for attention. The nannies were all so hoplessly confused! Read this book. It was amazing! August 8, 2008 Suggested by amazon.com This showed up on an order for Topper (the old TV show) and I took a chance and ordered it too. So far so good. July 18, 2008 You and your kids will love this one This is a really good book. I read it first to see if it was okay for children, and had to ration myself to a couple of chapters per day to make it last--(you know how you hate to have a good book end.) I really liked it and my brother's children LOVED it (ages 6-12). I read it to them and we had discussions about words (English and German) as well as about love, sadness, men taking care of babies, parents, etc. I think it is worth buying. I don't know if it stimulated their interest in "The Secret Garden" or other "classic" children's books but we had a fun time reading it and laughing together and wondering how it would turn out AND I really liked the illustrations. July 14, 2008 This Surprised me... I think this is a beautiful little book. I like the way it you can still remember Lois Lowry wrote it while imagining something fun. The story was not at all predictable, and I was surprised by many events. There is one thing I was dissapointed by, and that was that the title did not have a hidden meaning, like in The Giver and Gathering Blue, I love that aha! moment that you get near the end of the story, and it was not in this book. I highly recommend reading the glossary and bibliography, because they are witty and helped me out with a few confusing words. One last thing is that even though it seems like a children's story, it would be enjoyed more by young adults. I know I've said a lot, and since there is a mixture of good and bad qualities of the book written above, look at the number of stars the book got... June 30, 2008 The Willoughbys just for fun Although I am near fifty I found this to have many laugh-out-loud treats! Get past some of the dopey point-counting and there is a fun story. Very Roald Dahl-ish and Lemony Snicket-ish. The "glossary" is delightful and the bibliography is helpful. This would be a good read-aloud for kids who know the books listed in the bibliography. June 29, 2008 A whole bunch of fortunate events for these old-fashioned orphans Such a pleasure to find a truly versatile author. Lowry is as adept at the huge poignancy of THE GIVER and NUMBER THE STARS as she is with wicked drollery and with in her Krupnik tales and in this latest offering. While this one makes much of traditional children's literature and its myriad orphans from JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH to HUCKLEBERRY FINN to THE SECRET GARDEN, these is no mention of those latter-day pathos-grabbers, the Baudelaires, and their nigh-endless career of unfortunate events. What precious irony that no less than Lemony Snicket himself was the reviewer of choice for this new Lowry by PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY. This is a quick, fast paced, page-turner for the 'tween set with appropriately short chapters and Lowry's own cheeky (as in "tongue in") illustrations. The hilarity hits a high point however in the fractious and fractured attempts at German: "Ach. I forgotzenplunkt. Sorrybrauten." The book, as with most of Lowry, works equally well for independent reading as well as for reading aloud. June 27, 2008 Not Quite Top-Shelf Lowry, But Still Great The Willoughbys was really fun and fast to read. Lois Lowry has stuffed it full of wonderful words and a fast-paced plot. (The part where the parents die is literally an aside within a sentence it moves so quickly.) The darkness of the story about children who want to be orphans and parents who wish to be free of their children certainly held my attention, much in the style of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I don't know if there is a literary term for this genre - meta-literature? It is a story that is about stories; in that it pokes fun at fairy tales, refers to classic literature, and constantly calls itself old-fashioned. For some reason, while reading this, I just felt like these ideas were somewhat tired. It's almost like the book is too pleased with itself for me to join in on the pleasure. I certainly think it is clever, and I still think Lois Lowry is the master of middle-grade fiction. Obviously she wrote this book for the sheer enjoyment of writing - even putting it right on the cover "nefariously written by..." I have come to expect her work to be so tight, and this book is wildy scattered and full of gaping holes. She is too good to leave unanswered questions, so there is an epilogue, but it just quickly patches everything up so it can be over. Thank god she didn't have the candy-inventing old man name his new candy bar "Baby Ruth" as she set up the reader to believe would happen. That would have ruined it. As a book club book, I am just not sure what to do with it. I can definitely say that it has given me a lot to think about, as has every Lowry book, but it isn't because of the themes. This book has left me considering how I feel about its style. Would it give students that same discussion fodder? Will they catch the allusions (well, actually, direct references) to classic literary characters? Will discussing how to get rid of their parents lead to high level talk? While reading the story, my mind kept wandering to one question. Are all children's books tools for teaching reading? I mean, at some level, all books help us all become better readers. But, specifically, are children's books - when read by students who are still increasing vocabulary and understanding of literary styles and flexing their comprehension strategies - always tools for improving reading? I really am having trouble finding what a student would gain from this. It certainly is a great exercise in vocabulary building, what with its Very Own Glossary. But beyond that, I think other Lowry books fit the book club shelf better. June 26, 2008 Unfortunately, a series of overtly familiar, overly condensed, over-the-top events Fans of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events are likely to be disappointed with this shorter, less descriptive book, even though it contains similarities in characters and plot. Orphans, nefarious villains, kind persons willing to provide assistance - sound familiar? The main difference between the two is that in The Willoughbys, the parents are the villains. The four (okay, that's different too) Willoughby children are berated and belitted by their seemingly beleaguered parents. A baby arrives on their doorstep (but doesn't stay long). And the plight of the children is made less unfortunate by the arrival of a warm-hearted, Nanny McPhee-like caregiver, hired by the parents. Mom and Dad take a trip that will have an unfortunate (though you won't care and neither will the children) end. The references to several good children's classics make the plot more palatable, and the version of German "spoken" by one of the characters is unique and funny. But a couple of highlights aside, the overall story does not hold a candle to Lemony Snicket's 13 book series. Entirely different but absolutely excellent: The Giver by Lois Lowery. For more The Willoughbys reviews click here.
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