-
- Snowed In With Grandmother Silk
-
-
- Author: Carol Fenner
- Reviewer: Ilona Hegedûs
- Publisher: Puffin Books
- Format: Children, Fiction, Paperback, 80 Pages, 2005, $6.99
- ISBN: 0142404721
- Rating: * * * * Quills
- www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0142404721/scriquil
-
-
-
- Carol Fenner is the author of many popular children's books, including Tigers in the Cellar; Gorilla, Gorilla; The Skates of Uncle Richard; Randall's Wall and many others. She is a talented teacher, writer and journalist, who is also well-known as an illustrator.
-
-
- Snowed In With Grandmother Silk is the seemingly boring story of a little boy Rudy, who has to spend ten days with his grandmother and is not very happy about it. Though the cook is always kind to him, he does not like to be there, as all his grandmother seems to care about is being extremely well-dressed, wearing high-heeled shoes and looking perfect.
She does not like the noise made by him, and she has rather old-fashioned views on many things. In her house, Rudy is deprived of all forms of entertainment except for reading, because this is a place where even the television is rarely used. Suddenly, a blizzard cuts them off from the outside world. It's only the two of them in the house now, and they are forced to pay attention to each other and get to know each other. In the end, both think of this period as a happy one.
-
-
- Carol Fenner's book is for small children. It is easy to read, and the style used is very enjoyable. The main merit of the book is that it teaces respect for the elderly, even though the generation gap is so big that it often makes communication difficult. The writer firmly believes that by spending some time together and paying attention to each other, it is possible to bridge the gap, and by doing so, the main characters also stop being strangers to each other. She also points out that not knowing today's new technologies does not make old people less intelligent; what's more, we can all learn a lot from them.
-
-
- The writer uses a country setting — the discovery of which is a special experience for both the main character and the reader. Parents may find it embarrassing that the grandmother is so well-off that she can afford to have a cook and a driver.
-
-
- Snowed In With Grandmother Silk is a well-written and nicely illustrated book for today's children with today's problems. It is a good read for girls and boys alike.
-
|