Minerva Louise at School

Minerva Louise at School. Janet Morgan Stoeke. 1996. 24 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: One morning, Minerva Louise woke up before everyone else. It was a beautiful morning, so she decided to go for a walk through the tall grass. She walked on and on. Oh, look! A big, fancy barn, thought Minerva Louise.

Premise/plot: Minerva Louise explores a "big, fancy barn" in this third adventure. The barn, of course, as you might have guessed is really a school! She explores the stalls (classrooms) and looks for animals (students.) She even finds nesting boxes (cubbies) and an egg (a baseball). She never does see any animals, but she returns to her own nesting place full of good ideas.

My thoughts: This one may be the funniest Minerva Louise yet. Especially if anyone you know and love is a teacher. It's just a very silly book. I love that the humor comes from the differences between the text and the illustrations. Minerva's "truth" is far from reality. And readers young and old can spot all the many, many ways this chicken is wrong.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10


© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

A Hat for Minerva Louise

A Hat for Minerva Louise. Janet Morgan Stoeke. 1994. 24 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Minerva Louise loved snowy mornings. Her friends didn't like them one bit. They stayed inside all day with their heads tucked under their wings.

Premise/plot: Minerva Louise is back in her second adventure, I believe, and in this adventure she goes and plays in the snow. Part of this snowy-day adventure includes searching for WARM THINGS to put on which would enable her to stay out and play longer. She tries many things on before finding a "hat" to wear.

My thoughts: This one was silly. Minerva Louise is quite mistaken about a lot of things. For example, a water hose is not a scarf, and gardening gloves are not shoes. I like the silliness of it. The story overall was very enjoyable.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Further thoughts on reading Oliver

Oliver Twist dares you to be uncomfortable as a reader, to look head-on at another's pain and misery. The novel places you in horridly unjust situations time and time again. Will you look away? Will you shrug off another's burden or struggle? Or will you open your eyes, your ears, your heart? Can you stand to stand witness? Or will you cling to Dickens dark and slightly inappropriate humor? If Dickens can find much to laugh about, I can too, right? But is poverty, hunger and starvation, homelessness, and abuse something to make light about...then or now? Just because Oliver Twist gets a happy ending doesn't wipe away the injustices--the deep embedded injustices. Are you willing to think about injustices, specific injustices? Are you willing to do more than think? Are you willing to act? It is easy, it is natural to not dwell on subjects that make us uncomfortable, situations that just don't seem to be 'our problem'. Problems don't disappear because you ignore them; problems don't go away because you ask nicely.

Is the novel still relevant? Domestic abuse happens. Every day it happens. There are women whose lives are in danger. Nancy is not alone in her situation. Unfortunately. For me, it is harder to witness Nancy's plight than Oliver's. What kind of person is Nancy? Brave certainly. Why? She finds a way to have a voice, to speak out to others, to speak up for another. She finds a way to stand by her conviction despite enormous risk. This is no small thing she's doing--and readers should not presume that it is easy for her. I don't think it is. Speaking up reveals inner strength, but what does staying reveal? Could it ever be anything but foolish? Perhaps inevitable is a second choice. We can imagine Nancy's background, how she came to be under the control of Fagin and Sykes, but we haven't--most of us at least--walked in her shoes. We don't know why her heart was so full of love for Bill, we don't know why he was her everything, her whole world. We see a violent, abusive, cruel, domineering man--she sees him differently. It is easy to conclude she's a fool to stay. But are we quick to think we know her? She's spent her whole life being the property of others, doing what she's told, not questioning orders, not speaking back. What changes Nancy so much that she starts thinking for herself, acting for herself, being bold and risky?

She sees something in Oliver perhaps, or maybe there's a life within her that has her thinking of the future? There has to be a moment when she realizes that this is no kind of life to be living, that there is still a chance for Oliver even if she is all out of chances for her own life. Perhaps she is wishing that someone had stepped up to save her. She may not be able to save every child, but Oliver, he can be saved. Once that decision has been made, there's no turning back. Nancy is fiercely brave.

Hunger and homelessness also still persist in the world. Not to mention the buying and selling of women and children. This isn't a one issue problem novel. It is a dark, bleak novel that is written in a tongue in cheek way at times. I let myself become distant so I wouldn't have to deal with the problems--so long as they weren't real to me, I could forget them, right? Yes and no.

Is it right to dismiss injustice because you don't like to feel uncomfortable or awkward?

Oliver Twist was the medicine that I didn't want to swallow because of the way it tasted.


© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Minerva Louise

Minerva Louise. Janet Morgan Stoeke. 1988. 24 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Minerva Louise loved the house with the red curtains.

Premise/plot: Minerva Louise explores the house with the red curtains in this picture book. It is the first in a series starring this lovable hen. She may not be the smartest chicken, but, she may be the funniest. For example, "a comfortable chair...and friendly cows." The chair is a flower pot. The 'friendly cow' is a kitten.

My thoughts: I like this one very much. I don't know if I love, love, love Minerva Louise yet. But. I am curious about this CURIOUS chicken. I want to see what other types of adventures she has. Will definitely be returning to the library for more!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist. Charles Dickens. 1838/1839. 608 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born; on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events; the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter.

 Premise/plot: Oliver Twist, the 'hero' of Charles Dickens novels, endures much drama before finally getting a happily ever after ending. 

Who is Oliver Twist? He's an orphan born in a workhouse. He's an orphan who dares ask for MORE gruel. He's a boy sold to an undertaker. He's a boy who's bullied to the point of running away. He's a boy who dreams that London holds the answers. He's a boy who falls into bad company. Coincidences surround Oliver. (He happens to be taken in to Mr. Brownlow's household. He happens to be taken into Mrs. Maylie's household. Both Brownlow and the Maylies knew his parent(s). Both care about what happens to him in the future. Both are on his side--Oliver is never truly alone against this mad, bad world.) He's a boy worth risking your life for--if you're Nancy. He's a boy that things happen to. Ever notice how all the drama just happens to him, because of him, around him, and Oliver is just there. (If Oliver is the hero, he's the most boring hero ever.)

The characters that are of interest in this one are: Nancy, Fagin, and Artful Dodger. If the novel is worth reading, it is because Dickens has peopled it with the likes of these, the least of these, the thieves and prostitutes. 

My thoughts: Here's my advice for what it's worth: Read the book before you see the movie or the musical. Every time you're tempted to watch an adaptation, make a point of rereading the book. That may slow down your eagerness some. Why this admittedly weird advice. I read this book years ago--years--and I've since seen about two or three adaptations. (Including the live musical a few weeks ago.) I had forgotten that most adaptations--if not all adaptations--really, really mess around with the plot. Some adaptations are better than others. (One adaptation in particular I wish I could get my time back!) But having all those adaptations in my head really ruined reading Dickens for me. 

For example, in the movie, Nancy helps kidnap Oliver Twist and brings him back to the thieves. He's held hostage until the end finale--the big showdown. A lot of intense stuff happens and Nancy is all about rescuing Oliver from his fate. In the book, Nancy helps kidnap Oliver Twist; Oliver is forced to help in a robbery; he's shot; he's abandoned; he's taken in by a kind and loving family; his happily ever after essentially begins right then and there; the book has hundreds of pages left where Oliver is safe and the drama is moving on without him. Plenty of drama. New characters are introduced--like Monks--old characters are also reintroduced--like Noah and Charlotte, Mr and Mrs. Bumble. But Oliver Twist has disappeared from the plot--almost proving that though this novel has his name, he's the least interesting character in it.

I think if you read the book with the expectation that he will be DOING anything except asking for more and accepting whatever comes his way, you'll be disappointed.

I think the most interesting character in this one is Fagin. Especially in the musical adaptation. He can MAKE the show. His songs are the most interesting, most entertaining, best for energizing the audience.

I think the next most interesting character is Nancy. Her scenes were very emotional. But I don't understand why she would keep going back knowing that her very life was in danger. I don't understand love like that. I hope I never do.

 

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews