Customer Reviews

Centerburg Tales

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved the silly stories of Centerburg as a kid and hoped that my nine-year-old nephew would not find the material too dated to understand. No worries! He laughs out loud at the complicated adventures that ensnare Homer Price and his friends. I'm pleased that he's enjoying a book that enlarges his vocabulary and his ideas about life way back in the mid-twentieth century.

This is a great sequel to the original "Homer Price". Homer and his friends are off on more wacky adventures, each one funnier than the last. The final story, in which Homer and his fellow citizens are literally dancing all over town, is one of the most hilarious children's tales ever written. McCloskey had magic in his writing pen and his drawing pencil; it's hard to say which are better, the stories or the illustrations. Suffice to say that they all add up to a wonderful book for young folks. Highly recommended.

The Adventures of Homer Price in the quaint town of Centerburg are flat out hilarious. Homer's uncle Hercules quickly sets the tone of disbelief by spinning some yarns that have just enough "truth" to them to be plausible. This is a truly a story of the American Scene in a time when people entertained themselves by gabbing with one another and singing songs together instead of hiding in the basement watching videos. Good old timey values like hucksterism, lying, and cheating face the good natured community of Centerburg and sometimes turn it upside down. Strange things happen in Centerburg, and the curious Homer Price is going to get to the bottom of it. Robert McClosky is also one of our finest illustrators and his lively drawings add texture and background to the story. Highly Recommeded.

I read this book and many others by this author over 30 years ago, and my nephew is a current fan. He can't read enough of them. If you have trouble finding books that young boys will enjoy, you can't go wrong with these.

Children and old people are mutually attracted to each other and if it is a small town with a town park they have a ready made meeting place. Stories flow from the oldsters in a steady stream to be devoured and savored by the young listeners, in most cases taken at face value and the veracity of the teller protected deeply. The third story in "Centerburg Tales" is a parody of this idyllic life, the humor broad brush but illustrative of imagination at work in accordance with the times. The machinations of the children at work to protect one of their favorite story tellers is hidden but implied lending to the humor of the story in its own fashion.
The first two stories are examples of the tales told by the children's favorite story teller, the first a comical tale of barrel busting Indians (native Americans now) and the construction of a Rube Goldberg like device to satisfy their craving for thrills, spills, and barrel rides. This tale leads to a further depiction of strength which then leads to complications in maintaining a workable tale in having ice break when subjected to loaded wagon weight but no problem when the weight is supported but a man's back but the man is now supported by the formerly frangible ice so that a load can be transported. The explanation is part of the humor.
The second story is a showing of life and expecttions in that time period from a humorous level. The final three stories are further life adventures, mostly expectations versus outcomes, the fourth tale being an inheritance from which great expectations are held but outgo exceeds income, the fifth tale shows the townfolk being swindled due to their lack of knowledge of the story of the emperor's new clothes and the final story is just a tale common to everyone's knowledge, a tune is heard somewhere and the hearer can not seem to get it out of his head. The book ends here with the townspeople tired from their exertions caused by the tune and wary that the next time might have a different outcome. All stories are well told and should be enjoyed by all readers, no caveats.

The adventures of Homer, Freddie and their friends are a lot of fun to read. You'll laugh when Dulcey Dooner, the town grouch, receives an inheritance from a relative who'd been an inventor and finds that it's far more than he or Centerburg bargain on. This is a great book for kids, including the ones in their 40s and 50s!

I read this book when I was 9 years old, I recommend this book for my nieces and nephew. Henry Reed is an interesting and enterprising character with many adventures to share.

I have loved these stories since my early childhood. In an age of [...]on the TV and movies. These stories will delight children young and old and make you wish you were born back when this stuff was comon place.

My Hubby had this book as a kid, and was always talking about the 100 foot ragweed trees. When I saw it here, and it was only a penny, how could I resist? I hoped it would get here by Christmas, but I had ordered it a bit too late. My Fault, no big deal...I am an adult...right???
Anyway, it got here on Tuesday the 27th, and he had read the whole thing in about an hour. "Laughing all the way!!!"

Centerburg Tales is the second book to hold stories about Homer Price and friends. The first four stories are tales from Grandpa Hercules, an old man known for his tall tales. All of the stories, including the three not told by Hercules, are fun to read, even outloud! Giant ragweeds, 'Eversomuch More-So' (which makes everything better) and a song you just can't stop singing! Good, old fashion, drug free, rocket-ship free, non-violent FUN for most of the family.

"That character," said Freddy after a long silence, "could make some little squirrel very happy."