Shy Charles (Picture Puffins) [Mass Market Paperback]

Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1992 | Age Level: 4 and up | Series: Picture Puffins

Being painfully shy and timid does not stop a young mouse from rescuing his baby-sitter during an emergency, but despite his heroism, Charles continues to remain silent. Reprint. H. K. SLJ. AB.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Leading a quartet of reissues is Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells. "Readers will find this quiet hero and his winsome smile beguiling proof that shyness does not preclude competence," said PW of the book first published in 1988.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2 Charles is as quiet as a mouseand it doesn't bother him one bit. His rodent parents try everything from bribery to scolding, from ballet to football, but Charles resists all of their efforts to make him become more outgoing. It isn't until he is faced with the emergency of an injured babysitter that he springs into action and saves the day, only to revert to his shyness when his parents return. Wells' illustrations, in the familiar style of her Stanley and Rhoda (1978) and Hazel's Amazing Mother (1985, both Dial) show the plump, large-eared cast to be full of charm and cleverness. Facial expressions, posture, and background details substantially extend the humor of the story. The simple rhythm of the rhyming text is subtle and playful. It is refreshing that Wells offers no sudden transformation of Charles, nor does she propose any easy solution to his situation. Instead, she present a welcome portrayal of a common trait in young children with empathy and respect. Starr LaTronica, North Berkeley Library, Calif.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (May 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140545379
• ISBN-13: 978-0140545371
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,246,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in New York City, Rosemary Wells grew up in a house "filled with books, dogs, and nineteenth-century music." Her childhood years were spent between her parents' home near Red Bank, New Jersey, and her grandmother's rambling stucco house on the Jersey Shore. Most of her sentimental memories, both good and bad, stem from that place and time. Her mother was a dancer in the Russian Ballet, and her father a playwright and actor. Mrs. Wells says, "Both my parents flooded me with books and stories. My grandmother took me on special trips to the theater and museums in New York. "Rosemary Wells's career as an author and illustrator spans more than 30 years and 60 books. She has won numerous awards, and has given readers such unforgettable characters as Max and Ruby, Noisy Nora, and Yoko. She has also given Mother Goose new life in two enormous, definitive editions, published by Candlewick. Wells wrote and illustrated Unfortunately Harriet, her first book with Dial, in 1972. One year later she wrote the popular Noisy Nora. "The children and our home life have inspired, in part, many of my books. Our West Highland white terrier, Angus, had the shape and expressions to become Benjamin and Tulip, Timothy, and all the other animals I have made up for my stories." Her daughters Victoria and Beezoo were constant inspirations, especially for the now famous "Max" board book series. "Simple incidents from childhood are universal," Wells says. "The dynamics between older and younger siblings are common to all families."But not all of Wells' ideas come from within the family circle. Many times when speaking, Mrs. Wells is asked where her ideas come from. She usually answers, "It's a writer's job to have ideas." Sometimes an idea comes from something she reads or hears about, as in the case of her recent book, Mary on Horseback, a story based on the life of Mary Breckenridge, who founded the Frontier Nursing Service. Timothy Goes to School was based on an incident in which her daughter was teased for wearing the wrong clothes to a Christmas concert. Her dogs, west highland terriers, Lucy and Snowy, work their way into her drawings in expression and body position. She admits, "I put into my books all of the things I remember. I am an accomplished eavesdropper in restaurants, trains, and gatherings of any kind. These remembrances are jumbled up and changed because fiction is always more palatable than truth. Memories become more true as they are honed and whittled into characters and stories."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Had potential, but..., September 1, 2007

By 

A. M. Murphy (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shy Charles (Mass Market Paperback)

As I read this book to my shy 3 year old dauther, I found that I needed to add text to clarify to her what was going on. Although the premise for the book is good, I feel it was not well written. I also was somewhat taken aback by the verbal cruelty of Charles' parents. Basically they told him he wouldn't amount to anything and some might spank him, just for being shy. This is NOT the message I wanted to send my kid. In the end, Charles shows everybody what he's made of, and they say thank you, but no one ever apologizes to him. I suppose you could argue that this represents the real world, but wow, how harsh. Since my daughter loves the illustrations, we keep reading and I keep add-libbing.

19 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars unfortunate name-calling in this book, March 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Shy Charles (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

We are tried and true Rosemary Wells fans, and are familiar with most of her books. I borrowed this one from the library, and was disappointed to find Charles' parents expressing their frustration through language like "another mother would have spanked you" for not saying thank you or goodbye (maybe Wells could have the mother model good manners rather than threatening punishment)and the father actually calling him names for not participating in football, which Dad forced on him. What a negative approach to modeling the behavior you want your child to adopt, never mind giving parents the idea that it's OK to treat a child in this manner. Needless to say, I edited it heavily when I read it, then returned it to the library post haste! Not one for my library!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very pleasant book, February 22, 2010

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shy Charles (Mass Market Paperback)

Charles is a terribly shy young mouse, and his parents want to know what is wrong with him. Will he ever be able to function normally? But, when Charles' babysitter falls down the stairs, Charles gets a chance to show just how normally he can function.

This is a nice little book with a nice lesson. One of my siblings had a daughter that was terribly shy, and when this sibling asked the doctor what could be done about it, he rather correctly answered, "What's wrong with being shy? She has a right to be shy." That's right, they learned the same lesson that the parents in this book needed to learn - there's nothing wrong with being shy.

I found this to be a very pleasant book with lots of very well done illustrations. I like the lesson, which for once is a lesson for the parents rather than for the child, and recommend this book.