The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers [Box set] [Paperback]

Mary Norton (Author), Joe & Beth Krush (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 13, 2011 | Age Range: 9 and up | Series: The Borrowers

A BIG box for three tiny heroes . . .

Mary Norton’s beloved, best-selling books about the tiny, stouthearted Borrowers are now available together in one gorgeous package, perfect for gift giving. Put this boxed set into the hands of little people—or of any reader who delights in classic adventure. Includes paperback editions of The Borrowers, The Borrowers Afield, The Borrowers Afloat, The Borrowers Aloft, and The Borrowers Avenged.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for the Borrowers books:

"A book that begs to be shared."--The Horn Book

"The magic and charm of the writing convince children and grown-ups, too, that Borrowers really do exist."--School Library Journal

"It is not mere extravagance that has prompted comparisons of these books with The Wind in the Willows and Alice in Wonderland, for like the truly great writers of fantasy, Mary Norton is truly original."--The New York Times Book Review

About the Author

MARY NORTON (1903-1992) lived in England, where she was an actress, playwright, and award-winning author of books for young readers, including Bed-Knob and Broomstick, the basis for the classic Disney film, and Are All the Giants Dead?

Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 1152 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (September 13, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152049150
• ISBN-13: 978-0152049157
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,158 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars delightful, fun, and intelligent stories and great illustrations December 6, 2011

By Sarah

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I used to read The Borrowers as a child (probably at 12 or 13 yrs?) and I really enjoyed them at the time. I just recently bought this set. I was also hoping to introduce them to an 8 year old friend of mine. While they proved too challenging for her, I thoroughly enjoyed rereading them myself. They are very well-written, the characters are rich and realistic (even if they are under a foot tall!), and the stories are exciting. I believe most children ages 11 and up who enjoy reading will appreciate these. The main character, Arriety, is about 13 years old, and she goes through bits of teenaged angst and frustration that we can all relate to. Living under the floor all her life, she longs for adventures in the outdoors, and she eventually gets her wish, even as her mother frets over all dangers. The illustrations are lively and expressive black and white drawings.
There is a new animated movie coming out soon, which looks okay. But I say get these books and read them while you still can and enjoy them before the movie images take over how you picture the characters in your own imagination!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Superb series of fantasy novels May 30, 2012

By maelje

Format:Paperback

I must have read "The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers" about a dozen times after receiving a copy as a child in the 1960s. Of course, at that time, "The Borrowers Avenged" had not been published yet, but I thoroughly enjoyed the four installments that preceded it, and which were called, at that time, "Complete."

My enjoyment of the series seemed a bit odd even to me -- an American boy reading a decidedly English series of novels featuring, as their protagonist, a teen-aged girl. But Arrietty was a vivid, delightful, tomboyish character -- perhaps I even had a bit of a juvenile crush on her. :)

One of the great things about the sequels was that author Mary Norton seemed willing to devote as much energy to them as she had to the first book. In "Afield," "Afloat" and "Aloft," she conjured up stories that were rather quietly written but exciting nonetheless. I could not resist seeing where she took these little people next -- into an old, abandoned boot, afloat on a stream in a tea kettle, and into the air in a balloon.

If Mary Norton had not returned to this subject in 1982, when she published "The Borrowers Avenged," I'd be giving this set five stars instead of four. Unfortunately, the fifth book simply is not as good as its predecessors. It's a much longer book, for one thing, but instead of being richer, the story drags. On the plus side, I did enjoy the new character, Peagreen -- Peagreen Overmantel, to be exact, but he's not quite the stuck-up fop that Homily, Arrietty's mother, had led her to expect.

These are terrific books to share with children of a certain age -- older than five or six, generally, and younger than teen. The books have a classic, timeless appeal, written by a woman possessed of a true storyteller's heart.... Finally, they evoke an England that has faded away: That transitional time from the late Victorian to early Edwardian era, when pastoral lifestyle and traditional values began to give way to electric light, the telephone and other modern "conveniences." It's easy to imagine that borrowers could have existed, even thrived, in that now-gone gaslit world. Read more ›

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK! July 2, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Hi! If you love The Borrowers books by Mary Norton, then you'll love this book! It's a collection of all the Borrowers stories put into one volume. I orded this book from amazon.com and had no trouble getting it, even though it's out of print. So, go ahead and buy it! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Borrowers series December 30, 2011

By Aniraf

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Great books. I read them as a child and now my 9 daughter has. We gave this set as a gift to two other 9 year olds and they loved them too. Borrowers are small people secretly living in a large humans house. They face adversity and eviction and have to find new homes in fields, by streams and in attics in each book. Delightful, believable characters. Arriety is a curious, kind young girl that the readers relate to. Some boys may enjoy too, as book 2 introduces a boy named Pod that was living on his own in the wild.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers April 24, 2009

By M. Koronkiewicz

Format:Hardcover

Wonderful story of the Borrowers. A book I remember well from my childhood, just had to get a copy for my grandchildren!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love the stories, great British authors April 29, 2012

By DVD fans

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have not finished all the stories from this complete adventure; however, the first book is fantastic. I know these stories when I was a kids. Excited adventures... =)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Our whole family loves this series April 27, 2012

By Ralph Chapman

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

We love the borrows series. My 6 year old asked if we could read them aloud during our last 3 hour car trip rather than watch a movie. The book set is a good quailty paperback book and a nice decorative box. A great set for the price and worth it for any borrows fan.

5.0 out of 5 stars These are great! May 20, 2013

By Laura Tillman

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read this series as a little girl- bought them for my 8 year old.
I 'm hoping she loves them like I did.
Thanks for quick shipping!