The Family Under the Bridge [Paperback]

Natalie Savage Carlson (Author), Garth Williams (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

This is the delightfully warm and enjoyable story of an old Parisian named Armand, who relished his solitary life. Children, he said, were like starlings, and one was better off without them.
But the children who lived under the bridge recognized a true friend when they met one, even if the friend seemed a trifle unwilling at the start. And it did not take Armand very long to realize that he had gotten himself ready-made family; one that he loved with all his heart, and one for whom he would have to find a better home than the bridge.

Armand and the children's adventures around Paris -- complete with gypsies and a Santa Claus -- make a story which children will treasure.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The story of a Parisian tramp, Armand, who finds a ready-made family to live with him under the bridge, was a Newbery Honor book when it was first published more than 30 years ago. Ages 7-11.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A thoroughly delightful story of humor and sentiment Garth Williams' illustrations are perfect." -- --School Library Journal

"Told with warmth and humor. A charming and memorable story." -- –- ALA Booklist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (February 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064402509
• ISBN-13: 978-0064402507
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Homelessness & Poverty
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( W ) > Williams, Garth
  • #98 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Values

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Heartwarming Story, August 24, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Family Under the Bridge (Paperback)

Armand is a hobo who lives in Paris, under a bridge. He begs and does odd jobs for money to take care of himself and buy food. One day he finds a mother and her three children in his "home", under the bridge. At first he is gruff and unhappy about sharing the bridge, but in time he begins to like and help care for this poor homeless family. As Christmas nears, the children ask for nothing except a home of their own and Armand comes up with a plan to make their wish come true. Natalie Savage Carlson has written a beautiful, sensitive story full of humor, insight and wisdom. With fast paced, interesting scenes, young readers will be able to identify with the characters of the children in the story and begin to understand the meaning of family and the rewards of giving and accepting help from others. Perfect for children aged 9-12, this is also a great read-aloud book the entire family can enjoy and discuss. The Family Under the Bridge is a thoughtful, heartwarming story and Ms Carlson deserved all the awards this book won.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A heartwarming story, May 3, 2005

By 

Meghan - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Family Under the Bridge (Paperback)

Natalie Savage Carlson perfectly illustrates what it means to be a family in this heartwarming book. The book is set in Paris in the early 1900's. It explores the world of hoboes and homeless people, a topic which children usually have little experience with. Armand is a homeless man who lives a solitary life under a bridge over the Seine River. He faithfully avoids children, calling them starlings, and saying they will steal your heart if you aren't careful. One day he arrives back home under the bridge, only to find a group of starlings sleeping in his spot. He tries his best to keep them out of his heart, but they work their way in and call Armand their grandpa. The importance of family is the main theme of this book. Armand finds a family and in the end couldn't be happier about it.
Children will love this book. Homelessness isn't something that most children are very familiar with. This unique book will help children understand that even children their age can be homeless. Most homeless people are looked at as being lazy and worthless. This book will show children that some homeless people are just like them, but they are just down in their luck. This is a heartwarming book and deserves attention in the classroom.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Cheerful and Heartwarming Story, November 26, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Family Under the Bridge (Paperback)

The Family Under the Bridge is about an old crabby hobo named Armand who had nothing but the raged clothes on his back and a little baby buggy with his belongings. He lived in crowded corners and alleys and then in the winter he would live under a bridge. One winter, he was surprised to find three children living under his bridge, and to make matters worse, Armand absolutely hated children. He decided to find another bridge since there were many bridges in Paris, but the children begged him to stay. He softened his heart and decided to stay with the three children and their mother. Armand took the children along with him while he traveled around the streets. It was not long before Armand realized he had gotten himself a family- one he loved with all his heart. They stayed together and Armand soon found a job and got a house for the five of them to live in.

I enjoyed The Family Under the Bridge but it wasn't one of my all-time favorites. It was fairly entertaining. Many parts of the book were exciting and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next, but there were also some slow parts. Overall I thought it was a pretty good book.