Goody Hall [Hardcover]

Natalie Babbitt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1971

The new tutor at Goody Hall is pleased with his job but can't help feeling there is something peculiar about the household.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Goody Hall is an unusual mystery that is rightly named; for Goody Hall seems almost to bewitch those who come in contact with it. The whole story has a dreamlike, allegorical quality that perfectly matches the setting. . . . an imaginative story for discriminating readers.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review

“Goody Hall is one of those rare publishing miracles, a book to delight readers of all ages.”—The Boston Globe

“In the marvelously evoked atmosphere of a country establishment surrounded by legends of a costumed robber, Mrs. Babbitt moves precisely and lightly to a happy finale. Adults as well as children will be satisfied with this story for reading aloud.”—Washington Post Book World

“A delightfully zany yarn.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“This book is enchanting, written with comic artistry.”—Books for New Age Children and Youth

“The tidy, satisfying-for-everyone ending is perfectly in keeping with the skillfully wrought tale. The writing is the kind adults will enjoy sharing with children.”—The Horn Book Magazine

“A young hero hired as tutor in an isolated house; an empty tomb, a séance, and a statue filled with stolen jewels; a double glimpsed in a night garden; and a bang-up Victorian happy ending. Another delicious blend of style, wit, and adventure.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Goody Hall belongs on the list of timeless classics. While the book may age, the story doesn’t. It’s a book that is as much a pleasure to read as a child as it is for an adult. There is mystery, humor, history, and legend, all wrapped up in a wonderfully told story about interesting, likable people. And the fiery finish will captivate even the most jaded of children. . . . Whether this will be the first or fifteenth time you’ve read it, it’s worth every second.”—Armchair Interviews

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

A gifted artist and writer, Natalie Babbitt is the award-winning author of the modern classic Tuck Everlasting, The Eyes of the Amaryllis, Kneeknock Rise and many other brilliantly original books for young people. She began her career in 1966 as the illustrator of The Forty-ninth Magician, a collaboration with her husband. When her husband became a college president and no longer had time to collaborate, Babbitt tried her hand at writing. Her first novel, The Search for Delicious, established her gift for writing magical tales with profound meaning. Kneeknock Rise earned her a Newbery Honor Medal, and in 2002, Tuck Everlasting was adapted into a major motion picture. Natalie Babbitt lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and is a grandmother of three.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux; 1st edition (1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374327459
• ISBN-13: 978-0374327453
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,968,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A gifted artist and writer, Natalie Babbitt's novels are inspired by a brilliance and imagination that is completely original. She began her career in 1966 with the publication of a picture book, The Forty-Ninth Magician, a collaboration with her husband, Samuel Fisher Babbitt. Her first novel, The Search for Delicious, established her gift for writing magical tales with a more profound meaning embedded within them. Kneeknock Rise earned her a Newbery Honor Medal, but it is Tuck Everlasting which has insured Babbitt's place in the history of children's literature. This modern classic, which has also been made recently into a major motion picture starring Alexis Bledel, William Hurt, and Sissy Spacek, asks an enduring and powerful question: If we could live forever, would we want to? Babbitt has written six more novels including The Eyes of the Amaryllis and Goody Hall-each one presenting her unique vision of an enchanted world. Her latest novel, Jack Plank Tells Tales, was published in Spring 2007. Natalie Babbitt lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and is a grandmother of three. When asked what she wants readers to remember about her books, she replied, 'the questions without answers.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book, April 5, 2005

By 

Louise Carlsen "Lou" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goody Hall (Paperback)

I love this book so much that it has taken me several tries to write a review.

How perfect can a book be? Funny, mysterious, deep, intellectual, all in one title. A story about a young man finding himself, and a woman doing the same, with the supporting cast either having already done the work or just plain not interested. (And just like in real life, the people who have no interest in improving themselves are in very happy ignorance, while the ones who are searching for truth are in what seems unsurmountable angst.)

It's the juggling of the several stories, interwoven with Greek mythology, that seems so miraculous to me. The title comes from the name of the house in which most of the action takes place, the grand and beautiful home of Midas Goody. If you don't know any Greek mythology, you'll miss that he made a bad deal, like king Midas--but--and this is the fantastic part--if you miss that you will still understand and enjoy the story. The main character is named after the Greek hero Hercules but is not heroic. The turning point of the story is a trip to Cerberus--or, if you don't know your myths, it's just a venture into an old tomb.

I can't, in this review, make it clear how funny and true this book is. Not only my fave Natalie Babbitt, but my very favorite book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it, loved it!, December 4, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goody Hall (Paperback)

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman

Hercules Feltwright was, until very recently, an actor. Wandering through a small town, Hercules stumbles upon a job as a tutor. He's never been a tutor, but he's played a teacher many times, and it was one of his favorite roles. This might be just what he's looking for.

Goody Hall is the beautiful, if somewhat out-of-place mansion that houses Willet Goody and his mother. But Goody Hall also holds a mystery or two. There's a father who may or may not be dead, a tomb and coffin that holds something, but not necessarily a person, and a mother who doesn't miss her husband. Hercules has fallen into much more than just tutoring, and his student may have a thing or two to teach him before long.

As with any good mystery, each answer creates more questions. Soon myth and fiction collide and everyone will be surprised by who and what they truly are.

Goody Hall belongs on the list of timeless classics. While the book may age, the story doesn't. It's a book that is as much a pleasure to read as a child as it is for an adult. There is mystery, humor, history, and legend, all wrapped up in a wonderfully told story about interesting, likable people. And the fiery finish will captivate even the most jaded of children.

Armchair Interviews says: Whether this will be the first or fifteenth time you've read it, it's worth every second.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goody Hall by Natalie Babbitt, August 21, 2011

By 

S. Mackey (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Goody Hall (Paperback)

My daughter is 11 yrs old and does not like to read very much but she loves to read books written by Natalie Babbitt and Hank Zipzer.