Gooseberry Park (Paperback)

by Cynthia Rylant (Author), Arthur Howard (Illustrator) "All new mothers have a nesting instinct, even human mothers who haven't any idea how to build a nest..." (more)
Key Phrases: little red squirrel, little bat, old crab, Professor Albert, Gooseberry Park, Miller Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
An assortment of domesticated pets and untamed creatures band together to help a friend in need in the Newbery Medalist's rollicking animal tale. At the center is Stumpy, a squirrel who gives birth to triplets shortly before her nest in Gooseberry Park is destroyed by an ice storm. Thanks to the ingenuity of Gwendolyn, a Labrador owned by a retired professor; Kona, a wise old hermit crab; and a prankster bat named Murray, Stumpy's babies are rescued and taken to cozy quarters in the professor's basement. The problem? Having left the newborns under the care of Murray, Stumpy has wandered off for help and cannot be found. The adventures of Gwendolyn, Kona and Murray as they nurture the baby squirrels, raid the professor's cupboards and eventually devise a scheme to reunite Stumpy with her brood add up to first-rate entertainment. Readers will relish every moment of this impeccably paced fantasy and its winning depictions of the unique perspectives and quandaries of four unlikely companions. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5?Kona, an earnest Labrador retriever; Gwendolyn, a wise hermit crab who has been reincarnated 17 times; Murray, a loopy, Chinese leftover-eating bat; and Stumpy, a squirrel, come together during a terrible ice storm in Gooseberry Park to save Stumpy's three babies. Rylant's spare prose results in a trim tale. She does a beautiful job of creating the players, deftly drawing personalities. Murray, in particular, with his occasional snide remarks, is charming. From the humor, especially the wordplay and sarcasm, the book appears to be intended for the older elementary-school crowd, though the annoyingly smug tone of the omniscient narrator, particularly in the first chapter, might put them off. The plot holds together well, even though the oblivion of Kona's absent-minded master, Professor Albert, stretches it a trifle thin. If readers can get past the first few chapters, they will find a story they will want to finish. Howard's appealing black-and-white cartoons appear throughout.?Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152061592
• ISBN-13: 978-0152061593
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,893 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Read-Aloud, November 14, 2001

By	K. Phipps (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gooseberry Park (Apple Signature) (Mass Market Paperback)

I used this in my 3rd grade class as a teacher read-aloud and the students loved it. It had characters that all students could relate to --whether it was the sense of humor and crazy antics of Murray,the bat,the heroic deeds of Kona,the labrador retreiver,the straight talk from Gwendolyn,the hermit crab or the motherly sweetness of Stumpy,the squirrel--all children of various learning abilities could enjoy the story. When Stumpy lost her children in an ice storm that toppled her tree, the children were interested in how she would get back to them. When Murray was caring for the babies in the basement, the students would laugh at the bat's appetite for junk food and television. They were delighted and so was I. A real pleasure to read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best, February 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Gooseberry Park (Apple Signature) (Mass Market Paperback)

Will this ice ever stop? Will Kona ever get to Stumpy? Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant is about Stumpy a squirrel who is expecting babies. But soon after the babies are born an ice storm hits covering Gooseberry Park. Her best friend, Kona the dog, will risk the treacherous journey to save Stumpy and her babies. But is he too late or is Stumpy still alive.

Stumpy is a squirrel who likes to collect things. Stumpy is nice and is not very clean. She also is funny and a little bit of a smart alek. In the book she changes because she starts off as a collecting mother soon to be, at the end she is a mother with a curiosity about Gwendolyn and other Hermit Crabs. I think Stumpy is really cool because she really cares for Kona, Gwendolyn a hermit crab, Murray a bat, and her three babies Top, Bottom, and Sparrow.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulously funny read-aloud!, July 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gooseberry Park (Hardcover)

As a school librarian, I am often looking for entertaining books to read aloud to my students. After my nine year old son finished this book, I scooped it up to read to fourth grade students at my school. All the children loved Murray, Kona and Stumpy, and laughed out loud at the trials and tribulations of these three engaging characters. It was wonderful to see my students so involved with a story and its characters - I had a captive audience each library period! Bravo to Cynthia Rylant for creating such a wonderful story and such lovable (and funny!) characters.