Imogene's Last Stand [Hardcover]

Candace Fleming (Author), Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2009 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Meet Imogene, a plucky heroine with a passion for history.

As a baby, Imogene's first words were “Four score and seven years ago.” In preschool, she fingerpainted a map of the Oregon Trail. So it’s not surprising that when the mayor wants to tear down the long-neglected Liddleton Historical Society to make room for a shoelace factory, Imogene is desperate to convince the town how important its history is. But even though she rides through the streets in her Paul Revere costume shouting, “The bulldozers are coming, the bulldozers are coming!” the townspeople won’t budge. What’s a history-loving kid to do?

Filled with quotes from history’s biggest players—not to mention mini-bios on the endpapers—and lots of humor, here’s the perfect book for budding historians.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—Imogene is a feisty child who loves history and spouts quotes from famous people on all occasions. When she discovers the now-abandoned Historical Society building in her New Hampshire town, she cleans it up and opens it as a museum. No one comes. Then one morning she finds a sign posted outside the building stating that it will be torn down to make room for a shoelace factory. Imogene tries to enlist the aid of the mayor and other influential people, but they all say that the factory will put them on the map. At the last minute, she finds a letter in the museum that was written by George Washington to indicate that he had slept there. She notifies a historian and then puts herself in a stockade on the porch as the wrecking crew approaches. Soon the whole town turns out to watch the spectacle, and people tell her to move. "'In the immortal words of the Vietnam War protesters,' she shouted, 'Heck no, I won't go!'" (There is no mention of the fact that the quote has been changed.) The President of the United States (an African-American woman) appears and declares the museum a national landmark. Illustrations done in pen-and-ink and digital media provide a lot of historical details and humor, featuring a determined child who rides in a sidecar on her father's motorcycle. This title could serve as a jumping-off place for some early elementary history lessons.—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI END

Review

Starred Review, The Horn Book Magazine, November/December 2009: "With a light touch, complemented by Carpenter’s breezy illustrations, Fleming introduces rather than stresses these issues, making room for more thoughtful discussion but never requiring it"

Publishers Weekly, October 5, 2009: "Imogene’s passion and comedic perseverance inspire"

Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2009: "Fleming peppers the text with famous quotes that add a layer of historical depth to the story"

Booklist, July 1, 2009: "Fleming’s sense of small-town space is impeccable; Carpenter’s pen-and-ink art enjoyably scribbly; and the historical facts and quotes that bookend the story are just the thing to get new Imogenes fired up."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (October 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375836071
• ISBN-13: 978-0375836077
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 0.4 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #701,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Imogene's Fiesty and Her Patriotism is Contagious!, November 12, 2009

By 

L. C. MCWILLIAMS "Reading Mom" (Flower Mound, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Imogene's Last Stand (Hardcover)

My 8 year old son and I just love this book. We've read it twice now and will be reading it again. Imogene is a determined patriot, whose love of history leads her to do amazing things. We particularly enjoyed the quotes she uses from famous people in history and were excited to read more about those characters. This book is one you need in your library. Every person, of every age can read it and enjoy it, because in the immortal words of my son, "Wouldn't it be great if everyone had at least a little Imogene in them?" Indeed it would. Bravo!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OutSTANDING!!!, December 28, 2009

By 

Journey Williams "JW" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Imogene's Last Stand (Hardcover)

My youngest daughter received this book as a gift and she read it immediately. However, she refused to pass up the chance for reading along with her, (possibly because I use voices for the different characters). We enjoyed every single page, but I became sad as I saw how the community responded to Imogene's many cries.

In celebration of Kwanzaa and the need for the community to come together, this book brought many things home. Because it strongly encourages girl-power and the use of yesterday's wisdom to accomplish many of today's tasks, I stand behind Imogene and shout OUTSTANDING!

I am looking forward to reading it again, sharing it with other children, and reading it many for years to come.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Literature full of teaching moments!, December 27, 2011

By 

sherrilang - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Imogene's Last Stand (Hardcover)

This is a great book to use over and over in the classroom. It has so many teaching moments the list could go on and on. So simply put it is a great book to use to integrate Social Studies and Language Arts. Enjoy!!