Lassie Come-Home [Paperback]

Rosemary Wells (Author), Susan Jeffers Ph.D. (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1998 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Eric Knight’s heartfelt tale of the noble collie Lassie, first published in 1938, receives a worthy new incarnation as a picture book in this splendid collaboration.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Eric Knight's classic "receives a worthy new incarnation as a picture book in this splendid collaboration," said PW in a starred review. All ages.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Twelve-year-old Joe Carraclough is heartbroken. Lassie, the family's beloved collie, must be sold to the Duke of Rudling, a bad-tempered, wealthy old man. The Carracloughs are struggling through hard times and can't afford to keep Lassie, who is without a doubt the finest collie in Yorkshire.

The Duke sends Lassie to his estate in Scotland, four-hundred miles to the north, but Lassie will not be kept away from the family she loves. By instinct she starts the long journey south to find the home where she belongs.

Filled with danger and adventure, this is the story of the love and loyalty shared by a boy and his dog. First published in 1940, the legendary Lassie Come-Home is sure to warm the hearts of yet another generation of readers. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); F edition (October 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805059954
• ISBN-13: 978-0805059953
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #596,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( W ) > Wells, Rosemary

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, but NOT a book for young children., July 19, 2005

By 

A. Cowell (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lassie Come-Home (Hardcover)

I thought this was an excellent book. Despite the one review below, this edition (hardcover, Lassie standing on the tip of a hill) does not appear to be abridged in any form (from the novel), nor is it what you might call an illustrated book-- there's a small sketch to accompany the start of each chapter, and a few full page drawings.

I bought this book to read to my children. Like I said, it's a really great book, but not for children of young ages. Get them an abridged version. Here's why:

1. Knight uses sophisticated language. It's in no way geared for children, and I found myself answering a lot of questions about what words meant, or just paraphrasing the content when things looked difficult.

2. Regional dialect. The characters are all in Yorkshire or Scotland, and Knight writes their dialect accordingly. Sometimes, *I* had a hard time discerning what was being said.

3. Subject matter. The main story is Lassie's journey, but there are numerous side plots that deal with a variety of more mature subjects, probably better suited for teenagers. The Carracloughs are dealing with the father not having a job, and the subsequent tension in the household. It's post WW1, and a veteran briefly discusses being in France, and there's a longer piece about a couple's son who was killed in the war. There's discussion of the euthenasia of dogs at a pound. Robbers attack a man and kill his dog. There are dog fights, boys cruelly throwing rocks at Lassie, somebody shooting at Lassie, Lassie's terrible conditions during her journey from weather and wear, etc...

I read a little background about Eric Knight. He was a WW1 veteran (killed in a plane crash in WW2). In America, he had a small little dog which was killed by a car, where upon he got a collie named Toots, which he based Lassie's character on. Tell me he didn't write himself into his book as Rowlie the peddler!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Dog Book this Reviewer has Ever Read!, September 13, 2008

By 

Atticus (Omaha, NE, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lassie Come-Home (Paperback)

This novel is great. I have loved it since I was a little boy. My father read it to me and my brothers every night for a few months. And when he finished, I read it again.

When I pick it up now I am filled with fond memories of those months. And I must say that this book is one of my favorites.

I, with all due respect, disagree with one of the other reviewers who reviewed this item and said it was not for kids. This is the perfect book for kids, and is perfect to read aloud. The drama is engrossing, but is not too intense for youngsters. It is the perfect dog book.

A dog-lover myself, I have read a great many dog books. And this tops the list. Never before or since has an author captured so poignantly the affection between a boy and his dog. And never before or since has an author tried that affection with so many difficulties and set-backs. But, as we all know, in the end Lassie is there to greet Joe by the school gate. It's in the best three endings I've ever read (the other two being TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and A TALE OF TWO CITIES).

This is a classic, and it's one of my favorites. I honestly cannot even begin to understand why a person would give this book anything but five stars. HIGHLY recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars To Own a Dog, January 30, 2009

By 

Gale Finlayson "PLUME45" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lassie Come-Home (Paperback)

What does it take to be a true dog owner and dog lover? Certainly more than a piece of paper or a pedigree chart. Besides, what is an owner compared to being a dog's one, true Master? Eric Knight's 1940 tale of a dog who risks everything to be reunited with the boy who loves her leaped into the hearts of readers the world over. Based on his youth in the mountains of Yorkshire the story opens with basic the conflict of man versus man, but unfolds into Dog versus the world: man, beast, and Nature. Raising the moral question of what truly makes a man a given dog's Owner, this animal classic inspired a 1946 movie (with Elizabeth Taylor as young Priscilla).

Twelve-year-old Joe Carraclough adores his tricolor collie, Lassie, who though bred as a working dog with sheep, enjoys favored pet status in the family's humble cottage. But times are hard for these people; the mines are closed and Joe's father, desperate for work and the means to feed his family, reluctantly sells Lassie to the rich, blustery old Duke--who also has a keen eyes for dogs.

After running away several times from the Duke's kennels Lassie is shipped

400 miles up to the Duke's estate in northern Scotland. Yet each day around 4 pm the dog's strict Time Sense urges her to go meet the Boy at school. The story of her odyssey after she escapes the Duke's harsh kennel man proves emotional and fascinating reading; she combats

the indifference of Nature and the worst cruelty of mankind, as well as experiences some instances of tender human compassion. Joe comes of age as he realizes the value of honesty in dealing with others, while cherishing not only his own, but Lassie's dream for happiness. For kids of all ages.