The Party [Hardcover]

Barbara Reid (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

Two sisters don't want to go the the annual family summer party, but after they get there, they have so much fun they do not want to leave.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Polished, combed, and dressed in best bib and tucker, a young girl and her sister are dragged to a family gathering. The party gets off to a rough start with unavoidable kisses from icky Aunt Joan and initial shyness among the children, but the ice soon thaws during a lively game of sharks. Before long, all of the kids are having too much fun to even think about eating, but the buffet calls and then there's Gran's 90th birthday cake. Finally, they all join in a game of twilight hide-and-seek, hoping to postpone the inevitable because now they don't want to go home. Reid's rollicking verses, teamed with her signature Plasticine illustrations, capture the universal joys of a large extended family. The text rolls along at breathtaking pace as the children leap and laugh and their party clothes are reduced to grass-stained rumples. The artwork explodes with the energy used in playing, eating, and celebrating. Personalities burst from the pages and readers will enjoy seeing the mood of the narrator move from resentment and nervousness to happiness and eventually exhaustion. Storyhour participants will join in on the variable refrain-"We laugh till it hurts at the party" or "Leave room for dessert at the party" and, finally, "Oh, what a great time,/what a wonderful time,/such a very late time/at the party." Definitely an event to revisit and remember.
Jeanne Clancy Watkins, Chester County Library, Exton, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Reid captures the experience of a family gathering; but before the fun starts, there are a few anxious moments. The narrator and her younger sister, "squirmy and shy," take the long ride to the relatives' house. There's too much kissing from the older folks and a bit of standoffishness from the cousins, but then the games start, and along with them comes the laughter. Reid uses Plasticine shaped into illustration boards for her art, and the three-dimensional effect is fresh and fetching. All the spreads demand second and third looks, but there are two that are quite remarkable. In the first, the cousins spin in circles, and by blurring the picture, Reid makes sure readers will get the full effect of the dizziness the characters feel. The other picture portrays a table laden with food. Everything from mashed potatoes and a jello mold to deviled eggs and a three-bean salad are meticulously detailed and look good enough to eat. The rhyming text scans well and tells its story, but it's the pictures that make this reunion one where readers will feel right at home. Ilene Cooper

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590978012
• ISBN-13: 978-0590978019
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,741,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, December 11, 2008

By 

Steven R. McEvoy "MCWPP" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Party (Hardcover)

Barbara Reid is a world renowned Canadian author and illustrator. Reid has won just about every Canadian award for children's authors or illustrators, and her unique plasticine illustrations are known and recognized the world over. She won the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustration with this book.

This is the story of a family reunion/party. It is the story of two sisters who are nervous and hesitant at the beginning of the day, and a little shy about being at the party. Yet as the day wears on the children have their own fun and adventures as the adults catch up and enjoy the party also. With incredible illustrations and a great story, it is a book that will be fun for the whole family.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discovery, February 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Party (Hardcover)

This is a beautiful book that both children and adults will love. My daughter 6 has brought it again and again from her school library. The story is realistic and one to which children can relate easily, they all love parties especially with chips, deserts and lots of fun, including their grandma. The illustrations details are breathtaking, absolutely wonderful, a true piece of art. Sentences are short and easy to read for your child, but also challenging. We also recommend the French translation. You will want to see more from the same author, just as we did.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Illustrations & Story, June 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Party (Hardcover)

My three year old and I love this book. Full of color and motion, it is our favorite of her large (and growing) library.