Philomena [Paperback]

Kate Seredy (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2008 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

It has long been the custom for every 12-year-old girl from Philomena s village to go to the city to do service as housemaids before coming home to be married. But Philomena s aunt had gone and never returned. On her deathbed, Babushka instructs her little granddaughter to go to Prague and find her aunt, who must surely be rich now, and do service in her household. With the confidence that Babushka is still watching over her from heaven, Philomena travels to Prague, the city of a hundred spires. Once there, she bounces from one adventure into another as doors open and close and unconventional guidance from Babushka? moves her in ever new directions. Though Philomena may grow slightly impatient with Babushka s methods, she is steadily gaining experience, friends and pets! until unexpectedly she is able to accomplish her goal.
Kate Seredy, renowned author and artist, brings to life both the characters and their setting of pre-World War I Czechoslovakia in this beautifully illustrated story of irrepressible Philomena.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 93 pages
• Publisher: Bethlehem Books (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932350195
• ISBN-13: 978-1932350197
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #445,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Charming Tale of Old Prague, June 27, 2008

By 

A. VanHecke "Love2learn Mom" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Philomena (Paperback)

We discovered this little gem after falling in love with two of the author's other books: The Good Master and The Singing Tree. I was thrilled to recently discover that Bethlehem Books is bringing this back into print.

The story begins in a small village near Prague in the early 1900s. In this village, young girls leave home and work as servants in the big city during their early teen years; returning home at the age of sixteen, with experience in all manner of household service and ready to start their own families.

Philomena is an orphaned young girl who was raised by her "Babushka". When the gentle old lady dies, she travels to Prague to seek employment in her aunt's household with complete confidence in her Babushka's guidance from Heaven - which comes through in humorous ways (that generally require a LOT of patience). Her adventures and the journey to find her missing aunt make for a lovely and entertaining story for all ages.

A story of simplicity and trust, the writing is lovely and engaging, and is greatly enhanced by the author's vibrant, spirited illustrations.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wholesome read aloud, September 18, 2008

By 

supernova25rules (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Philomena (Paperback)

My daughters enjoyed having me read this book aloud to them. It is a wholesome page turner for early elementary age, e.g., 6-9 year olds. Following Philomena on her adventures in the big city is interesting and suspenseful. Her relationship with her deceased grandmother is particularly poignant and instructive. Reading it can lead to geography questions--"Where is Prague?"-- which provide an opportunity for learning about the world beyond the United States. Highly recommended.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More wonderful Seredy, May 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Philomena (Hardcover)

My mother found a copy of this book at a library book sale and after growing up with The Good Master, The Singing Tree and The White Stag, this is another wonderful Kate Seredy book! It's all about a young girl in Poland that must leave her village and go to the big city to earn money for her family. She relies completely on the spirit of her grandmother to lead her to make the right decisions, some of which are very unusual but lead to the right ending for the book. If you can find it, it's another great Seredy to add to your collection.