Customer Reviews

The Pink Motel

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was my favorite book as a child in the '60s. I recently re-read it and realized why: the key theme is the acceptance by the conventional of the "Unusual." The narrow-minded vs. the open-minded. The extremely narrow-minded parents balk at the "unusual" color of the pink motel, and declare that they will paint it "gray or brown or white" as soon as possible. The children, more open-minded, love the color of the motel and actively seek out the unusual. Of course, by the end, even the parents have loosened up under the spell of the Pink Motel, and somewhat nervously accept the Unusual.

It's clear to me that one reason children embrace this story is that it reassures them that there might be a place for them in the world, no matter how unusual they are: i.e. adopted, too bright, extremely isolated, gay, or the "wrong color" (depending on where they're going to school).

Beyond that, it's just a terrific story, swiftly told, with great illustrations. The weather-vanes are especially charming.

Like others, I received this book when I belonged to the Weekly Reader Bookclub as a 4th grader. It is the first real novel I ever read and it gave me a love of reading that has lasted about 45 years. The easy fantasy, fun chatacters and secret of Uncle Hiram have lasted that long in my heart. I read this book 10 times, literally, before I ever read another novel. When it came as a book club selection even the hardback was pink!

The Pink Motel was my favorite book in elementary school. That was back in the days before the Internet was so widely known and used, and therefore I never thought I could BUY the book. I would check it out from my school's library and try to painstakingly copy it by hand into a notebook. I gave up after a chapter or so. As an adult, I had to buy this book for nostalgia. I think the appeal for me is that it sets my imagination on fire...what an exciting book full of eccentric characters. I highly recommend this book!

What a magical book! The Mellon family inherits The Pink Motel on the Florida coast and moves down for the summer to run it. There they meet an assortment of regular guests and find some new ones. The children, Kirby and Bitsy, make friends with a local boy named Big and revive a bored girl guest named Sandra. Secrets, mysteries, alligator chasing, coconuts, wonderful treats from Miss Frith's basket, and some very, very valuable dog guests make for a lively and engaging story. For 1951, the integration between white and black children is natural and straightforward. This is the kind of book I would like to write. I sure enjoyed reading it.

As a girl, I loved this book!

Still love it. I have my hardback on my shelf, in it's pinkness, no dust jacket. Magical. The author, Carol R. Brink, also wrote "Baby Island," another favorite.

Read this a few times, as a kid, and always wanted a Pink Motel of my own. Just the other day, I told my dear Norman, Hunny, let's up and move to Florida, buy a little motel, paint it pink, and have each room different.. just like the book! Palm trees and white sand beaches are calling.. especially since it's been 20 degrees here this week, and miserable!

An adventure for kids. All my daughters read my pink copy. Buy it. Read it. You'll love it too.

As a third grader in Minnesota in 1958, this book made Florida seem like the most exciting and exotic place in the world. The ensuing mystery that evolves with the inheritance of an old motel, the discovery of the odd guests that come to stay there and a mysterious alligator make it memorable. The two curious kids who lead very ordinary lives back home, keep looking for adventure at every turn in the story to make this vacation one to remember. A delightful tale that every summer vacation should live up to! The book was a childhood classic to me and when I moved to Miami, FL in 1986, every side trip to Sanibel, Captiva, Key West, etc. required extra time searching for the original site of The Pink Motel. I wanted to see (or imagine) the setting of the book that gave me such enjoyment.

When I was young I read this book and it shaped my whole view of Florida. As a result, I ended up settling there. I don't have my own Pink Motel, but that magical place is still in my mind and heart even as I drive across the bridge to work in the morning.

A few years ago I sat across from a friend at dinner and was trying to explain my view of Florida. I started by saying "I read this book as a child and it made me want to live in Florida". Before I got any further she said "The Pink Motel" and I almost fell out of my chair. It was her favorite too. It's hard to explain but when reading this book, even today it sill evokes white sands, palm trees in the breeze, brilliant pink buildings against the blue of the gulf. Magic.

My hardback edition holds a treasured spot on my bookshelf and in my heart that no other book can replace.

I am 47 years old and read this book as a Book of the Month Club title when I was a child. It is still one of my favorite books. My three children also have enjoyed it. It is a delightful, easy read for children. The setting is in Florida. A family has inherited a pink motel but they really don't know what to do with it. Summer vacation is approaching so they decide to go and check out the property. As the children rummage around in the dusty office they find a list of summer tenants who seem to offer very colorful and interesting lives. They can hardly wait for the tenants to arrive and as each one does, they bring fun and excitement to the family. Also a mystery evolves. A must for children around 8-9 years old.

I read this book every summer for years starting when I was a little kid. It stayed in my memory since and when I found a copy of it at a flea market in Pasadena, CA for some ridiculous price like $3.00, it had to be purchased. Had it been 10 times that amount, it would have been worth every cent. Same pink cover, same imprint of the "Weekly Reader's Children's Book Club" on the back, same engrossing story inside. Who wouldn't have wanted to go to Florida and have their own summer adventure?
And it's still enjoyable even at this late date.
My Grandmother owned a Motel once, so the basis for the book was instantly appealing.It wasn't too hard to relate to any of it as a child.
This book is a treasure.It cannot be recommended enough.

I think this book is a great book because it is a mystery, an adventure and fun. It is also really funny. I really liked this book and I am going to read other things that the author wrote. It is a GREAT book!