Customer Reviews

Poppy's Return (The Poppy Stories)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have 2 sons, ages 6 and 7. I read to them every night. Previously they had very much enjoyed the other Dimwood books and so when we saw a new Poppy book we naturally got it.

While I have liked Avi's other works, this book was something very special and is clearly my favorite of all the Dimwood books. The characters should all be familiar to Avis's many fans who have been following his Dimwood Forest adventures. Poppy is happily settled with Rye and her 11 children in Mr. Ocax's old tree stump next to Ereth's log. But all is not idyllic. Somehow or other middle age has snuck up on Poppy. She has a teenaged son named for Rye's brother, Ragweed. To distinguish him from the original Ragweed they call him Ragweed Junior, or Junior for short. And Junior is just a little more than Poppy can handle. He seems distant, surly, rebellious; she has lost touch with him. His conversation is full of phrases and idiom that he has heard about in stories about the original Ragweed. He has a new best friend, a skunk named Mephitis (what a clever name!). Junior has colored his fur with soot to look like a miniature skunk and has Mephitis spray him with stink so he, well, stinks. Even Uncle Ereth can't talk sense into him. Poppy and Rye are completely baffled. Into this impasse steps Lilly, Poppy's sister, who comes with an urgent message that Poppy's father, Lungwort, is ill and their old home, Gray House, is being threatened by a bulldozer. Will Poppy go adventuring once more, to return home and confront her old fears (her father) and face a new one (the bulldozer)? Of course, or we would not have had a story. She and Lilly depart, and she decides to take Junior to try to reconnect with him. Well Junior demands that Mephitis be allowed to go and Ereth decides he needs to follow to protect Poppy.

The stage is now set for wild adventures, including a confrontation with a bear and the climactic encounter with the bulldozer. And throughout Avi weaves his magic with touches both clever and poignant about parents and children, and what is the meaning of a family. Do you want something other than what you have? Maybe someone is envying you. Perhaps understanding skips across generations. Maybe you can come home again and then return to the new home you made on your own. My sons were thoroughly charmed, thrilled by the adventure, amused by Junior's fur colors and gasping with laughter at Ereth's swearing. And in some ways this was a gentler book than previous Dimwood adventures. There were no scary death scenes here. May I add that as usual the generous number of Brian Floca's illustrations were a joy?

This is a wonderful book for young and old.

Avi's beloved little mouse Poppy is back in POPPY'S RETURN. Now the mother of eleven mice, Poppy must return to Gray House. Poppy's father is ill, and he has sent her sister to find her. Someone will have to save Gray House from the bulldozer looming outside.

Poppy decides to bring her son, the rebellious Ragweed Junior, along on the journey. She hopes to find common ground with the detached teenager. She can't remember being so wild as a youngster. Junior's best friend Mephitis is a skunk, and he has dyed his fur to match his smelly friend! Poppy faces her newest adventure with more uncertainty than ever.

Fans of Avi's "Poppy" series will love the latest installment. He treats the strained relationship between Poppy and Junior with the mix of humor and seriousness it deserves. Kids will love the genuine puzzlement Junior's antics cause his mother. Even better, most kids will relate to Junior's attempts to find himself, as well as his deep loyalty to Mephitis. Readers will learn the importance of looking beyond the surface of a situation, as well as dedication to friends and family.

I highly recommend this book for young readers and classrooms. Students will find a Reader's Theatre script at the end. Another bonus it that this book can be read even without prior knowledge of the series.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
10/4/2006

This was my first time reading any of the "Poppy" series books. Though I had heard many great reviews about the books, I was a little lost to the appeal. The story began with an interesting plot focused on the grumpy Junior and his deflated relationship with his parents and siblings but the story took a different direction when Poppy and her crew set out for her old home. The saving of her childhood home took a bit of a backseat to pages of banter and I began to lose interest. The character of Mephitis was endearing as was the relationship of Poppy and her best friend, a porcupine named Ereth.
I am a third grade teacher and though the story would probably hold the attention of a 8-10 year old, I would be hesitant to recommend the book to one of my students because of some questionable language. Though there weren't curse words, the word "freaking" was used frequently. I think with all the other bad influences in the world today, our literature may not be the best place to introduce this type of language or encourage its use. I am all for the use of cultural language, even if there is a "bad" word now and then, but to write "freaking" in a children's book just to have it appear in the dialogue didn't sit well with me.
I would only give this book a 3 star rating.

My 10 year old daughter thought this book was boring. We make her finish a book once she starts it & hated every page to the end.

Do you like exciting adventures?
This book is about a mother mouse named Poppy. She lives in Dimwood Forest together with her husband, Rye, and 11 children. One of Poppy's children is Ragween Junior, and he gets Poppy mad sometimes. Junior has a best friend named Mephitis and he is a skunk. Junior dyes himself to look like a skunk.
Lily, Poppy's sister, comes and tells Poppy that their father, Lungwort, is sick. The Gray House, where Poppy lived when she was young, is being destroyed by a bulldozer. Poppy returns to Gray House with Lily, Junior, and Mephitis to try to save the house. The problem is that they are too small and weak, and Poppy doesn't know what to do.
I recommend this book because it's surprising, adventurous, and interesting. If you want to know whether Gray House can be saved or not, read Poppy's Return right now!

A very nice series of stories. I read these aloud to my class, 6th grade. They love them. The right amount of whimsy and animation of characters.

When I was a teenager I had a hard time finding books that interested me. Avi has not only helped me enjoy reading again but my children also enjoy his books. My youngest daughter loves the Dimwood Forest Series and is one or two short of the complete set. To all parents, as an author, Avi has an assortment of genres for the undecided young adult and beginning reader.

but not as good as "Poppy" or "Ereth's Birthday". (Haven't read "Ragweed" or "Poppy and Rye" yet). I thought Mephitis was cute, but noticed that the author Avi and illustrator Brian Floca were biologically incorrect in the illustrations and descriptions of his 'spraying' scenes: Striped skunks do not do 'hand stands' when they spray; it's the spotted skunk that uses that method.

My son (age 9) loves books by the author Avi. He is very descriptive and all the characters in his book have a true personality. He uses some difficult words, which I liked, because my son had to look them up in order to understand the text. The reader can definitely relate to the characters. Many of Avi's books are about animals, which my son loves.
I recommend any of Avi's books for a 4th - 6th grade student.

And as always, Amazon always sends items on time - every time....and at a reasonable price. I am a dedicated customer!

Reasons that I would recommend this book:
1) It was an easy book to read and delightful. This book is full of complicated relationships, you cannot stop turning the pages.
2) The book has many characters that you care about. There is a lot of love between the characters and it is expressed well.
3) There is a clear plot that is explained in the first few chapters.
4) Tons of drama throughout the book. In "Poppy Returns", the main character, Poppy is a small deer mouse goes to her parents home to find that not only is their home going to be bulldozed but that her father is gravely ill. She sets out to help them and takes her son Ragweed Jr., his friend the skunk Mephitis and their porcupine friend Ereth. We read that Poppy's parent's home does get bull dozed, her family then finds a new area for to live in that is more spacious, they are thrilled about their new home. Her father's health gets better and Poppy, Ragweed Jr., Mephitis and Ereth return home.
5) Poppy has a rough relationship with her son Ragweed Jr. Throughout the book we see that they form a new bond and develop mutual respect for each other.


I have also written a short book report:
Poppy the adorable deer mouse and her husband Rye are troubled by their son Ragweed Jr. Seems that Ragweed's going through an impossible teenager phase. Ragweed dyed his fur to look like his skunk friend Mephitis. He is sassy, rude and crude.
One day Poppy's sister Lilly comes to Poppy's home with grim news, their parents home is going to be bulldozed, also that their father Lungwort is very ill.
Poppy decides to make the journey to aid her family and takes her son Ragweed Jr. in hopes of gaining a close relationship. Ragweed insists that his skunk pal Mephitis go with them. Poppy invites her good friend a porcupine named Ereth to also go. The trip does not go as planned. It is full of adventure, rewards and high emotion.
Poppy's father gain back his health, their home does get bulldozed. They also find a new place to live. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one.