Rascal [Hardcover]

Sterling North (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

The author recalls his carefree life in a small midwestern town at the close of World War I, and his adventures with his pet raccoon, Rascal.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-6-At 11 years of age, Sterling North found himself the caretaker of a baby raccoon. His long-enjoyed Newbery Honor book (Dutton, 1963) provides the details of a year in the life of a boy and a raccoon. Set in 1918, Sterling's father is often absent and perpetually involved in research for a novel about Fox and Winnebago Indians. Sterling's mother is deceased, and he is often left to his own devices. Rascal therefore enjoys such comforts as sleeping in Sterling's bed and attending the county fair. As Rascal ages, Sterling is aware that the raccoon is having normal springtime urges and is not happy residing in the pen Sterling was forced to construct. Storyteller Jim Weiss narrates at a leisurely pace without sound effects or musical accompaniment. His very slightly stilted inflection delivers the story as a reminiscence rather than events related by a young boy. The audio rendering of this beloved animal story will please the tale's admirers and win fans new to the timeless adventure.
Fritz Mitnick, Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

Everyone should knock off work, sit beneath the nearest tree, and enjoy Rascal from cover to cover. (The Chicago Tribune) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (October 8, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525188398
• ISBN-13: 978-0525188391
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,055,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring story of a boy and his pet, August 26, 2005

By 

Andrew W. Johns "ResQgeek" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rascal (Paperback)

Sterling North takes us on a nostalgic trip back to his childhood and provides an enchanting story of a pre-adolescent boy and his year-long adventure raising an orphaned racoon. Set against the backdrop of the first World War, we get a glimpse of childhood almost a hundred years ago, when the automobile was still a new fangled contraption, and the wilderness was much closer. While many aspects of this story would be highly unlikely in today's world, they seem perfectly natural here, and we follow along as Sterling fends for himself and learns some valuable lessons about life. Filled with charming humor and a cast of memorable characters, both human and animal, this is a story that you will fondly remember for a long time.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A trip into my childhood, October 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rascal (Paperback)

I first read Rascal when I was a young boy (I'm 43 now). I re-read it just a few months ago and once again I was taken back to my youth. I was raised in a small country town (pop 600) in the mid-west (Michigan) and this book always brings back those carefree days of wandering through the woods. When I read this book I am once again young and at home. I feel truely sorry for anyone not touched by this book. They must have missed something very precious in their life.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rascal book review, June 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Rascal (Mass Market Paperback)

Sterling North vividly depicts the adventures, both physically and emotionally, of a boy named Sterling and his pet raccoon. This is a perfectly written book, containing many themes that you can relate to. Read through this book and you will be able to imagine his house perfectly. A menagerie of dogs, crows, skunks, and of course Rascal. The living room with the unfinished canoe and the chicken wired Christmas tree.

Having lost his mother at the age of seven, Sterling is a very independent boy who one day finds a baby raccoon, and decides to call him Rascal. As they both grow, their bond becomes strong along with their numerous activities and adventures. No one couldn’t help but laughing when Rascal, who always washes his food before eating, discovers the sugar cubes. He tries to clean them but they just dissolve!

In this unforgettable book, Sterling North manages to capture you and take you to a timeless place of life. Rascal is an easy, although deep book, and I strongly recommend it to everyone.