Customer Reviews

Rascal

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I first read the story of Rascal as a child, and was fascinated with the thought of a raccoon as a pet. The adventures of Sterling and his unusual pet were absolutely captivating, and that is all that I remembered of the book.

I recently read this book again to my daughter, piece by piece, at bedtime. The tale of Rascal captured me again, but so much more became evident! As an adult, I am struck by the beauty of the land North describes, and fascinated by the historical and naturalistic detail in his narrative.

North's language is natural and readable, though not overly simple. It is as though the reader sits at the foot of a rocking chair as an aged, eminent natural philosopher tells the story of his boyhood. The words flow over and around the reader, and refresh our sense of wonder at the beauty of our natural world.

Sterling NOrth has written a wonderful, touching, memorable book based on his childhood, and a raccoon named Rascal. It is beautifully written, and is suitable for adults as well as children. He describes each aspect of his childhood so well that you almost feel you are there.
If you are an adult who has never read this book, I hope you will not miss the opportunity. If you have a child, don't let him or her miss this wonderful classic.

This is really two great stories. The first is about Rascal, the raccoon who is rescued by Sterling, the young narrator, and who becomes a member of the family. The second story, which is no less entertaining, is about a year in the life of a country boy, circa 1918.

The book is organized by chapter, with each chapter usually covering a single month in the life of Sterling.

Rascal has earned it's status as a beloved classic, by presenting an unforgettable tale of a boy who falls in love, and then must do the right thing. This is the same formula that makes other books tick, but it's hard to imagine anyone doing a better job than Sterling, who brings us into young Sterling's head so intimately that we share his joy, frustration, and sorrow as he rides an emotional roller coaster powered by Rascal.

The intricately drawn black and white illustrations by John Schoenerr are also very good, capturing the classic spirit of the book with ease and style.

This story has an amazing hook for young readers. What youngster hasn't dreamed of owning a pet raccoon, or some other exotic pet? Readers will learn important lessons about nature and the human spirit. This is a terrific book, and I highly recommend it.

It could have been anyone, the person who found Rascal. But it was our good fortune that it was Sterling North, a writer-to-be who could give us all the wonderful details of Rascal's magnetic personality. The insight into North's childhood was a delight -- his father's instinctive (or was it neglectful?) way of giving the boy responsibilities. The canoe in the living room, kept there unfinished due to the expenses of reining in the pesky little critter. I sensed the coming of a dark ending. But, no, it was simply perfect. I can't imagine a reader not loving this book.

Filled with excitement, compassion, and responsibility, Rascal is a great book for any age. Sterling North, the author, does a great job of explaining how such an odd relationship between a boy and a racoon can become a learning adventure. When you're reading a book, do you ever feel like you're actually in the house with the characters? Well, North also does a great job of describing the setting enough for you to feel like you're in the story with the boy and his father. I had no idea that such a companionship could cause so much trouble throughout the boy's neighborhood. Yet, he somehow manages to find a way around getting into trouble with his new friend. Rascal shows how responsibility can sometimes be challenging, but not to give up for what you believe is right.

With the publication of this title a full of fun, endearing young raccoon named "Rascal" takes his place among the other beloved animals in children's fiction, such as Bambi, Lassie, et al. For youngsters and often for adults, as well, there is nothing more attractive than an animal story.

Storyteller and voice artist Jim Weiss gives a sympathetic and engaging reading to this delightful story of the affection between a boy and his raccoon.

Sterling is an 11-year-old boy who recently lost his mother. One day he comes across a small raccoon hiding in an old tree stump in the woods. The boy takes the animal home, names him "Rascal" and quickly but surprisingly integrates him into the family - a father who forgets a lot, four skunks, woodchucks, and a crow named, of course, Poe. It's an extremely unusual household with a yet to be completed 18 foot canoe in the living room.

"Rascal" becomes Sterling's best friend and constant companion; they eat together, sleep together, and go to school together. It is a happy year for boy and his animal until spring arrives and brings with it some changes.

This is a simple yet heartwarming story, a return, if you will, to simpler times. What a joy that is even if only in our imaginations.

- Gail Cooke

I enjoyed this book when I was a boy and now my children love it too. Sterling North paints a delightful picture of rural Wisconsin in 1918. This novel should be required reading in middle school literature.