The Van Gogh Cafe [Hardcover]

Cynthia Rylant (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Magic things happen at the Van Gogh Cafe in Flowers, Kansas. No one quite knows why, but people think it’s because the cafe building was once a theater. They figure the walls absorbed enough magic during those years of lights and costumes and opening nights to last forever. Ten-year-old Clara is another reason for the magic. She believes anything might happen--and it always does. “Newbery Medalist Rylant breaks new ground in producing this whimsical tale, dextrously weaving extraordinary events into the fabric of ordinary life. As she gently guides her characters toward their magnificent destinies, the strength of her imagination and the depth of her sensitivity will impress even the reluctant reader.”--Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Miracles are always in the making at the Van Gogh Cafe in Flowers, Kans.: the small restaurant, housed in a renovated theater, has "magic enough to last forever in its walls." Readers will share the wonder of 10-year-old Clara and her father Marc, the cafe's owner, as they witness a series of serendipitous occurrences involving stranded sea gulls, aged film stars, magic muffins, lost pets and mysterious travelers. As effective as Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's charms at curing all manner of ills, the enchanted cafe instills faith and good will in its patrons. Newbery Medalist Rylant (Missing May) breaks new ground in producing this whimsical tale, dextrously weaving extraordinary events into the fabric of ordinary life. As she gently guides her characters toward their magnificent destinies, the strength of her imagination and the depth of her sensitivity will impress even the reluctant reader. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. With her usual mix of elegance and down-to-earthness, Rylant offers seven vignettes of life at the Van Gogh Cafe{‚}. Situated off I-70 in Flowers, Kansas, the cafe{‚}(formerly an old movie theater) is run by Marc and his 10-year-old daughter, Clara, who appreciate the magic that comes from the cafe{‚}'s very walls. A possum turns up (upside down, actually) and is responsible for a widower's finding new meaning for his life. An aged film star and the man he loved many years ago are reunited in death at the cafe{‚}. Rylant's works can be deceptively simple on the surface, but there are layers to probe here. Some children may not wish to; even with magic in the walls and Clara hovering about, there's an adult, occasionally indulgent, sensibility that also permeates. But others will enjoy the odd cast of characters and Rylant's ability to turn a phrase, which can be quite magical in its own right. Ilene Cooper

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (June 29, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152008438
• ISBN-13: 978-0152008437
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,065,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cynthia Rylant is the author of numerous distinguished novels and picture books for young readers. In addition to her beginning-reader series: Henry and Mudge, Poppleton, and Mr. Putter and Tabby, as well as her Cobble Street Cousins early-chapter series, she is also the author of the Newbery Medal-winning Missing May, the Newbery Honor Book A Fine White Dust, and two Caldecott Honor-winning picture books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book to read when you're feeling down, May 1, 2002

By 

Dawn Kessinger (Lima, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Van Gogh Cafe (Hardcover)

Not only does the magic renew Clara's (the 10 year-old who helps her father run the Van Gogh Cafe) hope and add a rainbow splash of color to her life, but the magic between Marc (Clara's father) and Clara struck me as inspiring, too. Marc and Clara share the work, and share the magic: The father and daughter make an interesting, enjoyable team to read about, from the time lightning struck the Cafe, to the time they met a very special writer and all the times in between. It seems Clara expects good things (magic) to happen, and that expectation is contagious to readers as they can't wait to find out what happens next in this book (which is a quick and easy read - it was over too soon). It's easy to get involved in The Van Gogh Cafe, and easy to find hope and cheer there.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magical book of the everyday happenings at the Van Gogh..., August 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Van Gogh Cafe (Apple Signature Edition) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is probably the best book I have ever read. I love the magical and nice suspense put into the book. A few fellow classmates of mine and I loved it so much, we dressed up in striped red and white shirts, black pants, berets, and created 'A Poetry Evening at the Van Gogh Cafe' for a school project. We included it with poems about magic and the Cafe, read the poem Invitation by Shel Silverstein, recited Marc's poetry, and topped it off with a pair of bongos and a spotlight. Well, I loved everything about this book: the way each chapter led into another, the font and pictures put at the top of each page, even the cover is beautiful. I think every person in the world should own a copy of this book.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Van Gogh Cafe...A surefire hit with kids and adults, September 11, 2002

By 

Phyllis S Musicar (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Van Gogh Cafe (Apple Signature Edition) (Mass Market Paperback)

I just finished reading the Van Gogh Cafe to the kids in my fifth grade class today. This is the fourth time I have read it to my classes, and I never fail to be amazed and delighted by the images and magic Cynthia Rylant infuses into her story about a very unusual cafe in Flowers, Kansas. Each little story within this slim volume is like a jewel. Rylant wields her pen as skillfully as Vincent Van Gogh did his brush and palette knife, and no matter how many times I read it, the hair on the back of my neck prickles in anticipation of the unexpected, the "marvel ous."
I HIGHLY recommend this book to chldren and to anyone, child or adult who needs to be transported to a place where a porcelain hen sits smiling, and a sign reads Bless All Dogs.