When Catherine the Great and I Were Eight! [Hardcover]

Cari Best (Author), Giselle Potter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Readers are in for another rousing good time with Sara and Catherine the Great

The unsinkable heroine of Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! is back!

Sara’s Russian grandma, Catherine the Great, has promised to teach Sara how to float in the sea like a flower. So, on a sizzling summer day, they pile into Mr. Minsky’s old car with Mama and their neighbors and set out for the beach. At first things are fine. But then they’re not: there’s a forgotten bathing suit, car trouble, and so many delays that everyone wonders if they’ll ever get there. Everyone except Catherine the Great. With an enthusiastic “Da!” (Yes!), Sara’s grandma keeps Mr. Minsky’s car chugging down the road, until finally they arrive – just in time for Sara to learn one more lesson from her beloved grandma.

With pictures full of charm and whimsy, this lively sequel to Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! demonstrates that when things go wrong, a positive attitude can make all the difference.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Sara, her Russian grandmother, and their friends, first introduced in Three Cheers for Catherine the Great (DK, 1999), are back. On a "hotter than a hot potato" summer day, the neighbors decide to head to the beach. Crowding into Mr. Minsky's old car with eager anticipation, the group finds that getting there takes longer than expected, but the adults (especially Grandma) amuse the children and themselves on the seemingly endless ride. When the car breaks down, ever-intrepid Catherine saves the day by providing a hairpin to fix the problem. The hot colors in the exuberant art echo the sizzling feel of summer. Potter imbues the characters with wonderful quirks and personalities that make each one an individual. Although the story line is less compelling than that of the first title, readers familiar with these characters will welcome their return.
Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha's Public Library, WI
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. In this sequel to Three Cheers for Catherine the Great (1999), eight-year-old Sara wishes that she could swim like her Russian grandmother, Catherine, who can "float like a flower." Sara's chance to learn comes on a hot day, when Sara, her grandmother, and the neighbors pile into a car and head to the beach. Once en route, though, they encounter one obstacle after another: traffic jams, carsickness, car trouble. They finally reach the beach at dusk, and with Grandma's supportive arms, Sara learns to swim. The various situations don't quite blend into a tight story, but Best's appealing language is filled with puns and atmospheric details enhanced in Potter's whimsical paintings that contrast the hot, crowded car with the open beach and cool sea. Like Sara, children may grow impatient for the car ride to end, but they'll recognize Sara's thrill when she finally floats on her own, and wish for a warm, capable grandmother like the unstoppable Catherine--who has a solution to everything. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); First Edition edition (August 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374399549
• ISBN-13: 978-0374399542
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 10.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,893,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Surprise Favorite, October 9, 2011

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This review is from: When Catherine the Great and I Were Eight! (Hardcover)

We first came across this book when my 3 year old daughter randomly picked it off the library shelf. When I previewed it I was skeptical about it holding her interest as I thought it was a little long and wordy for her age. I was wrong. She loved the language and as we read it over and over I began to fall in love with it too. It's a simple story about a group of neighbors (the narrator is a young girl named Sara and Catherine the Great is her Russian Grandma) who decide to go to the beach on a hot day. The majority of the book is about their difficulty getting there. There isn't really anything remarkable about their adventure, in fact they are rather ordinary but that's the appeal. It is just everyday people going about things in an everyday way. There are many subtle messages in the book about family, immigrant life, enjoying life etc.and the author also uses very interesting language. I love the strong character of Grandma!

We have since read several other titles by Cari Best (Sally Jean Bicycle Queen, P is for Pie, and Three Cheers for Catherine the Great) and my daughter has enjoyed them all. Cari Best has a way with words and with subtly questioning stereotypes. In Sally Jean a little girl learns to fix and then build her own bike and in P is for Pie, a young boy loves to bake. This book and Best's others are definitely worth taking a look at.