Rascal (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "IT was in May, 1918, that a new friend and companion came into my life: a character, a personality, and a ring-tailed wonder..." (more)
Key Phrases: small raccoon, little raccoon, case weather, Aunt Lillie, Uncle Fred, Miss Whalen (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Everyone should knock off work, sit beneath the nearest tree, and enjoy Rascal from cover to cover. -- Chicago Tribune --This text refers to the Paperback 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 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (October 8, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525188398
• ISBN-13: 978-0525188391
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #684,517 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 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 (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.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic American tale, and a wonderful animal story., December 13, 1999

By	Margaret Fiore (North Granby, CT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rascal (Paperback)

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.

7 of 7 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.