The Blue Hill Meadows - Hardcover

Rylant, Cynthia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0152014047 ISBN 13: 9780152014049

Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books, 1997

Synopsis

Tells the tale of the Meadow family and their peaceful existence in Blue Hill, Virginia, where each season of the year holds something wonderful, like the springtime birth of their dog's puppies, and an autumn fishing trip.

About this title

About the Authors

Cynthia Rylant is a Newbery medalist and the author of many acclaimed books for young people. She's well known for her popular characters for early readers, including Mr. Putter & Tabby and Henry & Mudge. She lives in the Pacific Northwest. www.cynthiarylant.com.

 

 

 

ELLEN BEIER lives in Corvallis, Oregon.

Reviews

Grade 3-5. In four short chapters, Rylant introduces the Meadows: Sullivan, Eva, and their two boys Ray and Willie. They live in Blue Hill, Virginia, where things move slowly and a family has time to "just be." As always, Rylant writes with grace. Her spare style effortlessly creates a sense of place, rich in homey, happy details. The watercolor and acrylic illustrations, done mostly in blues and lavenders, contribute to the gentle tone. Each chapter is set in a different season, creating a nice balance to the pacing and bringing the end back to the beginning. However, for all its loveliness, there is a detached quality to the narration that makes it read more like a sweet dream than a here-and-now story. Willie is the only character who ever develops a personality, which is a shame since the joy of adopting a stray pet, the excitement of a fishing trip, the worry about being stuck at a teacher's house during a blizzard, and agonizing over the perfect gift for Mom are all experiences that would appeal to children. Perhaps the biggest problem this book will face is finding an audience. It would be best appreciated by older readers, but it will be most attractive to the beginning chapter-book crowd, who may struggle with the language and pace. If this book is placed into the right hands, its readers will be treated to a lazy, gentle year with a really nice family.?Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Rylant (Cat Heaven, p. 1035, etc.) presents four seasonal stories about the Meadow family of Blue Hill, Virginia, where the pace is gentle, and where there is time to stop and savor life. Although readers get to know the entire family, the central character is the younger of two boys, Willie. In summer they adopt a stray dog and are thrilled when she has seven puppies. In the fall, Willie and his father make a private fishing trip. A blizzard brings excitement to their lives, and in spring Willie pays tribute to his mother with an original and perfect Mother's Day gift. With its focus on everyday family life, this is a quiet, old-fashioned book, relying on Rylant's lyrical prose, fine attention to detail, and understated humor that will make readers wish they could move in with the Meadows. Beier's illustrations, interspersed throughout, feature landscapes, household objects, and the animal members of the family--all the details of a beloved home. (Fiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0152014047
• ISBN 13: 9780152014049
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Beier Ellen
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 43