Seal Island School - Hardcover

Bartlett, Susan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670883492 ISBN 13: 9780670883493

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers, 1999

Synopsis

Black-and-white illustrations complement this humorous story about young Pru, whose life seems perfect, until her favorite teacher makes plans to leave the island, and her best friend Nicholas is moving away.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly

This brief, humor-filled novel follows an engaging girl during the course of a school year on a small island off the coast of Maine. Pru Stanley is having a terrific year: she makes a new friend on the mainland after responding to a message in a bottle, her parents surprise her with a pony on her ninth birthday and she grows close to Nicholas, a fellow student at her one-room school who has moved to the island from New York City. But she is convinced that Miss Sparling, "the best teacher in Maine," will follow the example of her predecessors and leave the island after a year, due to loneliness ("It didn't seem lonely to Pru. Forty-nine people lived on the island. That was plenty of friends"). And Nicholas and his parents are due to depart Seal Island when summer arrives. From Mr. Farnum at the general store and Captain Hill at the helm of the ferry boat (a key figure in two of the novel's surprises) to the lobstermen and seals, the author peoples the volume with colorful characters and palpably describes the rhythms of island life. The book starts out strong, then at times seems sketchy, jumping from one season to the next. But by story's end, all of Pru's problems are solvedAwith some unexpected bonuses, and snappy, credible dialogue keeps this illustrated novel moving at a brisk clip. Final artwork not seen by PW. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-Nine-year-old Pru is one of only 6 students in a school on Seal Island, population 49, off the coast of Maine. She loves her home and, fearing that her teacher Miss Sparling may move at the end of the year, hopes to convince her what a wonderful place it is. To complicate the situation further, two students will soon be leaving the island and the school will close if the enrollment falls below five. Pru and a classmate then hatch a plan to buy their teacher a dog, reasoning that it will prevent her from becoming lonely and keep her there. Subplots include Pru's befriending Clara, a girl on the mainland, and a surprise birthday gift of a pony. By school year's end, all of Pru's problems and worries are resolved. The watercolor-and-line cover illustration depicts three children laden with books and offers a glimpse of the blue sky and water that feature so prominently in the story. The simple vocabulary, large print, varied sentence length, and upbeat ending make this a good choice for beginning chapter-book readers.
Christina Dorr, Whitehall City Schools, OH
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0670883492
• ISBN 13: 9780670883493
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 80
• Illustrator: Tusa Tricia