The Flying Classroom (Pushkin Children's Collection) - Softcover

Kästner, Erich

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1782690565 ISBN 13: 9781782690566

Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books, 2015

Synopsis

Martin's school is no ordinary school. There are snowball fights, kidnappings, cakes, a parachute jump, a mysterious man called 'No-Smoking' who lives in a railway carriage and a play about a flying classroom.

As the Christmas holidays draw near, Martin and his friends - nervous Uli, cynical Sebastian, Johnny, who was rescued by a sea captain, and Matthias, who is always hungry (particularly after a meal) - are preparing for the end of term festivities. But there are surprises, sadness and trouble on the way - and a secret that changes everything.  

The Flying Classroom is a magical, thrilling and bittersweet story about friendship, fun and being brave when you are at your most scared. (It also features a calf called Eduard, but you will have to read it to find out why).

About this title

About the Author

Erich Kästner, writer, poet and journalist, was born in Dresden in 1899. His first children's book, Emil and the Detectives, was published in 1929 and has since sold millions of copies around the world and been translated into around 60 languages. After the Nazis took power in Germany, Kästner's books were burnt and he was excluded from the writers' guild. He won many awards, including the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1960. He died in 1974.

 

Translated from the German by Anthea Bell.

From School Library Journal

Gr 4–6—First published in 1935, this new translation introduces readers to the entertaining exploits of five boys in a German boarding school. A consistent tone of gentle, ironic humor pervades the book, starting with the prologue in which the author himself shares his unusual writing process. The story involves a school play, a battle between the schoolboys and the local town boys, and a reunion between two long-separated adults, among other plot threads. Lively stretches of crisp back-and-forth dialogue are balanced by the narrator's frequently amusing observations and commentary. A description of a "truly terrifying dictation test" is one of many expertly written humorous passages. While the antics include fistfights, pranks, and other mischief, more serious themes of family and friendship run through the tale, along with philosophical discussions about courage, poverty, and "what's fair and right." The five featured kids all develop into distinct characters, with Martin (the leader) and Johnny (the writer) taking more major roles. Trier's original line drawings, usually one per chapter, add just the right touch of visual detail and support the humor. Not surprisingly, there's an old-fashioned, sometimes sentimental vibe to this 80-year-old tale, which might limit the potential audience, as might the complete absence of any key female characters. The sly wit and creative storytelling are quite fresh and engaging, though. VERDICT A lesser-known work that will be appreciated by readers who enjoy humorous classics.—Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR

About this edition

• Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1782690565
• ISBN 13: 9781782690566
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176