The Green Bottle and the Silver Kite - Hardcover

Berger, Fredericka

9780688117856: The Green Bottle and the Silver Kite

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0688117856 ISBN 13: 9780688117856

Publisher: Greenwillow, 1993

In an attempt to cure his summer doldrums, ten-year-old Phil plans to acquire a silver kite, and along the way, he encounters many surprises. By the author of Robots--What They Are, What They Do.

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From School Library Journal:

Grade 5-6-- Phil, 10, is bored. Vacation at the beach means no friends, not much to do, and sharing a raft with his demanding little sister. When he sees a silver kite whiffling through the air, he decides that if he had one like it, his summer would be perfect. Unfortunately, he does not have the $14.95 for it, does not want to earn it, and sends a note asking for money out to sea in a green bottle. Meredith, a lonely girl in the next village, answers via U. S. postal service that she doesn't have the funds, but comes to visit. She and Phil, who by now has decided to do work-for-hire for his parents, become pals. Berger gives immediacy to some common dilemmas of childhood: coping with siblings, striving for a goal, honesty with oneself and one's parents, and making friends. The characters are well drawn and interact believably. This pleasant tale may offer inspiration to others as the weeks of vacation begin to drag. --Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Bored and fed up with his younger sister's antics, Phil finds that his summer shows little evidence of fun--until a silver kite catches his fancy. Determined to own the costly item, Phil tries to raise the purchase price by sending out messages in a green bottle he discovers on the beach. Although the bottle yields treasure in the form of an unexpected friend (and, ultimately, a new appreciation of his meddlesome and unpredictable sibling), a more pedestrian measure--a tedious painting job--brings in the money. Somewhat slow-moving, the story is filled with realistic touches and details as Phil juggles the knowledge that his watery message has brought. His resolution allows for credibly drawn, thoughtful and introspective changes. Phil's growth from an impatient pie-in-the-sky type to a deserving recipient of his prize is precisely the kind of minor drama that good summers are made of. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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