The Whipping Boy - Sid Fleischman
This is another of Shrewsbury's summer reading books. I really glad they are changing them this year.
The Whipping Boy, while an orginal story, is another one that doesn't feel like one. You know how it begins and you know how it's going to end. I know this isn't a fair way to judge books, but this is also the best reason to update your reading list more often that every 10-15 years.
We start off with a brat prince who wants to run away becasue, well, he's a brat. He drags his whipping boy a long for the ride. Oh my word, they get captured by bandits. Oh my word, they try to switch identities to fool the bandits. Oh my word, it ends with the prince realizing how much of a jerk he's been.
The historical value and the moral to treat people how you would like to be treated do not stand up in a story that's been told over and over and over in various incarnations. I can't even judge this book objectively because it's just that too familiar of a story.
Please, for the love of God people, change your reading lists periodically so your kids don't feel like they are reading stereotypes.
Again, it may be simply, I am just too old. But I did know the story of the Prince and the Pauper at a pretty young age.
The Whipping Boy, while an orginal story, is another one that doesn't feel like one. You know how it begins and you know how it's going to end. I know this isn't a fair way to judge books, but this is also the best reason to update your reading list more often that every 10-15 years.
We start off with a brat prince who wants to run away becasue, well, he's a brat. He drags his whipping boy a long for the ride. Oh my word, they get captured by bandits. Oh my word, they try to switch identities to fool the bandits. Oh my word, it ends with the prince realizing how much of a jerk he's been.
The historical value and the moral to treat people how you would like to be treated do not stand up in a story that's been told over and over and over in various incarnations. I can't even judge this book objectively because it's just that too familiar of a story.
Please, for the love of God people, change your reading lists periodically so your kids don't feel like they are reading stereotypes.
Again, it may be simply, I am just too old. But I did know the story of the Prince and the Pauper at a pretty young age.
posted by Chrissy at 4/15/2005 06:02:00 PM
3 Comments:
Try By the Great Horn Spoon!. That's by Sid, too, and it's definitely an original story. And how can you go wrong with a butler named Praiseworthy?
Yeah, that defintely sounds better. But I have to say, as I'm working my way through Newbery winners, not only am I thinking Why did THIS win? but also, Why didn't this BETTER book by the same author win? I've also seen a pattern of sappiness that I'm not digging. And we all not how I feel about sappiness.
I thought that read "we all know how I feel about sapphires", and I realized, I don't know how you feel about sapphires. And I sort of wish I did!
Post a Comment
<< Home