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24th out of 37 books
—
49 voters
Slake's Limbo: 121 Days
An ALA Best Books for Young Adults
An ALA Notable Children's Book
An ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults
The Horn Book Fanfare List
Desperate, driven, harassed to the breaking point, Slake decides to go underground—into the sheltering depths of the New York City Subway where he ends up staying for one hundred and twenty-one days. This is the story about survival, and a...more
An ALA Notable Children's Book
An ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults
The Horn Book Fanfare List
Desperate, driven, harassed to the breaking point, Slake decides to go underground—into the sheltering depths of the New York City Subway where he ends up staying for one hundred and twenty-one days. This is the story about survival, and a...more
Paperback, 126 pages
Published
May 31st 1986
by Aladdin
(first published 1974)
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"Had fear followed him here or or had they arrived together?"
--Slake's Limbo, P. 56
I first heard about and became interested in this book in the pages of Karen Hesse's "Phoenix Rising". I sort of took her positive mentions of Slake's Limbo as a kind of endorsement, and in my book anything that is recommended by Karen Hesse is certainly worth giving the read.
Felice Holman's writing style is quite beautiful, with a quiet, understated flow that I thought really blended well to tell the story of...more
--Slake's Limbo, P. 56
I first heard about and became interested in this book in the pages of Karen Hesse's "Phoenix Rising". I sort of took her positive mentions of Slake's Limbo as a kind of endorsement, and in my book anything that is recommended by Karen Hesse is certainly worth giving the read.
Felice Holman's writing style is quite beautiful, with a quiet, understated flow that I thought really blended well to tell the story of...more
I can't believe I forgot to add this one. Slake's Limbo, in my honest opinion, is a prime example of how YA literature can be incredibly interesting and thought-prokoving, without any patronizing nonsense. I first read this book when I was 12, and I still re-read it every so often. This one is a timeless tale.
Slake's Limbo is a fascinating story about a young boy who escapes the hardships of his life by hiding in an underground subway tunnel. With a strong sense of preservation and an intense im...more
Slake's Limbo is a fascinating story about a young boy who escapes the hardships of his life by hiding in an underground subway tunnel. With a strong sense of preservation and an intense im...more
Slake's Limbo 4/19/09
By Felice Holman
117pp New York, NY
Aladdin Paperbacks
ISBN: 0-689-71066-6
Have you ever spent one night at the subway without going home? Slake did and he lives in a room under ground in the subway station. Slake was a boy who collects used newspapers and makes a living selling them. Slake had to deal with a lot tough situations by himself and it was not an normal teenager boy would face.
Slake was an homeless boy who was able to take care of himself at a young age. Even tho...more
By Felice Holman
117pp New York, NY
Aladdin Paperbacks
ISBN: 0-689-71066-6
Have you ever spent one night at the subway without going home? Slake did and he lives in a room under ground in the subway station. Slake was a boy who collects used newspapers and makes a living selling them. Slake had to deal with a lot tough situations by himself and it was not an normal teenager boy would face.
Slake was an homeless boy who was able to take care of himself at a young age. Even tho...more
An easy read but a very good story. I realized only after I read it that this book is mostly narrative, there's hardly any dialogue. I think that's really cool because the author told the story so well, the characters didn't need to speak. Slake is a very brave character for living the way he does and his second-hand newspaper business is eco friendly! I like how the stories of Willis and Slake combine, I didn't expect them to be connected in such a way! They both make a difference in each other...more
I read this book back when I was about in second grade (it's probably not a good book for 8 year-olds, but somehow I obtained it). For well over a decade now, the bird imagery & the subway & other assorted aspects of the plot have been haunting me: after reading the book, I couldn't find it again and described it to many people, none of whom could tell me what book it was, though I did get a "sounds familiar" from a brother. FINALLY, this year, my bestest best friend (who is so totally a...more
I tend to read books with similar themes or concepts in close conjunction with one another, quite by accident. Last week I read The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore and this morning I read Zoo, both which highlight humankind's arrogance and abuse of beasts. Last night I read Smith and today I read this book, both which feature young urchins of noble character surviving the streets of big cities.
With its theme of survival, and a similar reading level, I'd like to see this taught together with Hatche...more
With its theme of survival, and a similar reading level, I'd like to see this taught together with Hatche...more
1974. This is one of those 70s young adult books that you can't help but think they wouldn't let kids read today or perhaps even publish.
It's about a really down and out white kid in NYC. He's abused by his aunt who he lives with. He has a cot in her kitchen. He always hungry. He's short for his age so the kids beat him up a lot and take his stuff. He's near-sighted and he doesn't have glasses.
So what does he do? He runs away and lives in the subway. It then becomes almost as cool as From the Mi...more
It's about a really down and out white kid in NYC. He's abused by his aunt who he lives with. He has a cot in her kitchen. He always hungry. He's short for his age so the kids beat him up a lot and take his stuff. He's near-sighted and he doesn't have glasses.
So what does he do? He runs away and lives in the subway. It then becomes almost as cool as From the Mi...more
I wasn't very entertained or enlightened or impressed by this book. Don't misunderstand me though: I wasn't very. For me, this book was simply impassive. The story was continuous, the plot was blunt, the characters understood.
There were only simple details that struck: the bird, the rat, the mobiles, the waitress. Those things were understood, as well, but they were beautiful all the same. In that way, this book was actually masterful...
Short. Straight. Unelaborated. Enjoyable.
There were only simple details that struck: the bird, the rat, the mobiles, the waitress. Those things were understood, as well, but they were beautiful all the same. In that way, this book was actually masterful...
Short. Straight. Unelaborated. Enjoyable.
This is the one book from grade school which I recall fondly.
Abused and impoverished, Slake’s life pretty much blows. So he goes underground, into the tunnels of the NYC subway system.
There he hawks secondhand newspapers, befriends a hungry rodent, and finds a few benefactors.
This kid’s book is well-written by any standard; it is also profound in its portrayal of human kindness and misery.
Abused and impoverished, Slake’s life pretty much blows. So he goes underground, into the tunnels of the NYC subway system.
There he hawks secondhand newspapers, befriends a hungry rodent, and finds a few benefactors.
This kid’s book is well-written by any standard; it is also profound in its portrayal of human kindness and misery.
I liked this book because it talks about slake hiding 121 days in the subway. The main character is slake because it talks about how he hid in the subway for 121 days. This book reminded me of robinson crusoe because he also has to try to survive. I want to know why slake didn't tell that he was lost because he could've been easily.I think that Slake didn't want to tell the police why he was alone because he wants to prove that he can take care of himself.
slow, barely anythig to think about, seems like a waste of a book to put on a school reading list. Too juvenile for jr high. not enough moral, although there is some possible discussion, butnot enough to justify it. completely clean.
Another book I read in the fourth grade. Wow. It's like Catcher in the Rye but for disadvantaged kids. He has no parents, lives in the subway and mixes ketch-up and sugar together to survive. And yes, has trust issues.
The author writes in a formal style that keeps the reader a little distant from Slake, which I find respectful. Slake is a loner and a private person. This is a gem of a book.
I read this in 5th grade. Took me away from my ordinary life and transported me to an exciting story about a runaway hiding in the NYC subway system.
A '70s YA book that ages rather well. In some ways, it reminded me of "The Inventions of Hugh Cabret"...boy surviving on his own.
A tale of a boy finding self-agency within the tunnels of the NYC subway system. It was okay, but nothing special.
Feb 02, 2011
Katy
added it
This story captured my imagination. I kept imagining myself creating some sort of hideaway in the subway tunnels.
Liked the writing, loved Neil Patrick Harris' narration, wished I could have listened to longer chunks of it at a time (because I think I would have liked it better that way).
I read this when I was a teenager and it has stuck with me all these years.
Sep 22, 2011
Hayley F.
is currently reading it
Well, I just started but its pretty good right now but still not sure
a strange story but I like that it's YA but lacks angst or anger.
Jun 11, 2009
Ehbluemle Bluemle
added it
Slake's limbo by Felice Holman (1992)
Harsh, but interesting.
It was an interesting book to read.
i had to read it for school.
Feb 27, 2010
Edwin
added it
too easy to read peepz 2009
great book
May 30, 2012
Nichelle
added it
Odd book, but my students liked it, especially the boys (6th grade).
I really liked this book, despite the way 80s cover. Slake decides he's going to live in the subway for while (I can't remember why). I do remember being very fascinated by how Slake makes it on his own, finding a hiding place down there, how he rides the subway all day, how he gets money for food... It was just a really interesting book about how he hides underground for a few months while dealing with personal problems.
Mar 26, 2010
Amanda (Cirque Du Freak Freak)
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
no one
Recommended to Amanda (Cirque Du Freak Freak) by:
Read in class
I read this in my class.
This book is about a boy that runs away from him "home".
It tells about him trying to survive in the subway. (9 & up)
I liked this book up untill the ending, the ending was kind of lame. It had a good thought plan to it but the writing of it kind of failed. Anyway some people might like this book while others may not it's just a matter of opinion.
This book is about a boy that runs away from him "home".
It tells about him trying to survive in the subway. (9 & up)
I liked this book up untill the ending, the ending was kind of lame. It had a good thought plan to it but the writing of it kind of failed. Anyway some people might like this book while others may not it's just a matter of opinion.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's The Name o...: SOLVED! Book about a homeless boy living in subway of NY [s] | 5 | 16 | Mar 11, 2013 08:03pm |
Felice Holman was born October 24, 1919, in New York City. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1941 and later worked as an advertising copywriter. She married Herbert Valen in 1941 and some of the experiences of their daughter, Nanine Elisabeth Valen, would serve as the model for her first book, Elisabeth, The Bird Watcher, which was published in 1963.
During the 1960s, she published two more...more
More about Felice Holman...
During the 1960s, she published two more...more
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updated Oct 06, 2009 06:14pm