1944. Wartime.
A six-year-old boy goes to spend the summer with his grandmother Alida in a small town near the Canadian border. With the me... read full description
A six-year-old boy goes to spend the summer with his grandmother Alida in a small town near the Canadian border. With the me... read full description
reviews
Feb 14, 2010
Sandra
rated it: 
I loved this book. Even though it was a short book it was full of life. Gary Paulsen has written of his experiences while living with his grandmother while his father is in the war and his mother is working in a munitions factory. While staying with his grandmother they must go to his cousin Kristina’s house to help out as the birth of her first child is near. He finds himself in the middle of a group of women who have all arrived to help. When the labor is slow to progress they bring out t
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Oct 21, 2009
Carol
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Gary Paulsen writes an autobiographical short novel about the experiences he had at age six with his grandmother. He writes in third person of the years during World War II, when his father is a soldier overseas and his mother is working in Chicago, and he lives in Minnesota with Alida. They hitch a ride to spend of few weeks with a Norwegian relative, who is expecting her first child and needs helps on the farm. While they are there, the boy learns about the Quilt. This is a beautifully wov
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Feb 28, 2009
Ella
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After reading Yellow Star (which was a great insight on the holocaust by the way) I found this book very dissapointing. Although the author was in the war at the time I didn't find it real enough for me. I think he was a bit to young to comprehend what the 'war' was as a 6-year-old. This was an easy read only about 80 pages and It would have been better with more detail. Another down point of the book was that it took 1/2 of it to get anywhere. Unfortunately i was a bit dissapointed in this read
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Dec 27, 2008
Melissa
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For a six year old boy, there is hope and a promise in his family. During World War II when his mother fails him, his grandmother steps in and fills the awesome gap. This is a touching account of the strength of connection. The boys mother brings other men home while his father is away in the war. This topic may be slightly problematic if you read it aloud to a class full of inquiring 5th grade minds.
Dec 12, 2009
Teri
rated it: 
This is my first Gary Paulsen book, and it was a delightful read. WWII has a major impact on "the boy", and he finds his father at war, and his Mother unable to care for him properly. The boy goes to live with his Grandmother, and learns much about his Norwegian heritage, life on the farm in Minnesota, and life's cycle. And what a wonderful tradition "The Quilt" is for this small community.
Nov 27, 2011
Rebekah
rated it: 
Synopsis:
This book tells of a time a young boy spends with his grandmother while his father is away fighting in World War II and his mother is working in a munitions factory. The Norwegian farming community in northern Minnesota is far removed in every way from Chicago - life is quieter here, not easier but simpler. It is a world virtually without men, peopled by hardy women more than adequate to the task of keeping the farms running while their husbands and sons are overseas. While th More...
This book tells of a time a young boy spends with his grandmother while his father is away fighting in World War II and his mother is working in a munitions factory. The Norwegian farming community in northern Minnesota is far removed in every way from Chicago - life is quieter here, not easier but simpler. It is a world virtually without men, peopled by hardy women more than adequate to the task of keeping the farms running while their husbands and sons are overseas. While th More...
Nov 29, 2010
Kathy
rated it:
Gary Paulsen is a great author. (Hatchet) I was particularly drawn to this title due to my obsession with them (quilts) I was not disappointed. Today we make quilts from "designer" lines of fabric. This story told of an era where the "quilt told the story and the story was our past". Great book.
Sep 20, 2009
Khinna
rated it:
This was different from the Paulsen I remembered, The Hatchet. It's a nice little memoir of his experience at his Grandma's as a child. If you want to understand Paulsen's life a little bit better, you can read the trilogy he writes about his experiences at Alida's Wisconsin farm.
Jul 25, 2011
Melissa T
rated it:
I don't have much to say about this other than it was entirely forgettable. Paulsen's style, which was intriguing in The Hatchet, seemed overly dramatic for this book. And maybe just a tad annoying. I'll wait until I hear a book is fabulous before trying another one by Paulsen.
Dec 09, 2009
Rachel
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This fun, short read offers an interesting insight on life: the perspective of a young boy. As cliche as that sounds, this book really does explore everything from childbirth to death. While at times the story feels overly sentimental, the book is nonetheless a beautiful tribute to women.
Dec 10, 2009
Lissa
rated it:
A short novel, Paulsen branches away from the style he is known for, placing a six-year-old boy with his grandmother as she travels to help a friend deliver a baby. The novel is extremely poignant as the boy learns about life and death, making him realize that nothing is a guarantee. This is a wonderful read and is appropriate for anyone who is able to read.
Jun 21, 2011
Excellent story about a boy living with his grandmother. Grandmother and her friends are making a quilt to console someone who died.
Jan 15, 2012
Pam
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Gary Paulsen is a wonderful author and I just adore his books. I recommend his books to children and adults alike.
Sep 15, 2011
Mary
rated it:
What a wonderful, heart-warming story. It is told with all the innocence of the 6-year-old narrator.
Mar 06, 2008
Wendi
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This was in interesting look at strong, rural, immigrant women surviving farm life without the men, during WWII, from a boy's viewpoint. One reason I started this series is that it is factual, about the author's life. The boy's impressions of the community ladies coming together to help out and continue the oral history and quilting tradition during a birth is touching. The story isn't especially deep, but I liked it because it was from a kid's viewpoint, with strong sensory descriptions that ha
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Jul 25, 2011
Corynn
rated it:
Took a while to get into. Didn't have very many interesting parts. Not a very good ending.
Mar 06, 2010
Barbara
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I couldn't quite figure out who this book was for. It was quite a short book and written from the perspective of a six year old, yet it dealt with some mature topics (his mother's "men" and childbirth). I guess it could be interesting from an autobiographical perspective, but it didn't really work for me.
Dec 17, 2010
Matthew
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Ranked right up there with Alida's Song and a beautiful grandson grandmother relatioonship narrative.
Aug 31, 2008
Jerianna
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Autobiographical. I loved this. It was kind of cool seeing into his childhood. He is a good writer, but most of his books that I've read so far were adventure books. This wasn't.
I really enjoyed it and will read the two companion books that go with it.
I really enjoyed it and will read the two companion books that go with it.
Sep 18, 2011
Ashley
rated it:
An amazing tale of Gary Paulsen's childhood. Being a big fan of my own family history, it was nice to read a short story of a small boy remembering a time when he learned about his own ancestors. Sweet!
Jan 27, 2012
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Dec 11, 2011
Dec 10, 2011
