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20th out of 66 books
—
46 voters
The Borrowers Aloft (The Borrowers #4)
by
Mary Norton
The Borrowers, a family of tiny people, are kidnapped from their home in Little Fordham and held captive in an attic.
Hardcover, 193 pages
Published
September 22nd 1997
by Orion Children's
(first published 1961)
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This is the fourth book in "The Borrowers" series, the children's story that supposes that little people who live under the floor take all the things that are missing. In this book, our little Borrower family - Pod, Homily and Arriety - move into a miniature village called "Little Fordham". A rival mini village proprietor and his wife steal them away intending to put them on display for all to see. As the cage is prepared, the Borrowers are locked away in an impossibly high attic. How will they...more
THE BORROWERS ALOFT
Mary Norton
“Where Borrowers Truly Belong”
Well, we have reached the fourth and last book in Mary Norton’s delightful series about a fanciful race of tiny people called Borrowers. Plucky and ingenious in order to survive in a world of giants they were living under the floorboards of a grandfather clock (hence their last name: Clock) at Firbank Manor, until they were discovered by a boy (Seen). In successive books they fled to the open field, then to a stream, and finally tra...more
Mary Norton
“Where Borrowers Truly Belong”
Well, we have reached the fourth and last book in Mary Norton’s delightful series about a fanciful race of tiny people called Borrowers. Plucky and ingenious in order to survive in a world of giants they were living under the floorboards of a grandfather clock (hence their last name: Clock) at Firbank Manor, until they were discovered by a boy (Seen). In successive books they fled to the open field, then to a stream, and finally tra...more
I found this one so unsatisfying to reread. It goes nowhere, and it's becoming ridiculous how often the Borrowers just have to move on and move on and move on, never satisfied. I did like the touch of romance between Spiller and Arriety -- I hope the final book doesn't take that away -- and I do like the little details of the world Mr Pott and Miss Menzies create.
I'm sad that there's no sign of Mrs May or Kate anymore: they've vanished out of it, even though as far as I'm concerned they were as...more
I'm sad that there's no sign of Mrs May or Kate anymore: they've vanished out of it, even though as far as I'm concerned they were as...more
Four books in, and my kids still aren't tired of the Borrowers -- despite some really antiquated language and plots that only show up when they feel like it. What I loved about "Aloft" is the way that Mary Norton completely reinvented her narrative.
The Borrowers stories usually have a really convoluted introduction, with one person telling a story that was told to her by another person, who says that she heard it from a third person ... Confusing.
This story begins with two competing miniature ra...more
The Borrowers stories usually have a really convoluted introduction, with one person telling a story that was told to her by another person, who says that she heard it from a third person ... Confusing.
This story begins with two competing miniature ra...more
This is not "The Littles"! Much more sophisticated language and themes. Interesting mix: first half is all about their escape and goes into great detail on the mechanics of building the escape-vehicle-hot-air-balloon. Totally well done and of interest to a particular kind of reader. Then the last third is the family deliberating about staying in their plush new mini-home, the dream-house of the mommy Borrower. Since humans built it (and renovated it FOR them), does that put the Borrowers in dang...more
Honestly, while the story was fine, I did not enjoy this one as much as the others. The main reason is because we did not join the borrowers until Chapter 10.
Nine chapters to set up the scenario? Nine chapters without the main characters? *shakes head*
I didn’t care about the ‘big people’ or how the two small villages came about. The nine chapters could have been condensed considerably. I began reading the series for the borrowers and expect to read ‘their’ story. I felt cheated.
Once we finally...more
Nine chapters to set up the scenario? Nine chapters without the main characters? *shakes head*
I didn’t care about the ‘big people’ or how the two small villages came about. The nine chapters could have been condensed considerably. I began reading the series for the borrowers and expect to read ‘their’ story. I felt cheated.
Once we finally...more
This fourth volume in the Borrowers series differs from its predecessors in that the thrust of the novel is on the ingenious means by which borrowers manage to maintain a lifestyle using the giant size paraphernalia they find among the belongings of humans. Not until the end of the book do we really see the intricate workings of the personalities of the borrower family that have been at the core of the previous novels.
Despite this difference, I feel this is a strong entry in the series; an engro...more
Despite this difference, I feel this is a strong entry in the series; an engro...more
Always the second high point of the series for me following the first book. Obsession with hot-air balloon stories was definitely mine. I've been noticing this read-through I'm not finding the beginnings as annoying as I used to. When I was little I was like, "Hurry up and get back to the Borrowers already," but there's quite a bit of allusion and humour in those openings as well - especially the part about the Platters, which went completely over my head back then. I doubt I even knew what an u...more
So far, it´s the best installment of the saga. I liked the way the borrowers fled from the Platter´s home and the story behind Little Fordham (which was mentioned in the previous book by the way). Now that I have finished this part, I think I have overrated The Borrowers Afield and The Borrowers Afloat, posssibly I even rated too much the initial Borrowers book.:)Let´s see how it continues their adventures.;)
I read the Borrowers series once or twice as a kid, but they never caught on with me in the same way as other books. But now, on rereading, I find them completely charming: beautifully imagined, nicely framed (except for Afloat, which I don't like as much), and actually pretty philosophical. Of course, the Krushes' illustrations are delightful, as always. I'm so glad I rediscovered these books!
Another solid entry in the saga. I found this and its immediate predecessor to be much stronger, much more engaging than the first two. I love the ingenuity the borrowers show, I adore that Pod listens to Arrietty with respect and admiration, and Spiller is almost (dare I say it?) sweet. Homily is a pain, but in a realistic way.
Going aloft was neat with borrowers! It was fun in their adventure as this story definitely had more action and Homily wasn't as annoying. :) (Homily just gets on my nerves in this series. Sorry Homily) Anyway Mary Norton did a wonderful job in keeping the series alive.
The fourth book in the series, this book was chock full of interesting ideas! The Clock family is getting settled in a new home when they are captured by humans! They bide their time and get creative as they plot their escape!
I liked this one better than #3!
I liked this one better than #3!
Here are the continued adventures of Pod, Homily, and Arrietty Clock, first introduced in The Borrowers. I adored this entire series, though the plot begins to tire by the fifth book.
No need to read the whole series like I'm doing. It becomes rather repetitive. We don't meet any new borrowers or have great adventures in this one. Just one more to go.
This book is a funny life-changing book that keeps you from putting it down. I learned that there are people under our noses who use the stuff we lose when they find it.
This is the fourth book out of five in the borrowers series. In this book Arrietty and her family finally reach the village of Little Fordham a model village where they settle. However there is a simular village nearby where the owners kidnap the borrowers and lock them in an attic for the winter.
I did like this book more than i did the previous two. I did enjoy the story between the two villages and how they were trying to always better each other. I enjoyed this too as the storyline had a bit...more
I did like this book more than i did the previous two. I did enjoy the story between the two villages and how they were trying to always better each other. I enjoyed this too as the storyline had a bit...more
Second book I've read this year involving hot-air ballooning--I liked this one rather better than The Twenty-One Balloons.
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A little slower than the others but still great
One my favorite series when I was a child.
There was a change of tone in this book in the series, with some of the focus shifting to the odious Mr and Mrs Platter; it was a little harder to get into than previous books but still enjoyable.
Doesn't delight as much as the first in the series, but has reminded me that, due to gaps in my childhood library, there are still two Borrowers books I should read.
This has been my least favorite out of the series so far. Too much time is spent with the humans talking and creating plans. The borrowers are only an after thought for the first 100 pages or so. If you skip to 3/4 of the way through the book, it finally gets good and you start to care what happens to the characters. Hopefully the final book in the series is better.
My favorite Borrowers tale. The Clock family makes a home in a fantastic model village but kidnapped by the evil Mr. and Mrs. Platter. The Platters store the family in the attic until their rival model village can be completed. Pod devises a way out and constructs a hot air balloon.
Another lovely Borrowers story, this time set in a model village. The way Norton fashions her characters and describes their surroundings is utterly charming. Like the preceding Borrowers novels, this had a good and memorable storyline and was well written. I enjoyed it.
Loved these continued adventures of the Clock family. This one was just as great as the others before it. I cannot wait to read the last one as well. If you've never gotten the chance to read these as a child. You're missing out. Give these books a read!
Combines two of my favorite things, the Borrowers and adventure stories involving hot air balloons.
One of my favorite of this series.
Just a charming mix of the very mundane world and using things from it to create grand adventures.
One of my favorite of this series.
Just a charming mix of the very mundane world and using things from it to create grand adventures.
I've always liked "hidden" sequels, ones that most people don't read and/or know existed (like those to Pollyanna. Norton doesn't disappoint Borrowers fans with this one, which is more about their lives than their borrowing.
A great trip down memory lane. I love this tiny people who are so small that they use an empty spool of thread for a dining room table and a matchbox for a bed. They have great adventures that spark the imagination.
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Mary Norton (née Pearson) was an English children's author. She was the daughter of a physician, and was raised in a Georgian house at the end of the High Street in Leighton Buzzard. The house now consists of part of Leighton Middle School, known within the school as The Old House, and was reportedly the setting of her novel The Borrowers. She married Robert C. Norton in 1927 and had four children...more
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Jun 05, 2008 05:50am