154th out of 270 books
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741 voters
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place
I Prefer Not To....
That's Margaret Rose Kane's response to every activity she's asked to participate in at the summer camp to which she's been exiled while her parents are in Peru. So Margaret Rose is delighted when her beloved uncles rescue her from Camp Talequa, with its uptight camp director and cruel cabinmates, and bring her to stay with them at their wonderful house...more
That's Margaret Rose Kane's response to every activity she's asked to participate in at the summer camp to which she's been exiled while her parents are in Peru. So Margaret Rose is delighted when her beloved uncles rescue her from Camp Talequa, with its uptight camp director and cruel cabinmates, and bring her to stay with them at their wonderful house...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
December 20th 2005
by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
(first published January 27th 2004)
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May 07, 2008
rivka
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
teenagers & others who never quite fit in
Recommended to rivka by:
Lisa Vegan
E.L. Konigsberg's books are always excellent, but this was even better than most. Clearly based in part on the real-life story of the Watts Towers, Konigsberg used them as a starting point and an inspiration, but the towers in Outcasts are in most ways distinct from their real-life counterparts (and the resolution of their fate is as well).
Jumping back and forth between the narrator's present (spending the summer with her eccentric uncles) and recent past (the few tortuous weeks she spent in sum...more
Jumping back and forth between the narrator's present (spending the summer with her eccentric uncles) and recent past (the few tortuous weeks she spent in sum...more
Nov 24, 2007
Banzai
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Old souls and visionaries
Shelves:
childrens-books
The author of the beloved "Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" has written another treasure. This one is the coziest little protest to gentrification you ever did read. Set in an older neighborhood in anytown, USA, two crumudgeonly Hungarian brothers, their incorrigible grandaughter, an Italian truffle-hunting dog and a hot summer camp janitor all work to save three glorious towers constructed by the Rose brothers in their own backyard from the evil, bland, homeowners association.
My fa...more
My fa...more
Dear E.L. Konigsburg,
I think that I will forever hold a grudge against you for writing Silent to the Bone and against my library for putting it in the children's section. Reading it was such a bad experience that it kept me away from all of your really good books for way too many years! WHY?!
Sincerely,
Bethany
Okay, now I just want to say that I really like The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place. I love Margaret Rose; she is so smart and funny! She and her uncles are so special. I love all of them. Th...more
I think that I will forever hold a grudge against you for writing Silent to the Bone and against my library for putting it in the children's section. Reading it was such a bad experience that it kept me away from all of your really good books for way too many years! WHY?!
Sincerely,
Bethany
Okay, now I just want to say that I really like The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place. I love Margaret Rose; she is so smart and funny! She and her uncles are so special. I love all of them. Th...more
When Margaret Rose's parents go to Peru one summer, she's not sure why she's being sent to summer camp rather than to stay with her great-uncles. Camp isn't what she expected given bullying cabin mates and a camp director who isn't interested in listening. The director wants conformity and compliance; Margaret Rose very politely responds with "I prefer not to" and infuriates everyone around her. When she's labeled incorrigible, her great-uncles rescue her but she quickly learns that all is not w...more
This sort of seemed like 2 different books, and I thought the ending was fairly contrived. The beginning was awesome, though. A 12 year old only-child is sent to camp. She herself has selected it based on reading ton so brochures and watching lots of videos. However, she is one of 2 newcomers in a cabin with a clique of returning campers. The other newbie decides to fit in, and the main character becomes the unifying force by serving as their punching bag (figuratively). This book shows how mean...more
E.L. Konigsburg is the writer I want to be when I grow up. She paints her characters so beautifully, and so realistically. There is always a realisticcenter that the books center around, whether it's 3 towers built by Margaret Rose Kane's two uncles, an academic bowl (The View from Saturday), or my very favorite From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, where two children run away, and end up living in a museum.
Like her other books, this one deals with a 12 year old beginning to unders...more
Like her other books, this one deals with a 12 year old beginning to unders...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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A spunky, sweet story about the importance of art, history and family. Margaret Rose is a girl who “prefers” not to participate in many activities at her summer camp. As a result of her rebellion, her charming, but slightly eccentric Uncle Alex and his truffle-hunting dog rescue her from the camp director and spiteful bunkmates. She and her uncle are driven home by the camp’s custodian, Jake, who also happens to be the camp directors son. Home is 19 Schuyler Place and Uncle Martin resides there...more
The Outcasts of Schuyler Place
E.L. Konigsburg
In the Outcasts of Schuyler Place Margaret Rose Kane wants to go to a summer camp but her parents are going to Peru. So when Margaret finds out she gets to go because her uncles are willing to take her at their place on 19 Schuyler Place. While she is there she finds out that the neighbor wants to knock down the towers that her uncles built by hand. She is very determined to not let this happen.
I thought that this book was very well written. The res...more
E.L. Konigsburg
In the Outcasts of Schuyler Place Margaret Rose Kane wants to go to a summer camp but her parents are going to Peru. So when Margaret finds out she gets to go because her uncles are willing to take her at their place on 19 Schuyler Place. While she is there she finds out that the neighbor wants to knock down the towers that her uncles built by hand. She is very determined to not let this happen.
I thought that this book was very well written. The res...more
Margaret's parents are in Peru for the summer and her beloved Uncles Alex and Morris have declined to let her visit with them for the vacation, so she picks a summer camp to attend. Unfortunately she doesn't like it there one bit and refuses to participate in any of the activities.
That being said, this story really isn't about that summer camp, it's about adults and what they want to do and why they want to do it. It's also about why it takes a child to point out the error of their ways. Margar...more
That being said, this story really isn't about that summer camp, it's about adults and what they want to do and why they want to do it. It's also about why it takes a child to point out the error of their ways. Margar...more
I get excited when I find a good young adult novel. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place is fast-paced and funny, centering on a smart, witty girl who is everything a young adult should be.
12 year old Margaret Rose Kane decides to pack it in after a disastrous spell at summer camp where a group of very nasty and very unladylike girls decide to make her life a living hell.
She spends the rest of her holiday with her eccentric uncles whose entire lives have been devoted to constructing and maintainin...more
12 year old Margaret Rose Kane decides to pack it in after a disastrous spell at summer camp where a group of very nasty and very unladylike girls decide to make her life a living hell.
She spends the rest of her holiday with her eccentric uncles whose entire lives have been devoted to constructing and maintainin...more
As I began reading I didn't think that I would like it. I was extremely bothered by a passing reference to an autistic/aspergers person (which is interesting since, I believe, the author has a son with autism) and had a hard time getting past it even though it wasn't entirely essential to the plot (later it does play somewhat of a role, but not until a chapter close to the end). Anyways, it is more of a slow moving, think on a deeper level book, and in the end I did really enjoy it. I felt that...more
Have you ever uttered the phrase “I prefer not to”? Like I prefer not to take out the garbage or I prefer not to eat tomatoes. I prefer not to make my bed or go out in freezing cold weather. How about I prefer not to do that math assignment or my homework? I’m sure at one point or another we’ve all preferred not to do something. Margaret Rose Kane would have preferred to spend her summer with her parents in Peru or with her eccentric uncles at 19 Schuyler Place. But neither her parents nor the U...more
Not as good as her two Newbery winners, but still an enjoyable read.
"Time is not money, Mrs. Kaplan. Time wasted is often time well spent. Money wasted is merely redistributed."
"I think the word for what you were is anobedient, which would mean without obedience--which is not the same thing as disobedience. I would say that anobedience is related to words like anesthetic, which means without feeling." "Or anonymous, which means without a name." "Or anorexiawithout an appetite or anemia, without...more
"Time is not money, Mrs. Kaplan. Time wasted is often time well spent. Money wasted is merely redistributed."
"I think the word for what you were is anobedient, which would mean without obedience--which is not the same thing as disobedience. I would say that anobedience is related to words like anesthetic, which means without feeling." "Or anonymous, which means without a name." "Or anorexiawithout an appetite or anemia, without...more
Remember E.L Konigsburg?
I remember "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" quite well. So when I stumbled on this book by the same author, I thought at least I'd get a decent story. Instead, I got a fantastic one.
(I wrote the below and then found it boring. Read it if you want, but you'd really be better off to just read the book.)
Our protagonist is Margaret Rose Kane, 12 years old and not particularly interested in what others think she should or shouldn't do. She's more interest...more
I remember "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" quite well. So when I stumbled on this book by the same author, I thought at least I'd get a decent story. Instead, I got a fantastic one.
(I wrote the below and then found it boring. Read it if you want, but you'd really be better off to just read the book.)
Our protagonist is Margaret Rose Kane, 12 years old and not particularly interested in what others think she should or shouldn't do. She's more interest...more
This is a kid's book...not my usual fare. But I loved e.l. konigsburg as a child. I mean what serious reader hasn't read and loved "The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenwiler?" I saw this book on my shelf and thought I'd add it to my mix in case you're looking for a book for a tweener or early teen. Sure, part of it is the political activist in me. Part of it is the artist. But this is a sweet, little story.
Life isn't always fair. The sooner you learn that, the easier you make it through...more
Life isn't always fair. The sooner you learn that, the easier you make it through...more
Really liked this one.
Girl, Margaret Rose Kane, goes to camp (a lot of kids do, but she can't figure out why.) Her parents usually love to have her on their trips. Her great uncles adore her, but no one wants her for the summer. She is the ultimate outsider. Great uncle comes to collect her when camp director calls her to complain because she prefers not do to anything camp-like. She goes back to uncles' house where she finds out why they didn't want her with them for the summer.
Gentrification h...more
Girl, Margaret Rose Kane, goes to camp (a lot of kids do, but she can't figure out why.) Her parents usually love to have her on their trips. Her great uncles adore her, but no one wants her for the summer. She is the ultimate outsider. Great uncle comes to collect her when camp director calls her to complain because she prefers not do to anything camp-like. She goes back to uncles' house where she finds out why they didn't want her with them for the summer.
Gentrification h...more
There are few writers—particularly writers of juvenile literature—who can match E.L. Konigsburg's ability to fashion stories of such admirable wit and sophistication, which is a trademark of all her books. E.L. Konigsburg is, truly, the "thinking kid's author", pandering to no low common denominator, but instead populating her narrative with intelligent characters who think for themselves and approach their difficulties with sound problem-solving acumen.
Margaret Rose Kane, only twelve years ol...more
Margaret Rose Kane, only twelve years ol...more
What a lovely little book. I'm embarrassed to say, as a Y.A. fan, I don't think I realized E.L. Konigsburg was still publishing. But I'm glad she is.
This book follows Margaret Rose Kane as she's sent to summer camp for the first time in her twelve years while her parents spend the summer in Peru. Margaret doesn't take to camp, and is bullied by the other girls in her cabin. Her Uncle Alex comes to her rescue.
Alex & Margaret's other Uncle, Morris, live at 19 Schuyler Place in a downtown area...more
This book follows Margaret Rose Kane as she's sent to summer camp for the first time in her twelve years while her parents spend the summer in Peru. Margaret doesn't take to camp, and is bullied by the other girls in her cabin. Her Uncle Alex comes to her rescue.
Alex & Margaret's other Uncle, Morris, live at 19 Schuyler Place in a downtown area...more
I know that you'd like me to tell you about this book, but I prefer not to...Or so I would say if my name was Margaret Rose Kane! However, it's not, so I'll indulge your curiosity! The book, as you may have guessed, centers on a very incorrigible young girl name Margaret Rose who, having refused to participate in many of the group activities offered by her summer camp and having been treated cruelly by the clique that inhabits her bungalow, is returned back to the home of her two Hungarian uncle...more
Twelve year old Margaret Rose Kane has no option but to go to summer camp. Her parents are spending the summer in Peru and her adored great uncles have declined to take her. Camp is a disaster as Margaret becomes the center of her cabin mates’ pranks and bullying. When her uncle Morris rescues her from the torment and brings her home she discovers there are problems in her own backyard. For many years her beloved great-uncles have been creating works of art in the form of three giant clock tower...more
I really liked how the author kept tying parts of the book back to the beginning. Had some neat ideas and phrases (“editing” roses instead of pruning them, not giving up a day off to help someone – you’re filling it up). Also gave me a new appreciation to the prefix “an” (without) that I hadn’t thought about before. Didn’t like the ending, thought it was too short and glossed over. Either flesh it out, or end the book with the conclusion of the main story.
('An' examples: Anobedient, anonymous, a...more
('An' examples: Anobedient, anonymous, a...more
I'm reading this story now, on page 105.
My favorite part so far is her strong sense of "self"; her identity, family and heritage, determines how she thinks of herself and how she sees the world instead of how others perceive her. Very meaningful and it gives her the potential to be a very powerful character, although I doubt the author will go in that direction.
My least favorite part is how the author is basically conveying principles and quirks of sociology and psychology in lieu of of forward...more
My favorite part so far is her strong sense of "self"; her identity, family and heritage, determines how she thinks of herself and how she sees the world instead of how others perceive her. Very meaningful and it gives her the potential to be a very powerful character, although I doubt the author will go in that direction.
My least favorite part is how the author is basically conveying principles and quirks of sociology and psychology in lieu of of forward...more
Margaret Rose Kane hates Camp Talequa and its dictatorial director. That’s why she’s so glad to be rescued by her great-uncles and taken to their historic home in downtown Epiphany. No one there will try to force her to be something she’s not. Or will they? Margaret soon discovers that an impersonal homeowners’ association threatens to destroy her uncle’s beautiful and historic artwork—unless she can stop them first.
The Outcasts of 19 Schulyer Place is an homage to a passing world where neighbor...more
The Outcasts of 19 Schulyer Place is an homage to a passing world where neighbor...more
Margaret Rose King gets sent to summer camp because her parents don't want to take her on a dig to Peru and her favorite uncles don't want her either. But her uncles do come for her eventually because she is being tormented at camp. The camp director finally calls home because Margaret is replying I'd rather not to all activities. It is when she gets to her uncles home that she realizes something is amiss. She discovers why her uncles did not want her for the summer. She also decides to do somet...more
This book had a fantastic beginning. The author is right on in describing how a camp experience can go terribly wrong, and how girls can play vicious mind games with each other in an attempt to be popular. As the story continued, my interest fizzled. I was still drawn to the author's portrayal of the 12 year-old main character and her quirky uncles, but the plot started to bore me. The ending was a real let down. After a slow build up, the ending was like crashing into a brick wall. It just stop...more
Perhaps I should not review this book because I began to feel annoyed when I learned the main character's name is 'Margaret Rose' which I think is too long and too old fashioned.
I had to tell myself several times that this story is probably meant for 10 year old girls, because it seemed so contrived. Margaret Rose's parents park her in summer camp when they go off to work in Peru. She is stuck in a cabin with mean girls. So, like Bartleby, she preferred not to do anything.
As the story develops,...more
I had to tell myself several times that this story is probably meant for 10 year old girls, because it seemed so contrived. Margaret Rose's parents park her in summer camp when they go off to work in Peru. She is stuck in a cabin with mean girls. So, like Bartleby, she preferred not to do anything.
As the story develops,...more
Margaret Rose Kane’s parents go on an archaeological expedition to Peru so she is sent to Camp Talequa. When she is bullied by her campmates her campaign of passive aggression results in her liberation by her favourite Hungarian uncles who take her back to their home – the site of three towers they have spent the last forty-five years constructing in their backyard. But over the years the neighbourhood has evolved from the home of immigrant families to a trendy renewal project fostered by lawyer...more
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Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was an American author and illustrator of children's books and young adult fiction. She was the only author to win the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor in the same year (1968), with her second and first books respectively: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth. Kongisburg won a second Newbery...more
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“Every now and then, a person must do something simply because he wants to, because it seems to him worth doing. And that does not make it worthless or a waste of time.”
—
16 people liked it
“They are saying that if life has a structure, a staff, a sensible scaffold, we hang our nonsense on it. And they are saying that broken parts add color and music to the staff of life.”
—
6 people liked it
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May 08, 2008 10:57am