Kristine's review
Knee Knock Rise
by Natalie Babbitt
Do you know what this book is about?
my friend Annette from Wisconsin says this about the book:
"Like Tuck Everlasting, this is a thought provoking book. I didn't like it as much as Tuck, but I did enjoy it. I think the whole message of the book can be found in the poem written by Uncle Ott:
I visited a certain king
Who had a certain fool.
The king was gray with wisdom got
From forty years of schol.
The fool was pink with nonsense
And could barely write his name
But he knew a lot of little songs
And sang them just the same.
The fool was gay. The king was not.
Now tell me if you can:
Which was perhaps the greater fool
And which the wiser man?
The whole point of the book is to make you think; is it better to be the king or the fool?"
And since I'm a sucker for books that make you think (whether you like the book or not) I think this one's right up my alley!
I like it, and it's on my list! Thanks for the review!
I didn't make that connection at all. I saw Egan as the kid who runs around telling every kid in the second grade that there is no Santa Clause and making all the little kids cry and the adults upset. In the month of December everyone believes in Santa! They put there cookies and milk out for him just like the wishbones and the garlic in the book. I saw Megrimum as a legend, nothing more. If this book was written for adults I'd say that there may be more to it than that, but since its not, there probably isn't.
I can see as a children's book that fits better . . . but Uncle Ott's poem about education and facts making you wise, but not happy -- there's too much of a parallel for it not to be also about more. I don't buy that author's write children's books just to entertain without deeper meaning -- even if that's all she did the stories are shaped by her own world view. Also many of the reviews on the book I read spoke about "man's need to believe in the supernatural".
I read an interview with Natalie Babbit -- in it she talked about Kneeknock Rise and man's need to believe in something. She talked about how she has a very hard time with organized religion and that she's always like Greek and Roman myths more than anything the Bible says. She also said she was surprised people picked up on religious themes in Tuck Everlasting. But that she writes book with the purpose to give people questions to which there are not answers.
Wow! I didn't know all of that background information about the author. Perhaps you are right about it being anti-religion. Too bad, that makes me not like it as much.
ok, I've been thinking about it a little more . . . and I have to take my review back . . . I don't think it's pro-religion or anti-religion . . . but much more general. Of course it can be taken that way, but I see her purpose is not answering which question is right or wrong but just making you think about the question.
Does your system of belief bring you happiness and joy? Does your lack of "beliefs" bring you happiness? Would you go on a "journey" to see what is at the top of your "mountain"? How many of us who believe -- do so on the word of others instead of finding out for ourselves? etc. It actually brings up a LOT of questions that I just want to think about for a long time :-)
You guys have intrigued me once again. One more book to the to read list. I am so glad I found this site! Before goodreads, my to read list was basically at 0. :) Now I can't stop reading and read a couple books a week at least. Saturday I read two books just that day! :)
Wow! Kristine you are obviously are a much deeper thinker than I am. I can see how all of those questions apply to the book, but I hadn't thought that much about it. I'm glad that you don't feel that it's anti-religion anymore. Tuck Everlasting has that same affect on people, you go away with all kinds of thought provoking questions swimming around in your brain.
Brandy, this book isn't a bad one to add to your list because it's a very quick read. It won't take you long at all to get through it (not like Little Women).
By the way, if anyone is looking for an excellent book that is quick to read I highly recommend Witness by Karen Hesse. That is a really good book! When you do read it let me know what you think.
I think I read too much into things sometimes -- more than the intent is there, but I figure if I learn from it then why stop? :-)
Kristine's review
Knee Knock Rise by Natalie Babbitt
Kristine's review
rating:
bookshelves:
newbery-honors
eh. ok, i'm not sure how to review this -- because it is either very for-religion or anti-religion. If you are a non-believer I can see how you can take this story and see how all the believers are mindless fools. But if you are a believer there is the element that you can say, "even with facts that indicate otherwise, you can never 100% prove there is no God. And life is rich and happy and purpose-driven with it."
I'm still thinking about it, though. And it's a very quick read, from start to finish in an afternoon.
I'm still thinking about it, though. And it's a very quick read, from start to finish in an afternoon.
Do you know what this book is about?
my friend Annette from Wisconsin says this about the book:"Like Tuck Everlasting, this is a thought provoking book. I didn't like it as much as Tuck, but I did enjoy it. I think the whole message of the book can be found in the poem written by Uncle Ott:
I visited a certain king
Who had a certain fool.
The king was gray with wisdom got
From forty years of schol.
The fool was pink with nonsense
And could barely write his name
But he knew a lot of little songs
And sang them just the same.
The fool was gay. The king was not.
Now tell me if you can:
Which was perhaps the greater fool
And which the wiser man?
The whole point of the book is to make you think; is it better to be the king or the fool?"
And since I'm a sucker for books that make you think (whether you like the book or not) I think this one's right up my alley!
I like it, and it's on my list! Thanks for the review!
I didn't make that connection at all. I saw Egan as the kid who runs around telling every kid in the second grade that there is no Santa Clause and making all the little kids cry and the adults upset. In the month of December everyone believes in Santa! They put there cookies and milk out for him just like the wishbones and the garlic in the book. I saw Megrimum as a legend, nothing more. If this book was written for adults I'd say that there may be more to it than that, but since its not, there probably isn't.
I can see as a children's book that fits better . . . but Uncle Ott's poem about education and facts making you wise, but not happy -- there's too much of a parallel for it not to be also about more. I don't buy that author's write children's books just to entertain without deeper meaning -- even if that's all she did the stories are shaped by her own world view. Also many of the reviews on the book I read spoke about "man's need to believe in the supernatural".
I read an interview with Natalie Babbit -- in it she talked about Kneeknock Rise and man's need to believe in something. She talked about how she has a very hard time with organized religion and that she's always like Greek and Roman myths more than anything the Bible says. She also said she was surprised people picked up on religious themes in Tuck Everlasting. But that she writes book with the purpose to give people questions to which there are not answers.
Wow! I didn't know all of that background information about the author. Perhaps you are right about it being anti-religion. Too bad, that makes me not like it as much.
ok, I've been thinking about it a little more . . . and I have to take my review back . . . I don't think it's pro-religion or anti-religion . . . but much more general. Of course it can be taken that way, but I see her purpose is not answering which question is right or wrong but just making you think about the question.
Does your system of belief bring you happiness and joy? Does your lack of "beliefs" bring you happiness? Would you go on a "journey" to see what is at the top of your "mountain"? How many of us who believe -- do so on the word of others instead of finding out for ourselves? etc. It actually brings up a LOT of questions that I just want to think about for a long time :-)
You guys have intrigued me once again. One more book to the to read list. I am so glad I found this site! Before goodreads, my to read list was basically at 0. :) Now I can't stop reading and read a couple books a week at least. Saturday I read two books just that day! :)
Wow! Kristine you are obviously are a much deeper thinker than I am. I can see how all of those questions apply to the book, but I hadn't thought that much about it. I'm glad that you don't feel that it's anti-religion anymore. Tuck Everlasting has that same affect on people, you go away with all kinds of thought provoking questions swimming around in your brain.
Brandy, this book isn't a bad one to add to your list because it's a very quick read. It won't take you long at all to get through it (not like Little Women).
By the way, if anyone is looking for an excellent book that is quick to read I highly recommend Witness by Karen Hesse. That is a really good book! When you do read it let me know what you think.
I think I read too much into things sometimes -- more than the intent is there, but I figure if I learn from it then why stop? :-)