Sense and Sensibility

by Gill Tavner (Adaptation), Ann Kronheimer (Illustrator), Jane Austen

Marianne is ablaze with fire and passion; Elinor keeps her own heat under control.

Marianne seeks a man who shares her eager spirit; Elinor is in love with the polite, considerate Edward Ferrars.

Their younger sister Margaret watches in bewilderment as Marianne and Elinor experience the joys and heartaches of early adult life. Is Marianne too warm or is Elinor too cold? Whose example should Margaret follow?

Margaret records the dangers presented by scheming friends and deceitful lovers. Will Elinor’s sense be strong enough to support both sisters, or will Marianne’s sensibility bring tragedy?

What will you learn as you read Margaret’s account?

Genres: Fiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2009

Reviews

[Věra Škodová · Rating 4 out of 5]

I simply adore these illustrated and shortened versions for children :)

[Sarah Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacks main details but for the shortened version it is quite good

[Kari Hilmanowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kind of love that those classics that can be hard for adults to get through, are adapted and shortened for children to enjoy. I purchased the whole collection of Jane Austen Real Reads last summer I believe, hoping my daughters would get a glimpse into the world of Miss Austen.

I decided to give Sense and Sensibility a read this afternoon. It read very quickly, being only 54 pages long. The copy is made very sturdy. It isn't softcover, but isn't hardcover either. It is that weird in-between version. There is a dust jacket with a beautiful illustration of distraught Marianne being comforted by her older sister Elinor. There are similar colored illustrations throughout the book, with the pages being much thicker than normal pages.

I love the story of Sense and Sensibility, the newer BBC version of the movie is one of my favorite movies of all time. I thought this version of the story was well done. There is obviously a lot of the story details left out, considering its length. This version is told from the point of view of Margaret, the younger sister (who really has a very minor roll in the original). There was also a couple of times where events were kind of smushed together, and even characters (such as Ann and Lucy Steele becoming simply, Lucy Steele). I know some Austen fans might gasp in shock, but I don't think it hurts the story at all. I just think, a little condensed Jane Austen for young ones is better than no Jane Austen. My only complaint about the shortening and adapting in this specific novel is that the scene with Colonel Brandon finding Marianne in the rain was left out (although I have never fully completed the novel, so maybe that is just in the movies?). That is kind of one of my favorite parts, as it is the moment that Marianne begins to view Colonel Brandon in a different light, knowing how he rescued her.

I especially love how when the story ends, the book does not. At the back of the book, there is a bunch of information for budding minds! They explain how things were condensed and changed for space, and describe in detail how they were in the original novel. There is also a Back in Time section that explains what is was like to live in Miss Austen's time. Another section gives lists of more books and websites to further your Jane Austen interest, along with a few pages of discussion questions that leave your mind reviewing and really putting your thoughts together about what you just read. What more could a parent or teacher ask for in a Jane Austen introduction novel for young ones?

[CatarinaG · Rating 4 out of 5]

[from Amazon.uk]:
The classics retold and beautifully illustrated. Real Reads are a new and exciting way of presenting our literary heritage to a new audience: bright young primary readers, children who have seen the films and now want the books, teenagers who want to read the classics but aren't yet ready for the original, grown-up readers who want a quick fix of their favourite classical author, less confident readers who don't want to be left out of real books, learners of English who want to explore the classics everyone talks about. For more information, please visit RealReads.co.uk. Marianne is ablaze with fire and passion; Elinor keeps her own heat under control. Marianne seeks a man who shares her eager spirit; Elinor is in love with the polite, considerate Edward Ferrars. Their younger sister Margaret watches in bewilderment as Marianne and Elinor experience the joys and heartaches of early adult life. Is Marianne too warm or is Elinor too cold? Whose example should Margaret follow? Margaret records the dangers presented by scheming friends and deceitful lovers. Will Elinor's sense be strong enough to support both sisters, or will Marianne's sensibility bring tragedy?What will you learn as you read Margaret s account?

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children's version of the Jane Austen classic. It does a good job of giving an overview of the story and, even better, at the end it tells you what has been changed or been left out. It is apparently one of a series by this publisher.