What do you think?
Rate this book
William S. Baggett #1
William S. and the Great Escape
Twelve-year-old William S. Baggett is one of eight Baggett children, and he is ready to escape his negligent family. Since his very first day of school in 1931, he has been saving up money to run away. That’s exactly what he does—along with three of his younger siblings—after his older brothers flush a pet guinea pig down the toilet. The four children are headed to their aunt Fiona’s house, but the trip doesn’t go exactly as planned—especially when a lonely rich girl decides to “help” them. Will they ever make it to Aunt Fiona’s? And if they do, will she let them stay?
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Zilpha Keatley Snyder
82 books457 followersZilpha Keatley Snyder was an American author of books for children and young adults. Three of Snyder's works were named Newbery Honor books: The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid and The Witches of Worm. She was most famous for writing adventure stories and fantasies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
December 14, 2020
So yes indeed, Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s 2009 middle grade novel William S. and the Great Escape (which takes place during the Great Depression) has generally been delightfully enjoyable and I do absolutely cheer and celebrate the clearly and powerfully presented authorial message that sometimes and if one is in fact truly stuck (like main protagonist William Baggett and his younger siblings clearly are) in a family scenario that is abusive and totally, utterly unacceptably so, that yes, the only viable option might well be to escape, to attempt to run away (and that in cases such as the latter, children running away should in fact not be approached critically but instead to be celebrated and deemed as the right manner in which to proceed, that the concept of family is therefore not sacred and beyond reproach and that an abusive father and older siblings equally and obviously do not and should not have any right to be respected just because they are, just because they happen to be family).
And albeit that author Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s tone of narrative voice in William S. and the Great Escape often feels for and to me as an older adult reader perhaps a trifle too chatty and lighthearted considering that William, Jancy, Buddy and Trixie are in fact running away from home for truly very serious and problematic reasons (and that they really MUST leave, that their abusive and dysfunctional home life truly has become absolutely horrid), as a child reader, I would actually have appreciated the lightheartedness of Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s text (as it kind of reassures younger readers that everything will come out all right and positively for young William and company, that their escape from the clutches of their family, from the Baggetts will end up even with the obstacles encountered be successful, that Aunt Fiona’s place will be reached and that even after being forced to return, William, Jancy, Buddy and Trixie will at the end of the story, at the end of William S. and the Great Escape get to return to Aunt Fiona and to permanently escape from Baggett abuse and dysfunction).
Four stars for the general story line of William S. and the Great Escape but rounded down to a high three stars, as the William Shakespeare elements should really be a bit more strongly anchored within the actual narrative (although I do appreciate how much of a Shakespeare fan William Baggett is described by Zilpha Keatley Snyder as being and that he uses The Tempest to entertain his younger siblings while they are waiting in Clarice Ogden’s basement).
And albeit that author Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s tone of narrative voice in William S. and the Great Escape often feels for and to me as an older adult reader perhaps a trifle too chatty and lighthearted considering that William, Jancy, Buddy and Trixie are in fact running away from home for truly very serious and problematic reasons (and that they really MUST leave, that their abusive and dysfunctional home life truly has become absolutely horrid), as a child reader, I would actually have appreciated the lightheartedness of Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s text (as it kind of reassures younger readers that everything will come out all right and positively for young William and company, that their escape from the clutches of their family, from the Baggetts will end up even with the obstacles encountered be successful, that Aunt Fiona’s place will be reached and that even after being forced to return, William, Jancy, Buddy and Trixie will at the end of the story, at the end of William S. and the Great Escape get to return to Aunt Fiona and to permanently escape from Baggett abuse and dysfunction).
Four stars for the general story line of William S. and the Great Escape but rounded down to a high three stars, as the William Shakespeare elements should really be a bit more strongly anchored within the actual narrative (although I do appreciate how much of a Shakespeare fan William Baggett is described by Zilpha Keatley Snyder as being and that he uses The Tempest to entertain his younger siblings while they are waiting in Clarice Ogden’s basement).
October 30, 2009
William S. Baggett has no choice but to plan his escape- he is too small, too nice, and too talented to survive in the Baggett household. That said, his escape plans are a distant dream, brought sharply into focus by his sister's determination to escape (with their younger siblings) from an increasingly abusive situation. The tale of the preparation and the escape make for a great adventure-read for children.
This is a wonderful book with a great retro-feel; the Depression-era tale resonates with authenticity. The quirky storyline and interesting cast of characters kept this adult reader involved; I'm sure younger readers would be equally engrossed.
On the other hand, there are darker themes that are touched on here so parents should be ready to discuss the issues of child abuse, welfare fraud, bullying and violence as they arise. All in all an excellent read!
This is a wonderful book with a great retro-feel; the Depression-era tale resonates with authenticity. The quirky storyline and interesting cast of characters kept this adult reader involved; I'm sure younger readers would be equally engrossed.
On the other hand, there are darker themes that are touched on here so parents should be ready to discuss the issues of child abuse, welfare fraud, bullying and violence as they arise. All in all an excellent read!
July 5, 2012
If you have a very dysfunctional family, the only way to cope is either to build walls around you or simply to run away. As said by the author, sometimes you need to run away to find home.
August 26, 2020
Keputusan William untuk lari dari rumah bukanlah hal yang mudah, apalagi ketiga adiknya harus ikut dengannya. namun, apalagi yang harus kau lakukan apabila tinggal di rumah yang penghuninya berkelakuan tidak baik. Lari dari rumah adalah pilihan yang tepat.
Read
May 15, 2016Have you ever tried to run away? Well Twelve-year-old William S. Baggett has. The genre of this book would be realistic fiction. It would be because this could have actually occurred. My overall opinion of this book would be it was so good also a great lesson for people To know about abusive families.
This book setting would be northern California. The setting is important because thats where there Aunt Fiona lives. This book is about a 12 year old boy named William. He's been planning to escape his abusive family with his four younger siblings. His older brothers always taunt him and one day he flushes a pet guinea pig down the toilet. He fed up and does sneak out in the middle of the night with the kids to go to his Aunts house and plans to live there forever. William has been saving up money for the run away . They decide to head to Aunt Fiona house but the plan doesn't go how they wanted it to go. The characters are William , Jancy ,Aunt Fiona, and the two youngest siblings. The conflict would be Person vs person because William enemy is the awful family "Baggetts". The theme is teamwork Because the four siblings work together to escape.
A major event that changed the character was when they flushed the pet down the toilet because he knew he had to get out of that house. The title relates to the book . It relates because its about how William tries to escape the bad family. The narrator is reliable because they statements she wrote were believable. The authors word choice were good/bad because she using some curse words like "hell" and that might offend someone. The theme can be seen when William saves money to help the four siblings.
I was surprised when they make it to town, but the young Baggetts are offered shelter by Clarice a little girl whose dog discovers them walking down the street. I was angry when they flushed the pet down the toliet. My favorite part was when William performed Shakespeare’s The Tempest for the two young kids because they were bored at Clarice house. William S. and the great escape is a good title for the book because it shows what the books about and how the escape was fun. An interesting thing I learned was people are different and there are some parents that treat the kids with no respect that the kids just want to run away because they hate their families.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars just because the book was so good and fun to read. I would recommend this book to people who like reading about peoples lives and there problems. Would you try to escape if your family was awful?
This book setting would be northern California. The setting is important because thats where there Aunt Fiona lives. This book is about a 12 year old boy named William. He's been planning to escape his abusive family with his four younger siblings. His older brothers always taunt him and one day he flushes a pet guinea pig down the toilet. He fed up and does sneak out in the middle of the night with the kids to go to his Aunts house and plans to live there forever. William has been saving up money for the run away . They decide to head to Aunt Fiona house but the plan doesn't go how they wanted it to go. The characters are William , Jancy ,Aunt Fiona, and the two youngest siblings. The conflict would be Person vs person because William enemy is the awful family "Baggetts". The theme is teamwork Because the four siblings work together to escape.
A major event that changed the character was when they flushed the pet down the toilet because he knew he had to get out of that house. The title relates to the book . It relates because its about how William tries to escape the bad family. The narrator is reliable because they statements she wrote were believable. The authors word choice were good/bad because she using some curse words like "hell" and that might offend someone. The theme can be seen when William saves money to help the four siblings.
I was surprised when they make it to town, but the young Baggetts are offered shelter by Clarice a little girl whose dog discovers them walking down the street. I was angry when they flushed the pet down the toliet. My favorite part was when William performed Shakespeare’s The Tempest for the two young kids because they were bored at Clarice house. William S. and the great escape is a good title for the book because it shows what the books about and how the escape was fun. An interesting thing I learned was people are different and there are some parents that treat the kids with no respect that the kids just want to run away because they hate their families.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars just because the book was so good and fun to read. I would recommend this book to people who like reading about peoples lives and there problems. Would you try to escape if your family was awful?
October 7, 2014
William S. Baggett doesn't plan on being a Baggett for much longer. He's been scrimping and saving and soon he's going to run away.
Turns out soon comes a lot faster than William expected. And with a lot more problems.
Being a Baggett, especially a little Baggett, isn't easy at the best of times. But when Jancy's pet guinea pig is flushed down the toilet by two older Baggetts she knows it's time to leave. William knows too. Even if he would have liked more time to plan and save and, well, get older than twelve.
All of a sudden William, Jancy and the two smallest Baggetts are making their escape to find their aunt Fiona's house and maybe someone who will actually care about them and welcome them. At least, they hope.
But it turns out running away is harder than William thought, especially with two little kids in tow. Getting some help from a lonely rich girl might be a big help. Or it might spell disaster for all of their non-Baggett plans in William S. and the Great Escape (2009) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
William S. and the Great Escape is an interesting combination of runaway story set in 1938 and excerpts from Shakespeare* (William is a big fan of . . . that other William) as William tries to entertain his younger siblings. Snyder is no stranger to building suspense. The story is fraught with tension as the youngest Baggetts (and the reader) wonder if they will make it to Aunt Fiona's and, more importantly, if she will let them stay.
Are the Baggett's problems at home over the top? Is the plot improbable? Perhaps. But that's kind of the point. Snyder puts together a little bit of the historical, a little bit of the dramatic, and a lot of humor and charm in this book to create a story that is pure fun and pure escapism for any reader.
*All of the quotes and Shakespeare related matters are set in an Old English style font so that they stand out. And may or may not be easier to skip if the reader is more interested in young William S. than in William Shakespeare.
Possible Pairings: The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood, The Secret Garden by France Hodgson Burnett, You Don’t Know Me by David Klass, The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson, Holes by Louis Sachar, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt, Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Turns out soon comes a lot faster than William expected. And with a lot more problems.
Being a Baggett, especially a little Baggett, isn't easy at the best of times. But when Jancy's pet guinea pig is flushed down the toilet by two older Baggetts she knows it's time to leave. William knows too. Even if he would have liked more time to plan and save and, well, get older than twelve.
All of a sudden William, Jancy and the two smallest Baggetts are making their escape to find their aunt Fiona's house and maybe someone who will actually care about them and welcome them. At least, they hope.
But it turns out running away is harder than William thought, especially with two little kids in tow. Getting some help from a lonely rich girl might be a big help. Or it might spell disaster for all of their non-Baggett plans in William S. and the Great Escape (2009) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
William S. and the Great Escape is an interesting combination of runaway story set in 1938 and excerpts from Shakespeare* (William is a big fan of . . . that other William) as William tries to entertain his younger siblings. Snyder is no stranger to building suspense. The story is fraught with tension as the youngest Baggetts (and the reader) wonder if they will make it to Aunt Fiona's and, more importantly, if she will let them stay.
Are the Baggett's problems at home over the top? Is the plot improbable? Perhaps. But that's kind of the point. Snyder puts together a little bit of the historical, a little bit of the dramatic, and a lot of humor and charm in this book to create a story that is pure fun and pure escapism for any reader.
*All of the quotes and Shakespeare related matters are set in an Old English style font so that they stand out. And may or may not be easier to skip if the reader is more interested in young William S. than in William Shakespeare.
Possible Pairings: The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood, The Secret Garden by France Hodgson Burnett, You Don’t Know Me by David Klass, The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson, Holes by Louis Sachar, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt, Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, Heidi by Johanna Spyri
March 28, 2010
Abuse and neglect is a real fact seen every day. Often kids see no way out. This isn't the case for William Baggett. he had decided long ago he didn't want to live like the rest of the Baggetts. He worked odd jobs, saved his money and had a bag packed at all times for when the day was right. He was only twelve so he figured he had a couple of years before he would leave. Things changed the day the twins flushed Jancey's guinea pig Sweetie Pie down the toilet. Jancey had know William's secret for a long time but had said nothing. On this day she met him in their secret meeting place and made it clear that she thought "they" should run away as early as the next day. Not only that but they needed to take Buddy and Trixie, the youngest Baggetts with them. She decided they would run away to their Aunt Fiona's house. After all she had raised Buddy and Trixie for two years. She would still be raising them if their father had not remarried and taken them back so he could collect more welfare money. Along the way they find some unlikely help from someone who admired Williams Shakespearean acting ability. this was a fun read but also had a serious tone. I had to ask myself if I would have had the courage to do what these four children did? I at first wanted to say that this would never happen in real life. Then I realized several things. Children today do things that seem too adult for us all the time. The second thing I noticed was that this book was set during the depression times and children back then had to be more grown up than kids today. They usually had more responsibilities and therefore it is very plausible. Either way I think kids will be able to make a connection to this book and I will highly recommend it.
June 17, 2012
My kids loved this book and it prompted some great discussions.
The depression-era Baggett home is not a good place to grow up. William S. has an alcoholic, abusive father. His step-mother and six half-siblings are mean, often cruel and think he and his three younger full siblings are there to either torture or completely neglect.
William has plans, though. He's going to escape and be a Baggett no more. He may even be a famous actor one day. He's been saving every penny, earning money in anyway he can to build up his escape fund.
One day, the guinea pig of little sister Jancey is flushed down the toilet by the bullying older siblingsand suddenly, the plan of escape is no longer William's alone. Oh, one more thing...Jancey insists on bringing six-year old Trixie and four-year-old Buddy with them as well.
The plan to get to their mother's sister's home is simple enough, but avoiding all those big Baggetts is another matter entirely.
--
There are a lot of my kids' audio books to which I don't pay attention, but this one really held my interest. I loved how the siblings worked together to make the great escape work. I loved how it showed that losing your cool was a decidedly Baggett trait and not one to emulate.
The audio book said it was recommended for ages 5 to 12, but I would bump that up to 6 to 12. There is swearing twice and I was surprised by the use of the word 'sexy' in a children's chapter book. I feel like this book has good values and doesn't graphically discuss the kids abuses (which is good for sensitive children and their sensitive parents).
The depression-era Baggett home is not a good place to grow up. William S. has an alcoholic, abusive father. His step-mother and six half-siblings are mean, often cruel and think he and his three younger full siblings are there to either torture or completely neglect.
William has plans, though. He's going to escape and be a Baggett no more. He may even be a famous actor one day. He's been saving every penny, earning money in anyway he can to build up his escape fund.
One day, the guinea pig of little sister Jancey is flushed down the toilet by the bullying older siblingsand suddenly, the plan of escape is no longer William's alone. Oh, one more thing...Jancey insists on bringing six-year old Trixie and four-year-old Buddy with them as well.
The plan to get to their mother's sister's home is simple enough, but avoiding all those big Baggetts is another matter entirely.
--
There are a lot of my kids' audio books to which I don't pay attention, but this one really held my interest. I loved how the siblings worked together to make the great escape work. I loved how it showed that losing your cool was a decidedly Baggett trait and not one to emulate.
The audio book said it was recommended for ages 5 to 12, but I would bump that up to 6 to 12. There is swearing twice and I was surprised by the use of the word 'sexy' in a children's chapter book. I feel like this book has good values and doesn't graphically discuss the kids abuses (which is good for sensitive children and their sensitive parents).
July 7, 2016
William S. and the Great Escape is a great book. It is mysterious and has excitement in it. The book is about four siblings who want to leave their house and move into their aunt's house. The book is based on a twelve-year old boy named William and how his life is in a house full of Baggets (his last name). He had everything planned out on how he was going to leave his house since he was a little boy. Ever since his mother died, life had changed in the house. There is an abusive father, mean step-mother, and horrible older brothers. Once his sister Jancy's guinea pig gets flushed down the toilet, William, Jancy, and their two younger siblings leave the house because they don't want to see what is going to happen next. They leave for their aunt's house and make it. Their aunt takes them in and is very happy to see them, but once they settle in, trouble is coming their way!
The book is really good, but I wish it were a little bit longer. The climax was very good and the description is very clear. You can picture the events and characters in your mind while reading this book. Shakespeare is also mentioned in this book since William was an actor in the school play for the Tempest.
When I got to the climax, I couldn't put it down. I kept on reading the book until I got to the end of it.
March 12, 2012
Zilpha Keatley Snyder writes great stories for readers between 8 and tween. Her stories feature strong, child heroes having fast-paced and intriguing adventures. However, she keeps the stories appropriate for young audiences in subject and content. Another great thing about Snyder is the number of books she has written. If you enjoy one, there are many more to choose.
In William S. and the Great Escape, William Baggett is a precocious and creative kid trapped in rotten family. With an angry and lazy father, mean stepmother, and a seemingly innumerable group of bullying older siblings, William longs for escape. His plans are altered when some of the older kids flush his younger sister Jancy’s pet guinea pig down the toilet. At that point, she insists that they and the two youngest Baggetts hit the road. Their escape is filled with adventures and close calls as four neglected kids try to find a better home.
In William S. and the Great Escape, William Baggett is a precocious and creative kid trapped in rotten family. With an angry and lazy father, mean stepmother, and a seemingly innumerable group of bullying older siblings, William longs for escape. His plans are altered when some of the older kids flush his younger sister Jancy’s pet guinea pig down the toilet. At that point, she insists that they and the two youngest Baggetts hit the road. Their escape is filled with adventures and close calls as four neglected kids try to find a better home.
April 18, 2015
A sweet story about a young man taking his three young siblings and getting away from an abusive household in the depths of the Depression. The young man has, through a wonderful junior high teacher, found a love for Shakespeare that carries him through all of the difficulties and allows him to entertain and teach his younger siblings as well.
Read
August 14, 2016William 12 year old hero, plans to use his money he saved up all his life to escape, someday, from his horrible and vicious father and older siblings. Meanwhile, William hides from the household of their farmhouse, reading Shakespeare and dreaming of the stage . Escape becomes urgent after his bullying half brothers flushed his sister Jancys guinea pig down the toilet. William, Jancy and their younger bothers and sisters Trixie and Buddy, leave and thought that there Aunt Fiona’s would taken them in home several towns away. Throughout the journey, William relies on the Bard to calm and entertain the younger siblings acting out scenes and reciting lines from The Tempest . The children’s happy reunion with their aunt proves short lived when their father appears to claim them, though things eventually work out for the beleaguered children. Wit and pluck are rewarded in this quick-paced, high drama adventure, which may also whet young appetites for Shakespeare.
May 17, 2015
Recommended Ages: grades 4-7
William S. Baggett is a good kid trapped in a really awful family. William has his running-away money ready to go, he's just been waiting until he's older than twelve to leave. When his big brothers flush his sister's pet guinea pig down the toilet, she insists they leave now. And take the two littlest Baggetts with them. So they head out in the middle of the night, ready to escape to their aunt Fiona's house.
Unfortunately the trip doesn't go exactly as planned. It's not so easy traveling with two little kids, and some help from a lonely rich girl makes it even more complicated. Will they ever make it to Aunt Fiona's? And if they do, will she let them stay?
This is the story of four children who learn that sometimes you have to run away before you can find your way home.
William S. Baggett is a good kid trapped in a really awful family. William has his running-away money ready to go, he's just been waiting until he's older than twelve to leave. When his big brothers flush his sister's pet guinea pig down the toilet, she insists they leave now. And take the two littlest Baggetts with them. So they head out in the middle of the night, ready to escape to their aunt Fiona's house.
Unfortunately the trip doesn't go exactly as planned. It's not so easy traveling with two little kids, and some help from a lonely rich girl makes it even more complicated. Will they ever make it to Aunt Fiona's? And if they do, will she let them stay?
This is the story of four children who learn that sometimes you have to run away before you can find your way home.
September 22, 2010
I found lots of problems with this book that reminded me of The Boxcar Children. For one, the time (1938) does not feel right due partially to the use of words such as supersmart, supersecret, gone missing, junior college, community service, etc. Also there is the use of the word hell as a cuss word (p. 36) as well as the g.d. word (p. 192). The name of the protagonist's sister, Jancy, did not feel right for a girl from 1938. Also, the poor Baggett clan had a working bathroom in the house, something that was virtually unheard of in rural America at that time. The characters lacked depth and feeling, the theme of abuse was not developed enough, and the childish utterings of the 4-year-old brother were irritating. However, I did like the idea of William being a Shakespeare fan and how the author worked some of the bard's lines into her book.
September 24, 2009
I was disappointed. The story started out well with a Lemony-Snicket-like darkness, and then, as one reviewer pointed out, it came to a halt just as it got going, when the runaway children are taken in by a young girl named Clarice, where they stay for 2-3 days. The Shakespeare element felt contrived, and went on too long. The black lettering for the Shakespeare quotes began to annoy me. When the children got on the move again, their journey gained in tension, but felt unreal, as did their warm welcome by Aunt Fiona. This woman was a teacher. Surely she would have known to contact the authorities and raise the question of child abuse. I loved the cover, which, along with the author's reputation, attracted me to the book.
December 31, 2009
William is tired of being a Baggett, being picked on by his troublemaking older brothers and his abusive father and stepmother. He has his running away money all ready to go, but he is waiting for the right moment. But when his brothers flush his little sister's guinea pig down the toilet, she insists he help her the the two littlest ones run away NOW. So the four go on the run to their Aunt Fiona's house. Things don't go exactly as planned, however, and the four have to overcome many obstacles before finding a safe home. A nice read for Boxcar Children fans looking for something a little different.
June 18, 2010
This children's book was a very quick read about 4 children in a broken family who decide to run away. It was okay, but I had some problems with how the book didn't seem to take the home life situation very seriously. It wasn't told as lightly as, for example, Harry Potter's life with his aunt and uncle, but it lacked a certain depth.
This would be a good book for younger children, especially if you used it to lead into some conversations with them about abusive or neglected families.
A book that I highly recommend if you want to read much more eloquently told "runaway" children's survival story is Homecoming, by Cynthia Voigt.
This would be a good book for younger children, especially if you used it to lead into some conversations with them about abusive or neglected families.
A book that I highly recommend if you want to read much more eloquently told "runaway" children's survival story is Homecoming, by Cynthia Voigt.
April 20, 2011
While this story is a bit complicated (4 children with same mother-now deceased living with horrible father who has a mass of mean children from his first wife...aunt who raised them until they were stolen by the father for government funding, etc.), the adventure aspect may appeal to some children. William is plotting his escape from "the Baggetts" as he calls the family. Their escape is expedited and in their rush, they are caught offguard by another child in their town who takes them in. The use of Shakespeare did get a bit tedious at times but overall, this book (and the characters within) was enjoyable.
September 13, 2010
Set during the depression, this book is about William, his two younger sisters and one younger brother and their escape from their nasty family of Baggetts. William also happens to love Shakespeare and is constantly quoting the Bard, especially from The Tempest (because he recently played the part of Ariel in his school's production. The different ages of the four kids in this book add variety and humor as they sneak away to freedom from their tormentors.
February 12, 2012
I listened to this book after reading William's Midsummer Dreams, and am glad I did. At first I thought I didn't need to nor did I want to, but I actually really liked the author's writing and the characters when I wasn't distracted by all of the changing fonts! The reader on this audiobook is really good as well.
February 28, 2012
This book was not what I expected it to be. I thought there would be more Shakespeare in it. I did enjoy the story, but I felt everything was wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly at the end. There are interesting themes about bullying in here, not only the Baggart parents and brothers, but possibly Clarice as well.
March 19, 2013
This story was so heartbreaking and sad at times, but hopeful overall. It appealed to the part of me that loves Sharon Creech, Polly Horvath, and other sad but wonderful stories of that nature. The whole book you are rooting for the youngest 4 children in the Baggett family to escape the abuse and neglect of their large and crazy family and thus it is a very compelling read.
August 30, 2017
Absolutely charming quick read.
Maybe I'm biased (being a Bard nut myself), but I think William S. is one of the most beautiful characters ever created in juvenile fiction. His characterization felt so true and effortless, which I know isn't easy to pull off. So hat's off to Zylpha Keatley Snyder.
Maybe I'm biased (being a Bard nut myself), but I think William S. is one of the most beautiful characters ever created in juvenile fiction. His characterization felt so true and effortless, which I know isn't easy to pull off. So hat's off to Zylpha Keatley Snyder.
February 9, 2018
This is the first I’ve read this book and it almost replaced The Headless Cupid as my favorite Snyder book. I love the way the story was crafted. It’s like the perfect runaway story. It’s as good as Claudia and Jaime’s runaway adventure from the book From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, but with more action and theatre.
March 29, 2010
Had a very old-fashioned feel. The story itself is set in 1930's and makes a good tame adventure. The narrator was good and well-suited to the part. The story was a little predictable and tame so I think a younger audience would enjoy it best (upper elementary rather than middle-school).
July 11, 2010
I've loved Zilpha Keatley Snyder's books since I was a kid. Addresses issues such as domestic violence and child abuse, but ultimately a hopeful story of determined siblings who love and watch out for each other.
July 24, 2010
Enjoyed this sweet story of four siblings who run away from an abusive family, written by an award-winning author. Read my full review at:
http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blog...
http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blog...
February 24, 2011
An action filled story about William, Jancy, Trixie and Buddy who don't fit in with their family (who does abuse them) and decide to run away. Good obstacles to overcome, humorous parts, and even some Shakespeare. A fun historical adventure for tweens.
February 17, 2015
This story was fine (shades of the Stanleys, who I prefer) but this edition put any and all Shakespeare quotes and titles, his name, and even the initial "S." in a mock-old-English font that made me want to tear my hair out!!!
July 12, 2016
Listened to this with the family on the way home from BC. We all greatly enjoyed it. It introduces some tough themes with regard to child negligence, broken families, etc. but does so in a sensitive way. The Shakespeare storyline was well done. A few mild profanities that could have been avoided...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews