Comments on: The Way Home http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 27 May 2012 00:43:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Vance Maverick http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/comment-page-1/#comment-181985 Vance Maverick Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:31:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/#comment-181985 She got a bit more out of it than that, I think. But there's a fair amount of quasi-verbal cleverness in the book -- when Wormy tells how he lost his parents, the story appears as mini-panels in a dialogue balloon, with nested balloons (containing rebus-like picture speech) when his parents speak. I narrated as best I could, but still Rosa flipped forward, stopping to comment when Wormy smiled or cried. I wonder also whether the pages aren't a bit too graphically dense for her. I think I'll return to books with words for the time being. Rosa likes to hear them in their sequence, sometimes stopping me to hear little fragments over and over again. ("Oh," said the Mole Sisters. "Pity.") But Owly is very sweet, and I imagine she'll enjoy it later. She got a bit more out of it than that, I think. But there’s a fair amount of quasi-verbal cleverness in the book—when Wormy tells how he lost his parents, the story appears as mini-panels in a dialogue balloon, with nested balloons (containing rebus-like picture speech) when his parents speak. I narrated as best I could, but still Rosa flipped forward, stopping to comment when Wormy smiled or cried. I wonder also whether the pages aren’t a bit too graphically dense for her.

I think I’ll return to books with words for the time being. Rosa likes to hear them in their sequence, sometimes stopping me to hear little fragments over and over again. (“Oh,” said the Mole Sisters. “Pity.”) But Owly is very sweet, and I imagine she’ll enjoy it later.

]]> By: John Holbo http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/comment-page-1/#comment-181980 John Holbo Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:01:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/#comment-181980 Vance, as it turns out my 2 1/2 year old was a bit bored by it. But that was ok. It was important that when the 5-year old got one, Mei-Mei got the same thing. Even if the 5-year old ended up reading both. Which she did. My 2 1/2 year old did get as far as saying 'owl and 'worm' and pointing with a degree of interest. How did yours do? Vance, as it turns out my 2 1/2 year old was a bit bored by it. But that was ok. It was important that when the 5-year old got one, Mei-Mei got the same thing. Even if the 5-year old ended up reading both. Which she did.

My 2 1/2 year old did get as far as saying ‘owl and ‘worm’ and pointing with a degree of interest. How did yours do?

]]> By: Vance Maverick http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/comment-page-1/#comment-181966 Vance Maverick Wed, 13 Dec 2006 00:27:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/#comment-181966 You got me curious about Owly, so I've checked the first book out from the library. Offhand I suspect it will be far beyond what our 2 1/2-year-old can handle, but (as the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Adventures-Mole-Sisters/dp/155037883X/" rel="nofollow">Mole Sisters</a> put it), you never know. You got me curious about Owly, so I’ve checked the first book out from the library. Offhand I suspect it will be far beyond what our 2 1/2-year-old can handle, but (as the Mole Sisters put it), you never know.

]]> By: Doug M. http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/comment-page-1/#comment-181757 Doug M. Sun, 10 Dec 2006 07:10:13 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/#comment-181757 Are your girls too young for Akiko? (I shouldn't think. My 5-year-old enjoys it a lot.) I can also recommend The Courageous Princess -- beautiful art, fun story. Not complete yet, alas. Doug M. Are your girls too young for Akiko? (I shouldn’t think. My 5-year-old enjoys it a lot.)

I can also recommend The Courageous Princess—beautiful art, fun story. Not complete yet, alas.

Doug M.

]]> By: John Holbo http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/comment-page-1/#comment-181752 John Holbo Sun, 10 Dec 2006 04:02:26 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/#comment-181752 Since it is profoundly rated G, the only danger is that the too-young set would be bored by it. Since it's all pictures, you don't need to be able to read. Although a certain amount of visual literacy is needed, I suppose. Since it is profoundly rated G, the only danger is that the too-young set would be bored by it. Since it’s all pictures, you don’t need to be able to read. Although a certain amount of visual literacy is needed, I suppose.

]]> By: Tyrone Slothrop http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/comment-page-1/#comment-181751 Tyrone Slothrop Sun, 10 Dec 2006 03:52:18 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/12/09/the-way-home/#comment-181751 Amazon (or someone quoted thereon) says it's appropriate for ages 9-12, but it sounds like you've gotten into it earlier. Good for a 6 y.o.? A 4 y.o.? Amazon (or someone quoted thereon) says it’s appropriate for ages 9-12, but it sounds like you’ve gotten into it earlier. Good for a 6 y.o.? A 4 y.o.?

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