Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. SchmidtMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was surprisingly touching. I have read others of Schmidt's books, which have all been good, but this one seemed to really go to my heart. The premise (a butler showing up on the family doorstep) isn't as unlikely as it seemed at first, and, while there are a few other things that also seem unlikely in real life, the story more than makes up for them in nuances that add so much. I am not a cricket aficionado, so those parts were a bit beyond me, but I did recently get back from Australia, where we descended into the Blue Mountains valley, so I could really feel the atmosphere of the references to the Australian rain forest. But what really makes the difference is the attempts on Carter's part to learn how to be a gentleman, especially in relation to his mother and siblings. It isn't an especially happy book, but it is a hopeful one. It would be lovely if more boys had a butler like this.
This should probably be a 4 and a half star rating. I seldom give 5 star ratings. The half point is a deduction for some of the cricket scenes, which went on just a bit too long for me.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment