Rating: 
Summary: Quaint...
Review: It's interesting to see how Beverly has evolved in her portrayal of childhood, especially young girls through the years. Here in one of her early books, you can tell the story is set in the olden days (1950's). Back in that era, moms were expected to stay home & housekeep, whereas dads were expected to go out to work five days a week. Ellen's mom was a stereotypical homemaker, spent the entire spring season spring-cleaning her spotless house, & Ellen calls her "Mother." Divorce & sex were NEVER discussed (although it was certainly around). Little girls were expected to be dainty, clean, always wear dresses(even to a picnic!)& always have their hair neat. Ellen is a model for that stereotype. She brings a beet to school, not really out of a curiousity for science, but to please her teacher. In another scene where Ellen is in dancing class, the class "bad boy" Otis comes sauntering into class & teases Ellen by imitating her. Ellen just squirms & suffers in silence, not wanting to create waves. Dresses are focused on a good deal in this book. Almost two whole chapters are devoted to Ellen & Austine's wearing matching dresses to school & getting into an arguement about the dresses. One good realistic thing is that Ellen & Austine are loyal friends & stick by each other, so at least girlhood pals are recognized here in the ignorant 1950's. From this book, then into the 1970's to the 1990's, Beverly characters change along with the enlightening of times, the result being that Ramona is now her main character. Beverly even deals with divorce in a recent book. Even with Ramona, even though her parents are happily married, Ramona recognizes that there are kids in her class with divorced parents, something Ellen & her world never acknowledged.
Rating: 
Summary: Falling Leaves... Falling Underwear
Review: My third grade class read this book together about a million years ago. Oddly enough, two of us were named Ellen in the class, and we certainly got teased! It's a terrific book about an unusual, yet average, little girl. I love how Ms. Cleary creates a heroine who is at once awkward, shy, and opinionated, and has a wonderful temper. Her tendency to stretch the truth brings unexpectedly hilarious results.I still have my tattered 1973 (?) copy (yikes!) and am considering purchasing a copy for my young nieces. It teaches some lovely lessons about friendship and about individuality in the face of peer pressure (hopefully I'm not reading too much into the book, but I don't think so). Most important, however, it is truly funny. I still have a vivid picture in my mind of the skinny Ellen leaping like a falling leaf in ballet while clutching at her slipping underwear. Leap and clutch....leap and clutch... And who could forget the monkey dress and her first horseback ride!
Rating:
Summary: My favorite Beverly Cleary
Review: Ramona may be the most popular Cleary character, but Ellen was the one with whom I identified. The chapter where she and Austine try to have matching dresses, but Austine's mother doesn't sew as well as Ellen's, and things don't turn out the way Ellen planned, was so believable that as a child I knew exactly how Ellen felt. And who could forget Ellen's long underwear, or taking the beet to school? An absolutely charming book that I reread just last year. (I'm forty-something!)
Rating:
Summary: My first exposure to Cleary in the 3rd grade
Review: The illustrations by Louis Darling are glorious, and the story is just wonderful - Ellen gets into odd predicaments sort of like Ramona, but it is the tenacity of her friendships that is realistic and touching.
|
