Stuart Little

Rating:
Summary: A classic, entertaining story that delights in the absurd
Review: E.B. White takes his first stab at writing children's books, and Stuart Little was such a success that 55 years after publication, his book was still popular enough to merit a dreadful Hollywood film adaptation.

Stuart Little is the story of a mouse born to human parents, who eventually runs away from home and relies on his indomitable pluck to carry him on a journey to find Margalo, a bird who has mysteriously disappeared after a short layover in the Little home. Along the way, Stuart has adventures aplenty, including a one-day stint as a substitute teacher, and a toy sailboat race.

Generally, children's authors who write fantasy either bring a spot of magic into the real world, said magic being a source of amazement for all who experience it, or they create an entirely fantastic world in which magic (or futuristic or spiritual) things happen. White has taken the road less travelled, in that he has brought fantastic elements into the real world that, absurdly, everyone takes in stride.

This approach leads to some great scenes in which the everyday world incorporates a mouse who can talk and drive, a model car that runs on gasoline and can turn invisible at the touch of a button, and a talking bird can wander in from the skies. People are interested to see these things, but treat them as the same type of curiosity as an exotic animal or unusual hat.

The book is also suffused with well-done humor, often based on engaging wordplay or clever logic. The jokes range from the broadest to the most subtle, ensuring that the book will appeal to you whether you are hearing it read aloud, reading it yourself, or reading it to a youngster.

The scene in which Stuart teaches a classroom of children is particularly funny, with Stuart turning the lesson into a spirited banter that involves testing out how life out to be.

This novel lacks the poignant emotional appeal of Charlotte's Web, but the willingness to flaunt the rules of children's books nearly makes up for this. Children will love the strong visual images that they take from the book (helped along by the illustrations which adorn nearly every page), and adults will come to appreciate the audaciousness of Stuart, who is always ready to jump into a daunting situation with only his wits about him.

This is definitely a classic, and should be on every child's bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: my review
Review: The second son of the Little family turns out to be a mouse, whom they nevertheless name Stuart and raise as their own. I was somewhat underwhelmed by this family classic. Stuart's "adventures," such as riding on a toy boat and going down a drain, are related briefly and dully, without developing much tension or excitement. The characters are unfailingly stiff and polite with each other; even the interaction between family members often comes off like conversations between strangers at a cocktail party. The Little family's treatment of Stuart seems quite neglectful as well. Mr. Little, in particular, seems to think nothing of sending his little son into potentially dangerous situations, such as down a drainpipe to fetch a ring. At one point, the book describes how it becomes Stuart's job to go inside the piano while it is being played and hold on to a key that sticks, even though doing so subjects him to loud noises that affect his hearing for hours afterward.