Good Night, Mr. Tom

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Summary: A MUST READ, fantastic and thrilling
Review: I LOVED the book Good Night Mr. TOm. My whole 8th grade had to read it over the summer and they couldn't have picked a better book make everyone read. Anyone will love this book no matter what books you usually like. THis is a book that fits all categories and always has you showing a different emotion. I could not put it down. My favorite character was Zach because he was always happy and thoughtful.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! Very touching!
Review: This was a book I read in 7th grade. Usually, I don't like required books but this one was wonderful. You really get in touch with the characters and I sometimes began to feel like one. By the end of the book, I was sharing they're feelings, thoughts, even emoations. A must-read!

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Summary: One of my "desert island" books
Review: If I had to pack light and could only take a handful of books, this would definately have a place in my suitcase. I teach fourth grade and read aloud to my class each day. I look forward to rereading this to my class each year because it means revisiting a special place full of wonderful characters. "Heart warming" seems so cliche', but it describes this book so well. It never fails to grab my student's attention and they always beg for me to continue. You will laugh, you will cry, you will tell all your friends to read Good Night, Mr. Tom.

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Summary: The best book I have ever read...
Review: I loved this book and have read it five times. Each time it was hard to put down. The characters are so real it feels like they are sitting next to you. Don't miss out on it!

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Summary: Beautifully tragic while wonderfully uplifting!
Review: 'Goodnight Mr Tom' was a real story - not a soppy romance, or a 'teenagers are so cool' paperback. The story of Will, an abused little boy evacuated from London during World War 2, really touched me. The gradual development of WIll from a scared little boy to a proud and happy child was a real gem. Characters such as Zach and Mr Tom, Carrie and George all helped to story to become a truly memorable one. This story should be on all school curriculum, and should be read by all.

Rating:
Summary: An emotional book
Review: This is the most fantastic book I've ever read, It will have you laughing and crying. Willie is a gracefull little boy who is constantly beaten by his mother. After Mr Tom has taken care of William for a while. He doesn't want to go back home....but he misses his mother. I recomend this book to people 9 years and up. FANTASTIC!

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Summary: This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster.
Review: William Beech and his relationship with Mr. Tom shows the reader the meaning of true love and what entails a family. This compelling story of an abused child finding comfort, safety, and love through this old man can encourage and give hope to others similar to Wil. This book is not only entertaining but powerful, displaying life events that most people face: starting a new life, making friends, death, and more. Readers who come to know this story will not be disappointed! I enjoyed reading this book because I could really relate to some of the things that Wil had to face. The way this book was written also helped me to feel apart of the book. A good book is when the story (its style, characters, setting, and plot) touches all the senses, which Goodnight, Mr. Tom does. It contains dialogue with words that help the reader understand the character's dialect and as a result, the reader becomes emersed into the setting of the book. Goodnight, Mr. Tom can also be used as a tool to reach all audiences--young children to adults. This book will take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster--from laughter to sadness to weariness to joy. I highly recommend this story for all ages.

Rating:
Summary: A child overcoming abuse by learning about love.
Review: Good Night, Mr. Tom is an excellent book because it offers so much to a reader. After reading the book, the reader can have a better understanding of what abuse is and the lasting effects of abuse though not only a child's eyes, but through the caretakers eyes. Through Willie, the reader is able to grasp the concept that children who are abused feel that it is their fault, that the child did something wrong for the mistreatment to occur. Through Tom's character, the reader can sympathesize the difficulty of getting to know someone, and then the fear of losing that person. We see Tom's rugged personality soften up as Willie enters his life. Willie is the key to unlock Tom's past pains, and Tom is the key to unlock Willie's fear of love. Both characters learn what it means to love and the lengths one would go to save a person. Through Tom's patience and kindess, Willie is able to overcome his insecurities and learns that there is something beyond abuse, and that is love.

Rating:
Summary: The book takes the reader on an emotional journey
Review: Honestly, I was not looking forward to reading this book (it was required reading for a literature class). I was pleasantly surprised. The book uniquely evokes a wide array of emotions. For example, while reading this book, I comparatively felt the anxiety Will had when first meeting Mr. Tom. I similarly felt Mr. Tom's growing endearment to Will. I also felt the anger and pain associated with the subsequent events leading to Will's hospitalization. The story, as it were, "was a roller-coaster of emotions." The book did not allow me to stop; I was caught up in wanting to know "what is going to happen next?" Although some of the episodes within the narrative were borderline believable, the way in which the author wrote the story (intricate detail placed in the emotions of the characters, their interactions with one another etc.) allowed me to believe the story. Another reason for my interest in the book is my identification with Will, the protagonist. Even though my experiences at that age were not as drastic as his, I could relate to his lack of confidence; I was very timid and afraid of making mistakes. The examples aforementioned cannot justify the quality of Good Night Mr. Tom. I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: "Takes yer time. Everything 'as its own time."
Review: I believe the phrase, "Takes yer time. Everything 'as its own time," is the theme of the entire book because it captures every struggle and every triumph that Willie overcame and fought. Many young readers and old readers alike can identify with the characters throughout the book and the experiences that each character takes on. The reader is exposed to various issues dealing with parentage, loneliness, abuse, death as well as friendship and love. All these issues are addressed in such a fashion that the reader doesn't even realize that there is a thematic role to each character that is being portrayed. You feel sympathy along with joy over the challenges that Will passes through as a child--learning to love, finding true friendship and growing up. I would compare this book with Bridge to Terabithia (underlined) by Katherine Paterson because both books deal with not only friendship and love, but also with death and growing up. Though this book proves, in my eyes, to be the leader of the pack of books that I read for my Children's Literature class, I believe that both stories conveyed a strong and believable story of children having to grow up too early for their time and facing trials that children can identify with. For example, every child faces class bullies and best friends and each book incorporates each theme sympathetically as well as ideally in the lives of Willie and of Jess.