Lentil (Picture Puffin Books)
by Robert McCloskey
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Book Summary Information
Author: Robert McCloskeyBrand: Penguin Group USA
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1978-04-27
ISBN: 0140502874
Number of pages: 62
Publisher: Puffin
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780140502879
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Lentil (Picture Puffin Books)
Book Review: Lentil: A True American Hero
Summary: 4 Stars
Like a 10-year old Jimmy Stewart (with a dash of Woody Guthrie thrown in) Lentil is an American Hero in that straight-backed, flinty but cheerful Depression-era style. He has ears that stick out, a relaxed, gawky gait, and a crooked grin. Like Stewart, Lentil has a way of facing adversity head-on, with a wink and a nod as if to say, "Aw, shucks. We'll figure this out. Times are tough but we'll make it!"
Sort of perfect for the big economic meltdown of 2009, isn't it?
At its heart, this book is about ingenuity and self-sufficiency. But your child won't really know that, since it's also a crackingly good, fast-paced story with enough humor and weird little details to demand multiple readings.
I wouldn't call it "tough," exactly, but it's so far from the saccharine sweetness that afflicts current children's literature that in comparison, Lentil can seem more like a collection of Walker Evans photographs than a kid's book. Depicting the town of Alto, Ohio, as a dusty little burg populated with clapboard buildings and stray cats, a place where nobody has much, but everyone is strong, McCloskey paints an almost documentary-style picture of small-town America in the 30's. Of course, since his incredibly evocative pencil drawings leap off the page with such humor and humanity, there's never a risk of declining into maudlin sentiment or (shudder) Teaching Big Lessons.
The story starts off with a big obstacle for our hero: Lentil is so musically disinclined, he's forbidden to sing in music class. His voice scares the local cats and dogs. The poor kid can't even whistle!
But does he let it get him down? No. Does he give up on the idea of making music? Wouldn't hear of it! No, Lentil saves up his pennies and gets himself to the store to buy a harmonica. Keeping with the self-sufficient theme, Lentil's family appears nowhere in this book. (I kind of imagine his father hitching a ride on the Burlington Northern to look for work while his mother sweeps dust off the porch and gazes worriedly into the distance. But that's just me.)
Continuing on his path to self-reliance, he practices his harmonica constantly, including during his walks to and from school. Your kids will note that not only does Lentil carry his books on a leather strap (no backpack), the kid doesn't even have SHOES. And yet, he is ridiculously happy.
Yes, this book raises as many questions as it does answers, something that I consider a key to its success. I still remember demanding: "So, sucking on a lemon in front of a marching band will make it impossible for them to play their trumpets? Really?" Now, I don't want to give too much away, but the entire plot hinges on this point: a grumpy old guy loudly sucks on a lemon and causes an epidemic of mass puckering, destroying Alto's big parade and leaving only one option for our modest, shoeless, harmonica-wielding hero: SAVING THE DAY. Something all kids can relate to.
As the closing line puts it so succinctly: "You never can tell what will happen when you learn to play the harmonica." But be warned: if you don't already own one, buy one before you read this book to your kids. Trust me.
Summary of Lentil (Picture Puffin Books)
Lentil's harmonica playing saves the day when calamity threatens the homecoming celebration for the leading citizen of Alto, Ohio.Performing Arts Books
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