1 of 1 copy available
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
October 16, 2014 -
Formats
-
OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781490658858
- File size: 245799 KB
- Duration: 08:32:04
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Levels
- Lexile® Measure: 1080
- Text Difficulty: 7-9
-
Reviews
-
Laurie Birmingham gives voice to beloved and highly lauded children's author Katherine Paterson in this work of autobiographical miscellany. Birmingham strikes a balance between Paterson's warmth and her matter-of-factness as she recounts memories both extraordinary and mundane. As narrator, Birmingham's air of nostalgia makes it easy to forget that she's not the author herself. Her pacing, reminiscent of a conversation with a close friend, can best be described as leisurely. This may make some listeners lose patience, but others will appreciate the unhurried stroll down memory lane. Birmingham's thoughtful performance is sure to be valued by the author's devoted readers. E.M.C. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from July 21, 2014
“Sometimes I can’t believe my own life,” writes Paterson in these autobiographical stories about her missionary parents, her childhood in China and the U.S., and her career—first as a missionary herself and, after marriage and motherhood, as one of the most decorated authors in children’s literature. Fans of her novels will enjoy learning about the real-life places and events that inspired her work: the family farm that became the setting for Park’s Quest, the similarities between her mother and Susan Bradshaw in Jacob Have I Loved, and the death of her son’s best friend that led to Bridge to Terabithia. Written in a conversational style, these “kitchen sink stories” will perhaps be received best by professional adults and readers who grew up with her books; much of what she recounts is about the distant past, courtship, and motherhood. What absolutely shines through is Paterson’s warm, self-effacing humor, and the extraordinary humility of a writer who has won two National Book Awards, two Newbery Medals, and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. Like Mark Twain, to whom she is distantly related, Paterson is a true American treasure. Ages 14–up. (Oct.)■ -
May 15, 2015
Those who are familiar with Paterson's classic children's books (Bridge to Terabithia; The Great Gilly Hopkins) may have wondered what inspired her to write such engaging stories. Wonder no longer. Here Paterson tells her own story, from being born to Presbyterian missionaries in China to doing missionary work herself in that country and other parts of Asia and her life in the United States. The pieces in this collection include some that Paterson learned secondhand from family members and friends. Many of them include four children, two of whom she and her husband adopted, and the menagerie of pets they collected. The narrator, Laurie Birmingham, speaks slowly, sounding as though she could be the octogenarian that Paterson is. VERDICT Because of the slow pace of this narration, it is doubtful that young fans of Paterson's fiction would be patient enough to enjoy this audiobook, but it will appeal to adults who are familiar with her children's literature, as well as people interested in Christian missionary work in Asia.--Ann Weber, San Jose, CA
Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
-