Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
sweet but too short!, 13 Jan 2008
How terribly surprised the Little family must have been when their second child turned out to be a small mouse. Apparently familiar with the axiom that "when in New York City, anything can happen," the Littles accept young Stuart into their family unquestioningly--with the exception of Snow bell the cat who is unable to overcome his instinctive dislike for the little mouse. They build him a bed from a matchbox, and supply him with all of the needs a young mouse could need. Mrs. Little even fashions him a suit, because baby clothes would obviously be unsuitable for such a sophisticated mouse. In return, Stuart helps his tall family with errant Ping-Pong balls that roll outside of their reach. E. B. White takes Stuart on a hero's quest across the American countryside, introducing the mouse and the reader to a myriad of delightful characters. Little finds himself embroiled in one adventure after another from the excitement of racing sailboats to the unseen horrors of substitute teaching. This is a story of leaving home for the first time, of growing up, and ultimately of discovering oneself. At times, doesn't everyone feel like the sole mouse in a family and a world of extremely tall people? I enjoyed the bit when he meets Harriet who is also mouse-sized and he gets all ready to take her on a canoe trip when he loses the canoe! Stuart starts getting all upset and cries and Harriet cheers him up again. Children aged 9 - 12 would enjoy this book. I would rate this book 9.5/10 because it leaves me stuck at bits and I even fell asleep at one part!
To abruptly finished. :-(
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A book that's relevant to almost everyone, 22 Oct 2001
This is a funny and touching book which can be read on many levels - aloud to a very small child, or alone by an older child. It covers themes from adventure, courage and reliability, independence, and first love, to acceptance of differences, family crisis, and the importance of education. No child's bookshelf is complete without it.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Stuart - Now sixty and showing his age!, 23 Aug 2004
It is probably fair to say that most young readers' first experience of 'Stuart Little' will be through the two films based loosely on this book. As such, they might expect a lively, funny, fast-paced plot with plenty of action and humor. However, 'Stuart Little' was first published in 1945, and styles of humor and standards of children's books have certainly altered over the years.
Stuart was created by E B White, co-author of that well-known writer's bible 'Strunk & White's Elements of Style' - so readers might rightly expect a flawlessly written tale. Perhaps it was back in 1945. However, good punctuation and grammar are all very well - but pacing and plot are basic requirements too. What you do get, by today's standards, is something flawlessly dull. The humor is wry, gentle, whimsical, and in its way quite charming, but to be perfectly honest, if it were offered to a publisher today, it would most likely be returned with a polite note of rejection.
Many in the USA view this as something of a classic, the American equivalent of 'Winnie the Pooh' - but this is wishful thinking. Whereas 'Pooh' continues to enchant countless new readers, Stuart is perhaps best sticking to his cinematic outings for the young. E B White also wrote Charlotte's web, though this has weathered the passing of time considerably better.
No doubt many older American readers who have fond childhood memories of this book will strongly disagree, but if you are planning on buying this book for a young UK reader, then you may fair better with something more contemporary. If you like tales about mice - why not check out 'Time Stops for No Mouse,' by Michael Hoeye - the first in the Hermux Tantamoq adventures
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