The Willoughbys
by Lois Lowry
Published by HMH Books
on March 31, 2008
Genre: Children's, Fiction, Humor
Length: 174 pages
Ages: 6 - 9 years
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository
Literary Awards:
E.B White Read-Aloud Award Nominee (2009)
Massachusetts Book Award Nominee for Children's/Young Adult Literature (2009)
Iowa Children's Choice Award Nominee (2011)
Synopsis:
Soon to be an animated film starring Ricky Gervais, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski, and Sean Cullen!
Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odios nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. Following the models set in lauded tales from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfactory maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son too.
Our Thoughts:
The four Willoughby children aren't fond of their parents and their parents are even less fond of them. The children devise a plan to send their parents on vacation...forever! Meanwhile, the dastardly parents are hatching a plan to ditch their irritating children by going on a long, long vacation! A nanny is procured, the house opened to prospective buyers, and a sweet little orphaned baby finds an unexpected family in this humorous chapter book!
I read this out loud to my five-year-old, at her request. I was afraid it would be too advanced for her because this book is filled with large, difficult-to-understand words and concepts but I found that each difficult word was explained quite well within the text and there is also a glossary at the end with more humorous explanations!
The somewhat unpleasant situations in the story did take a little extra explaining at times but weren't at all dark or disturbing despite the parents and children wanting to 'get rid of each other'. There was a lot of humor and even some mystery mixed in!
Something else I really loved about this story is that the four children have extensive knowledge of quality children's stories (having read plenty of books in the absence of loving, caring parents) and use those popular characters and stories to help come up with ideas for their own tricky situations. They ponder orphans like Anne of Green Gables, babies showing up on doorsteps like in the Bobbsey Twins, and much more!
Each of the mentioned children's classics is listed in the Bibliography at the end with a short description of what the book is about!
I would definitely recommend reading this before the animated Netflix adaptation releases in Spring (2020)!
Want to know what other books are being adapted into movies and television shows? I keep an updated book-to-movies adaptation list with links and release dates HERE!
Published by HMH Books
on March 31, 2008
Genre: Children's, Fiction, Humor
Length: 174 pages
Ages: 6 - 9 years
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository
Literary Awards:
E.B White Read-Aloud Award Nominee (2009)
Massachusetts Book Award Nominee for Children's/Young Adult Literature (2009)
Iowa Children's Choice Award Nominee (2011)
Synopsis:
Soon to be an animated film starring Ricky Gervais, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski, and Sean Cullen!
Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odios nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. Following the models set in lauded tales from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfactory maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son too.
Our Thoughts:
The four Willoughby children aren't fond of their parents and their parents are even less fond of them. The children devise a plan to send their parents on vacation...forever! Meanwhile, the dastardly parents are hatching a plan to ditch their irritating children by going on a long, long vacation! A nanny is procured, the house opened to prospective buyers, and a sweet little orphaned baby finds an unexpected family in this humorous chapter book!
I read this out loud to my five-year-old, at her request. I was afraid it would be too advanced for her because this book is filled with large, difficult-to-understand words and concepts but I found that each difficult word was explained quite well within the text and there is also a glossary at the end with more humorous explanations!
The somewhat unpleasant situations in the story did take a little extra explaining at times but weren't at all dark or disturbing despite the parents and children wanting to 'get rid of each other'. There was a lot of humor and even some mystery mixed in!
Something else I really loved about this story is that the four children have extensive knowledge of quality children's stories (having read plenty of books in the absence of loving, caring parents) and use those popular characters and stories to help come up with ideas for their own tricky situations. They ponder orphans like Anne of Green Gables, babies showing up on doorsteps like in the Bobbsey Twins, and much more!
Each of the mentioned children's classics is listed in the Bibliography at the end with a short description of what the book is about!
I would definitely recommend reading this before the animated Netflix adaptation releases in Spring (2020)!
Want to know what other books are being adapted into movies and television shows? I keep an updated book-to-movies adaptation list with links and release dates HERE!
