Rating: 
Summary: Getting Near to Baby - a refview by Missy
Review: Have you ever lost a baby sister or brother? Well in the Book Getting Near to Baby, Whila Jo's family lost a baby sister. So Whila Jo and little sister went to live with their Aunt Patty for a while. They had the worst time. Their Aunt Patty made them wear dresses and she took away their other clothes. Aunt Patty was always bossing them around and telling them whom to play with. Whila Jo and little sister go sick of it and then they just went to the top of the roof. Do you think they will ever get down or see their mom again? I really liked the part when it told how baby died. I liked that part because I could picture what was happening in my mind. Also I liked when Whila Jo and little sister went to bible school and it was lunch time. They were sitting under a tree filled with ticks. They were biting everyone. It was really funny. I didn't like when Aunt Patty had her friend over and her daughter. Whila Jo and little sister did not like the daughter. I didn't like the daughter because she was a mean person. In this book, Getting Near to Baby, Whila Jo is the protagonist. She is really determined. Also she is a happy person. Whila Jo likes to wander and stay out with her new friend. Sometimes she is sad when she thinks about baby. Some strength Whila Jo has is to stand up for herself and other people. Some weaknesses are that Whila Jo can't play with any friends that Aunt Patty picks for her. I think Whila Jo is brave. Also I really like her because she is tough. I would not want to be in her shoes. I would miss my family too much, but I would like to be tough and brave like her! There are many reasons that I would and wouldn't be her. This is one of the greatest books because it kept me at the edge of my seat, and so I hope you read Getting Near to Baby by Audrey Columbis.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Realistic Book
Review: I thought Getting Near to Baby was a pretty good book. I liked it because the book has all sorts of different moods taking place. I also thought it was good because it was based on different life experiences that the author had. I learned how hard it is to have a young member of the family die. I would recommend this book to more girls than boys because it is told as a girl's experience. To see what the sad problem is and what an enjoyable ending it has, read Getting Near to Baby to find out.
Rating:
Summary: Strayed too much
Review: I thought Getting Near to Baby was an okay sort of book. It told the story of Willa Jo and Little Sister and what happens to them after the death of Baby, their littlest sister. Their mother goes into a depressed sort of grief and nothing gets done around the house, they don't wash a dish until they have to use it. Then one day, Aunt Patty, who is their mother's sister, comes to clean house. After everything is cleaned up, she realizes that her sister may need to some time to heal alone. So she takes Willa Jo and Little Sister to live with her. She tries to fit them into a mold of what she thinks little girls should be like, because she has never had any of her own. But Willa Jo and Little Sister can't fit the perfect little girl mold because they are different. They have to deal with the loss of Baby too. I thought Audrey Couloumbis' intentions were great and some parts of the book were good, but she strayed too much off of the main idea, which was letting the girls get over their grief. She told a lot of what happened when the girls would try going to Sunday School, and not enough of how they felt. I thought this book was okay, not great though. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to hear a story of gettting over a personal tragedy.
Rating: 
Summary: Getting over the death of Baby. 2222222222222222
Review: I was 14 when I read this book, and it still comes to mind as very good. The older girl reminded me of myself at that age, and the authors descriptions of summer are really vivid. I felt sad for the family, b/c it would hurt to lose a baby. All throughout the story, I needed more answers that just seemed to be rushed together at the end. Like what happend to the father, the answer to that could have been woven in better, instead of simply stated at the end. A book isnt really based on its grammar, though, more in how it can connect to people. I really liked this book.
Rating:
Summary: A book that brings you back to summer
Review: I was 14 when I read this book, and it still comes to mind as very good. The older girl reminded me of myself at that age, and the authors descriptions of summer are really vivid. I felt sad for the family, b/c it would hurt to lose a baby. All throughout the story, I needed more answers that just seemed to be rushed together at the end. Like what happend to the father, the answer to that could have been woven in better, instead of simply stated at the end. A book isnt really based on its grammar, though, more in how it can connect to people. I really liked this book.
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Summary: Heart warming story
Review: In this book there is a girl named Willa Jo and her sister who is nicknamed Little sister. These girls live with their aunt Patty and uncle Hob because their mom is very depressed so she needs some time to be alone. She is very depressed because her other daughter name Baby died of drinking bad water in the fair. All Willa Jo's mom wants to do is draw pictures of baby with in angels in heaven. The girls get sent with their aunt Patty and they don't like it because they think all aunt Patty wants to do is boss them around. This of coarse is not true aunt Patty and uncle Hob really care about them. When they first get there, they have strict rules that they have to follow. Then the next day, aunt Patty took them to the store to buy them clothes and sandals so they can have something to wear. They later on learn to follow the rules and behave. When their mom gets better after a couple of months later, they go back to live with her. Little sister doesn't talk any more because everyone thinks shehas lost her voice because of the tragic accident. Until one day.........
I really enjoyed reading this book because there is always something that Willa Jo and Little sister are going to do. They are always up to something. This book helps you understand how kids feel when they are away from their parents and feel like no one understands them. For example Willa Jo and Little sister sit on top of the roof top to watch the sun set, since that's what they used to do with their mom. All they have left is the memory of them sitting together watching the golden sun.
As soon as you pick up the book, you don't want to stop reading it because it always keeps you guessing what's going to happen until the next minute. The author really accomplish what he is trying to do by putting clues in the book with things that have to do in the title. You will think this book doesn't make sense until you actually get further in to the book then you will start comprehending how
Life is for Willa Jo and Little sister.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: It is very confuseing at first. You get completely mixed-up,and feel like giving up reading it. But once you get into it, it ispretty good. "Baby" is kind of confusing, and you never really figure it out, although it does get a little easier to understand towards the end. I would reccomend it to kids grade 6 and above.
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Summary: Ballet Students in Nutcracker Stay Occupied
Review: My wife stages a Nutcracker production involving over 100 children. During long hours of rehearsals there is much down time. The young dancers get bored and irritable. One day she found Getting Near to Baby. (recommended by a grammar school teacher) In the Green Room one of the mothers began reading the novel to the waiting dancers and they were enthralled. It seemed to be a situation they could relate to. The language was "theirs" and the story struck a chord. It was difficult to get them to go onstage for rehearsal until they found what happened to the little girls up on the roof.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: The author has done an excellent job of writing about a painful subject without making it seem trite or overly emotional. While a few things may be predictable (a bad Seventh Heaven episode it's certainly not!), they weren't intended to fool you to begin with - I felt the emotions and responses to events were very accurately portrayed. I found myself crying during certain passages and laughing out loud during others. This is one of those books that makes you glad you can read. If you're buying this for a young person, take a few hours to read it yourself - it will be well worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite book
Review: This book enlightend me. It touched me in a way I can't explain. Willa Jo, Little Sister, and Noreen go through so many hardships. But they get through them with much courage even with the loss of Baby. Aunt Patty is a very "characteristic character". And Uncle Hob is just......laid back. I believe every person, adults along with kids should have the chance to read this intriguing novel. I absolutely loved it and it is now my favorite book. I am very critical about books, but I have no improvment or bad thing I thought about Getting Near to Baby. I encourage everyone to purchase this book.
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