Rating: 
Summary: Odd but beautiful
Review: "Outside Over There" is pretty much a showcase for Maurice Sendak's illustration talents, and he does not disappoint. His intricate designs and muted colors create a visual feast equal to any of his career. The story itself has some of the disturbing qualities of a good Grimm fairy tale - a baby is kidnapped by goblins and stolen away to be a bride, until her sister comes to the rescue by playing the horn and bringing the baby home. I must say that the text itself, though it uses few words, is not terribly clear. The sentences try to be poetic but sometimes the wording is awkward and strange. If you help explain what is happening to your kids, they will have a better chance. A beautiful, odd book.
Rating: 
Summary: unlikely fan
Review: A friend read this book to my 5 year old roughian. He loves books, but usually about dinos, animals etc, as his favorites. He loved this book! After she told me about it, I got it from the library for him and he wanted me to read it to him several nights, looking and listening intently. It really is a surreal and beautiful story.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Appropriate for Young Children
Review: Although Maurice Sendak is a well-known author for WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, this book, OUTSIDE OVER THERE, in my opinion, is not appropriate for young children. Not only are the words difficult for a young child to understand in its old world poetic style, but the illustrations could easily spook a child into having nightmares. Any parent out there wanting to stay up all night? If your child enjoys the rush of being scared and you are willing to explain the spirit world with each turning page to your child, then OUTSIDE OVER THERE may be a good book for discussion in regards to kidnapping and such. I, for one, will not be reading it to my family.
Rating:
Summary: one of my childhood favourites
Review: I came across this book recently at the library where I work, and was delighted by the fond memories it awakened in me. I absolutely adored this book when I was five or six years old. The story and fantastic artwork fascinated me, and I remember admiring Ida's courage very much. I was surprised to see several people labeling this book as too adult for children. I was a rather sheltered child, and was definitely rather neurotic and easily frightened, but I don't recall ever being anything more than pleasantly spooked by this lovely book. Of course, everything is different for each child, but in my opinion, this book is beautifully written and illustrated, a treat for any child or adult.
Rating:
Summary: Magical and deeply appealing
Review: I can understand why some might hesitate to read this book to young children -- my mother refuses to read it to my girls, who are just-turned-two and almost-five. But my girls, both of them, ADORE this book. It seems to speak to them on some deep level. Sendak knows that we can't shield children from scary things; the best we can do is lie and pretend they don't exist, which undermines their trust in us, since they can sense the lie, and then they *are* scared. Sendak feels we should instead help them learn to deal with big scary things -- the scariest being our own fears, our anger, our mistakes. My girls are enthralled by Ida's resourcefulness, her bravery, and the consequences of her initial carelessness. They instinctively understand the baby sister's vulnerability, the power of the father's love. They love it when Ida outsmarts the baby-goblins. I urge people not to prejudge this book, but to let your child decide whether he likes it or not. It is very powerful, and very beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful children's book--Loved it as a child!
Review: I remember reading this book with my mom as a child. I had actually been searching for it for some time, and I'm glad I finally found it again! The book has beautiful, almost haunting illustrations, that go along perfectly to the interesting story. I remember it scared me a bit as a child, but that was part of the fun of it! Read it to your child, and hopefully they will have nice memories of it too.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful children's book--Loved it as a child!
Review: I remember reading this book with my mom as a child. I had actually been searching for it for some time, and I'm glad I finally found it again! The book has beautiful, almost haunting illustrations, that go along perfectly to the interesting story. I remember it scared me a bit as a child, but that was part of the fun of it! Read it to your child, and hopefully they will have nice memories of it too.
Rating:
Summary: An Outstanding Favorite
Review: I remember the first time I read this book. I was scared out of my wits (I had a new baby sister). I read it over and over agian. This is the perfect fantasy bedime story for any child that can stand to wait for the happy ending, and a joy for parents to read aloud. The art is exquisite (although not as vivid in later publication as from the early eighties). The poetry is pure genious. It makes the perfect gift for a Sendak fan of any age.
Rating:
Summary: An Outstanding Favorite
Review: I remember the first time I read this book. I was scared out of my wits (I had a new baby sister). I read it over and over agian. This is the perfect fantasy bedime story for any child that can stand to wait for the happy ending, and a joy for parents to read aloud. The art is exquisite (although not as vivid in later publication as from the early eighties). The poetry is pure genious. It makes the perfect gift for a Sendak fan of any age.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging and beautifully illustrated
Review: I teach at an English-language kindergarten in Taiwan, and discovered "Outside Over There" in our school's library a few weeks ago. I thought the subject matter might be a bit too scary for some of my kids (age 4-6), but I read it to them during Halloween week anyway. Since then, not a week has gone by without one of them asking me to read "the story with the monsters who steal the baby" again. Nothing else keeps them as quiet or enthralled!
Some of the language is rather advanced for young children (how old were you before you knew what an arbor or a changeling was?), but it's an easy story to "dumb down" as necessary, and the illustrations are wonderful. My kids love to see the goblins lurking in and out the windows and dancing to Ida's horn, as well as hearing the story of how she saved her sister from them.
For more advanced readers, the finer points of family loyalty and Ida's sense of responsibility are just about perfectly balanced with the fact that it is still a children's story. The illustrations are also gorgeous throughout. Even the "real" portion of the story is set in an idyllic seaside locale not quite like anything you've seen in real life. It definitely stands up to repeated readings - and viewings - for readers of all ages.
|
