The Borrowers by Mary Norton Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Borrowers
Book Review: Not Free SF Reader
Summary: 2 Stars
The Borrowers are tiny little guys, but otherwise people. They get along by using junk that is lying around and adapting it for their own use. This book is about what happens when a human boy actually discovers them, after moving into their area.
Not a particularly uncommon theme, and this one is pretty dull.
Book Review: One of the finest books ever written
Summary: 5 Stars
In 1953, English writer Mary Norton introduced to the world the concept of The Borrowers: little people who lived in our old, over filled homes under floor boards or behind mantels and they sustained themselves on the waste that "human beans" discarded or forgot about. Within this book we learn of the family of the Clocks, P:od, Homily and Arriety, the entrance to their home being beneath the ancient grandfather clock in the front hall. The story takes place in the rural areas of England around the turn of the 19th century.
The test of a really good childrens book is how enjoyable it is to an adult. This book is a classic (and the four that follow itas sequels) because it is so well written. It's in a catoagory with "A WRinkle in TIme", "Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of Nimh", "Things Not seden" and "The Currious Incident of the dog after Moidnight." Mrs. Norton wrote beautifully and is best known for her book, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" though this book-and the subsequent books- have you fall in love with thesedtiny creatures, so human like, to the point where one almost wishes that they shared a house with you; that somewhere beneath the floor board or in your pantry is a small house set up with your blotting paper or left over wall paper, furnished with old scicorrs and doll house firniture and fed by the food that is carelesslhy left pout. These creatures "Borrow" items-things that aren't likely to be missed, The adventure in this tale is when a small boy, recovering at his great aunts summer home from scarlett fever, discovers and befirneds the Clocks.
Read this to your children so that some day they will read it to their own. If you can manage to find this bookm in first edition, treat it with care as it is rare and valuable.
I would not read John Irving or Barbara Kingsolver to my children, but Mary Morton is just as good.
I promise.
Book Review: Story Student
Summary: 3 Stars
The Borrowers is a really good book. Borrowers are little people who live in the bottom of peoples houses and borrow their things. There is a family called the Clocks. There are worried and lonely for other Borrowers! Are there any borrowers left in the world? On day they go out, and they try to find any other Borrowers. Then they run into a cat! The cat grabs Mrs. Clock, and I recommend this book for all its joy and charm, and the author wrote this book for the short people of the world.Book Review: The Barrowers
Summary: 5 Stars
It was really great i loved it it showed me the meaning of true friends and that it's okay to be a little differentBook Review: The Borrowers
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always loved this book, ever since I read it in fourth grade; the thought of little people always appealed to me. The style the book is written in is sort of old-fashioned for today's readers, but if a person can read it, then I definitely recommend it.It's about a type of people, Borrowers, that are very tiny. They live in houses and 'borrow' things, like food, paper, and basically anything that they can get their hands on. They picture people as giants that are put on this earth to make things for them to 'borrow'... They live under floor-boards, behind pictures, over mantles; basically anywhere. That's how Arrietty's mother and father tell it.
But, in all reality, there is only herself, her mother, and her father left in that one particular house. Every other Borrower family had emigrated to somewhere else... and Arrietty accepts that until one day she is seen by a boy that puts the thought into her head that maybe her family is the last of the Borrowers.
And that's really how it all starts. Arrietty and the Boy form a sort of friendship, where the boy takes a letter to the place where Arrietty's Uncle is supposed to live, and Arrietty reads to him. (The Boy says that he's bilingual, and that's the reason that he can't read well.) And taking the mail isn't the only thing that the Boy does- he also brings the Clocks furniture, food, and other things.
Things which are discovered missing later.
And that brings in the cat and the rat-catchers...
One of my favorite childrens' books; I think the reason I like it so much is that it doesn't take for granted that kids wouldn't be able to understand a longer book... I think that's also what I love about the Harry Potter books, as well.
Anyway, read this. Very sweet, very family friendly. Altogether enjoyable.