I am supposed to love this book: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is written by Newbery Medal-winning author, Kate DiCamillo (The Tale of Desperaux, Because of Winn Dixie); starred reviews abound (School Library Journal, Kirkus, Booklist; SLJ calls it, "achingly beautiful" and "ever-so-marvelous;" and I can't tell you how many times I've heard it called an "instant classic" or "new classic."
TMJOET is a certainly packaged like a classic - from the full bleed illustration on the dust jacket, the embossed pocket watch on the cover and the engraved copper lettering on the spine to the antique cream paper, large Centaur MT typeset and Bagram Ibatoulline's sepia toned and full color bookplate illustrations. Even its size and shape - 7 x 8 (?) - suggest this book is something special.
And for the most part, TMJOET is something special. I read it aloud to my children (ages 11, 7 and 7) last month. Together, we fell in love with Edward Tulane - an expensive china rabbit with real rabbit fur ears and tail, an exquisitely custom tailored wardrobe and an aloof, elitist attitude to match. Unfortunately for Edward, his charmed life is short-lived, as he is literally snatched from the arms of his adoring 10-year old owner, Abilene, and tossed to the bottom of the sea. From that point on, Edward endures trial after trial, heartbreak after heartbreak, until he learns how to love unconditionally. Together, my children and I worried about Edward, we cheered for him and mostly, we cried for him. (Okay, I did most of the crying while the kids patiently waited for me to resume reading.)
So, what’s not to love?
Well, according to Washington Post reviewer, Elizabeth Ward: a lot. Check out her scathing review, “When Bad Things Happen to Bad Bunnies,” in the Washington Post.
While I don’t share Ms. Ward’s complete disdain for the book, I do have mixed feelings about TMJOET.
First, the story arc doesn’t quite work for me. Each time I thought Edward had made “progress” and opened his heart to someone, I was told (not shown) that it wasn’t enough and Edward was forced to endure another trial. Instead of a gentle arc showing Edward’s growth from completed self-centeredness to an ability to love, Edward’s transformation is achieved through violent stops and starts, setbacks and regressions – often for no immediately apparent reason other than to prolong his suffering and increase word count.
Second, some of the material seems unnecessarily violent. Really, Edward being nailed to a wooden cross? It is either a strange case of misguided, over-the-top, symbolism or a complete disregard for the cultural context of much of TMJOET’s readership. How could anyone think that nailing a rabbit (an adopted symbol of Easter) to a cross was going to escape criticism? Or was that the point? To get people talking about the book? I don’t get it. Truthfully, as I read it (and looked at the illustration of Edward hung by his ears as a scarecrow), it didn’t bother me. It puzzled me. It struck me as being in poor taste. But it didn’t bother me. However, the violence of this and other episodes in the book might be a bit much for young ears. (Pun intended.)
Speaking of being a bit much, some of this rabbit's episodes were too melodramatic and overdone for my taste. (Again, pun intended.)
My final verdict? I still have mixed feelings about this book. TMJOET was a good read-aloud book for my children. They enjoyed it and it has stimulated a new round of shared reading for us. Plus, we were haunted by this story for days after we finished reading it – my children with the emotional force of what they had heard and experience through Edward Tulane, and me with thoughts of the book and story it could have been with a bit more editing. I've been cautiously recommending TMJOET to friends, but I remain uncomfortable with the marketing of this book as an “instant classic.” It was good, but that good? Hopefully, time and discriminating readers (not marketing dollars) will decide.
For more reviews and info, check out:
Candlewick Press's Edward Tulane site.
Common Sense book review
A Fuse #8 Production: Review of the Day: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
1 comment:
10/05/06
Read Edward Tulane to my 3rd graders. We LOVED it, we are, and have been transfixed with this book. We have been transported by the words in this book, and I will read it many many times to the children in my classes.
Torture, what about Black Beauty, Reautiful Joe, etc., no -- - this is a book of craftsmanship, and is a little work of art. I thank the author for taking us to another world.
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