Reviews for A little excitement
School Library Journal
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Gr 1-4-- Willie finds that winter on the farm is no fun at all and wishes for something exciting to happen. Cut off from school companions, with only bossy sisters at home, his father worn out by chores, and only his mother available to play games, he longs for the exciting olden days his grandmother describes. Then Willie discovers that getting one's wish can have disastrous results. When his father accidentally banks the fire improperly, the household awakens to the roar of a stove so dangerously overheated that their lives are threatened. Neighbors arrive to lend their services, and the frightening incident ends without dire consequences. The story, simply told, is indeed an exciting one. The watercolor illustrations provide strong support for the story. Rand depicts scenes of quiet, uneventful country life and with equal ease captures the dramatic intensity of the frightening episode. Children everywhere will be quickly drawn into the story, which moves smoothly and speedily to a satisfying conclusion. --Phyllis G. Sidorsky, National Cathedral School, Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
During the midwinter doldrums on a remote farm, Willie is weary of his sisters' ganging up on him and wishes for something to happen. He gets more than he'd hoped; a chimney fire that involves the whole family in a midnight battle to save their house before the volunteer fireman, along with other neighbors, arrive to help and stay on for talk and food--""better than Thanksgiving."" Though poet Harshman narrates smoothly, Willie's concluding insight that ""maybe my fussing had earned me some of [my sisters'] bossing"" isn't really justified by what has happened. But Rand's realistic paintings are wonderfully evocative of the winter farm; his depiction of the blazing chimney and the effort to quench the fire have the drama the text lacks. A genuine, attractively produced piece of Americana. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Fiction: PB Tired of a long winter in the country, young Willie longs for some excitement - and gets more than he wished for. The story, with its folksy appeal, is well plotted and gripping; the illustrations of winter scenes are breathtaking. Review, p. 611. Horn Rating: Superior, well above average. Reviewed by: ef (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
When Willie is bored, bored, bored with snow and winter, he whines and complains and wishes for a little excitement. ``Be careful what you wish for, Willie, you might just get it,'' says his grandmother, and of course, she's right. A fire in the family's chimney wakes them up one night; they evacuate the house but fight the fire, hoping to keep damage to a minimum. Willie is astonished by his sisters' bravery, and by his father's dogged will to save the house. When reinforcements arrive, the fire is put out, and everyone gathers for coffee and cake inside. In this splendid piece of storytelling, readers will feel as if they're listening to a hearthside tale, with all the details meticulously evoked and smoothly described. That the family is safe will reassure readers; the incident is harrowing but no one's life is ever threatened. Rand's watercolors give this an old-fashioned feel; from a night sky he carves the smoking, fiery house and, in the pictures of the family, creates a sense of urgency. Even though its setting is contemporary, the values it expresses are solid and ageless. Ages 5-9. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
