111. The Family Under the Bridge
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage CarlsonIllustrated by Garth Williams
Pages: 123
Finished: June 20, 2008
First Published: 1958
Genre: children fiction,
Award: Newbery Honor
Rating: 4/5
Reason for Reading: read aloud to the 8yo
First sentence:
Once there was an old hobo named Armand who wouldn't have lived anywhere but in Paris.
Comments: The Calcet family is homeless after their father dies and they take up residence under a bridge. Along comes Armand the hobo to find this family in his place. Armand is not particularly fond of children but they soon capture his heart and he finds himself looking after the children and the welfare of the family. The children wish for more than anything that Father Christmas will bring them a house for Christmas and Armand tries hard to keep their spirits up. Trouble comes in a pair of do-gooder women who find the children under the bridge and send for the police to take them to a home for children. Madame Calcet is at work and Armand must get the children to safety before they are taken away.
I've read this book several times now and always find it a joy. Garth Williams' illustrations are just as wonderful as ever. It is a beautiful, gentle story with genuine feeling. Sad at times and laugh out loud funny at others, the 8yo was very attached to it and concerned for the Calcet children. When I read the final words, "The End", the 8yo said "Awwww!" Always the sign of a good book when you wish it didn't have to end!
Thanks for the good review. This has been on my bookshelf for quite some time. I heard once that Kathy Lee Gifford was going to write/make a musical out of this story. I wonder what happened to that?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review - I'm going to add this to our read-aloud list.
ReplyDeleteI have vague memories of reading this one as a child - at least I think it was this one. Thanks for the review - sounds like another great read-aloud for my girls!
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