Geraldine McCaughrean's latest book is Pull out all the stops! (OUP 2010) - to be published in America as The Glorious Adventures of the Sunshine Queen (Harper Collins, 2011). It continues the story of Cissy and Kookie from Stop the Train but you don't have to have read the first one to enjoy this one.I am a great fan of Geraldine McCaughrean's writing - every page seems to have an image or description which I find I want to read it out aloud to someone and say "listen to this..." Here's one on a page I just opened - old Elijah who steers the riverboat has an unreliable memory "Memories only came to Elijah sporadically - like post to an African explorer."
Here is a synopsis from the publisher's website : Cissy Sissney has always longed for a life filled with adventure, and her wish is unexpectedly granted when she is sent to live aboard the Sunshine Queen—a shipwrecked paddle steamer that houses the Bright Lights Theater Company. When the showboat is carried back out to sea, the motley crew on board embarks on a wild and hilarious journey. But along the way, one of their own falls into grave danger…and Cissy learns that the stakes of fame are higher than she could possibly have imagined.
Renowned storyteller Geraldine McCaughrean weaves a rip-roaring river adventure that’s chock-full of sidesplitting humor and daring escapades. Readers won’t be able to resist riding along on the Sunshine Queen’s thrilling journey in this fun and accessible tale.
Set in 1894 on the Missouri River and its tributaries, it is funny (the part with Kookie in the river with the alligator had me laughing almost too hard to read it aloud to a friend) and action packed - a tall tale, full of larger-than-life characters in life-and-death situations, imaginative, adventurous and brilliantly written.
Here is a review on LoveReading4kids by Julia Ecccleshare :
http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/5854/Pull-Out-All-the-Stops!-by-Geraldine-Mccaughrean.html
It would make a great readaloud, and there is an audio book too.
Here is Geraldine's website : http://www.geraldinemccaughrean.co.uk/
Hi Jeannie,
ReplyDeleteA "Google Alert" (a nifty Google feature) sent me an email that someone (you) had written about my critique of Obama's picture book.
In visiting your site, I saw that you've written about Geraldine McCaughrean. I wonder if you might be interested in my analysis of her sequel to Peter Pan? Here's the link:
http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2009/11/analysis-peter-pan-in-scarlet.html
Thank you Debbie, for that information and the thorough review on your blog of Geraldine McCaughrean's Peter Pan in Scarlet. I haven't read this book myself so I looked at various reviews, and as you say, most have not picked up on the inaccuracies or insulting stereotypes about American Indians which you have identified. What might have been acceptable in something written 100 years ago does not sit comfortably in the modern day.
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