Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Review of Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry

Book:  Anastasia Krupnik
Author:  Lois Lowry
Published by:  Dell Publishing
Pages:  114

From GoodreadsAnastasia's tenth year has some good things, like falling in love and really getting to know her grandmother, and some bad things, like finding out about an impending baby brother. 


When I was younger I read a lot of Lois Lowry's novels including Number The Stars, The Giver, and A Summer To Die, but I had never read Anastasia Krupnik.  I came across this novel a couple of months ago and knew it was time to finally read it. 

Anastasia Krupnik is a spunky, fickle ten year old girl.  She's creative and original and very opinionated.  One of my favorite things about her is her little green notebook where she keeps her most secret thoughts.  In there she has a list of things she loves and things she hates.  Throughout the novel this list gets changed many times, with items often appearing on both lists or being crossed off and then latter added on the same list or the other list.  It really shows her thought process and how her feelings are attached to a certain moment in her life and not to herself as a person.   

There is not a lot of action in this book, instead the book follows about 6 months or so of Anastasia's life.  There is something endearing about this book.  I think it's the fact that Anastasia is just who she is.  She doesn't care about what others think and she often walks to her own beat.  She is definitely a friend I would have wanted in elementary school (but I probably would have been to shy and intimidated to even say hi). 

One of my only criticisms of this book is that there wasn't much depth and the author didn't go into as much detail as I would have liked, but this is probably a result of me being an adult reading a children's book and not the book itself.  This is a really cute read and I'd recommend it to preteens or children.   

Overall I give this book ★★★★

3 comments:

  1. Probably be too young for me too, but it still sounds like a good book I may pass on to my younger cousins. I love that she walks to her own beat.

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  2. I read Number The Stars awhile back. i might check this one out great review!

    Heather at http://breathingbooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/this-week-i-am-waiting-for.html

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  3. Lois Lowry holds special meaning to us since our website "GatheringBooks" is essentially based on his Gathering Blue - Part of the trilogy which includes The Giver and The Messenger. Anastasia Krupnik sounds like very light literature (more like a chapter book, am I right?) for Lois Lowry who usually deals with heavy themes bordering on the philosophical.

    Your review also reminds me of Harriet the Spy with the journaling and writing down of loves and hates. =) Good to connect with you through bookblogs.

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