Winner of the Prix Sorcieres
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. The Pull of the Ocean. New York, NY: Delacorte Press: ISBN 0385733488.
Plot Summary:
Late one night a young boy awakens his brothers insisting that they must leave their home immediately or risk being killed by their father. The boys do as their brother directs them to and embark on a long journey that leads them nowhere.
Critical Anyalysis:
This novel is translated from the French book L'enfant Ocean, which is also loosely based on Charles Perrault's Tom Thumb. The story is told in by the various characters in the story. Each gives a brief description of the part they played or what they saw happening with the 7 brothers. There are 21 different descriptions. Hearing the story told from a variety of "voices" and viewpoints makes for an interesting read.
Personally, I thought this story was odd and I did not enjoy reading it. The description of the family was well done, and I could easily visualize each character. I have not read Tom Thumb, maybe if I had I would have enjoyed this book more. I felt the story went in a circle and did not have much of an ending.
Connections:
Teachers could easily choose other Batchelder Award books and have students discuss and compare them to each other.
Review Excerpts:
School Library Journal: "A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fables jigsaw puzzle...a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying."
Publishers Weekly: "Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly read and the make-believe...[in this] effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale."
2007 Winner of the Mildred l. Batchelder Award
2007 Winner ALA Notable Children's Book
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