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More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionseBook editionsBrooklyn Bridgeby Karen Hesse
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:On that day in 1903, fourteen-year-old Joseph Michtoms life changed irrevocably when his parents—Russian immigrants—created the first teddy bear. No longer did the Michtoms gather family and friends around the kitchen table to talk. No longer was Joseph at leisure to play stickball with the guys. No longer were Joseph and his book-loving sister free from watching their pesky two-year-old brother. Now—when it was summer vacation and more than anything Joseph wanted to experience the thrill, the grandeur, the electricity of Coney Island—Joseph worked. And complained. And fell in and out of love. And argued. And hoped that everything would go back to how it used to be. All the while no one let him forget that he was lucky. Because—“There are other children. The unwanted, the forgotten, the lost ones. They gather under the bridge each night to sit, to talk, to sleep. They know, they know, they know that to everyone beyond the bridge they are invisible. . . .” These are the children who live under the bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge. Newbery medalist Karen Hesse masterfully entwines Josephs coming-of-age tale (and that of his big, colorful family) with the heartbreaking stories of the children under the bridge. Riveting historical fiction that is by turns accessible and ornate, very real but with a touch of magical realism. Hesses extraordinary new novel is an insightful reminder that a life—fragile and precious—can change in a moment. Brooklyn Bridge is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. Review:"Inspired by facts surrounding the inventors of the teddy bear, Newbery Medalist Hesse (Out of the Dust) applies her gift for narrative voice to this memorable story set in 1903 Brooklyn. Fourteen-year-old Joseph Michtom's parents, Jewish immigrants from Russia, are the envy of the neighborhood when their toy bears make them prosperous. The principal narrator, Joe, copes with the ironies of their fortune: 'Now it's like I got some special kind of power. Only I'm not doing anything good with it.' Resented by his former friends, Joe works in the bear business, gets crushes and longs to go to brand-new Coney Island. Interspersed throughout are brief profiles of street children who make their home under the Brooklyn Bridge, haunted by a ghost they refer to as the Radiant Boy. Deftly paced story lines about Joe's extended family indirectly raise questions about different types of bridges: those from the old country to America, those that cross generations, those that link the unlikeliest individuals. Not until the final chapters does Hesse produce the connection between Joseph and the street children with their ghost, and then the novel explodes with dark drama before its eerie but moving resolution. Ages 10 — 14. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Synopsis:From the incomparable Karen Hesse comes a powerfully evocative and accessible family story, set at the turn of the century, by turns serious, funny, and with a touch of magical realism. Synopsis:Its the summer of 1903 in Brooklyn and all fourteen-year-old Joseph Michtom wants is to experience the thrill, the grandeur, and the electricity of the new amusement park at Coney Island. But that doesnt seem likely. Ever since his parents—Russian immigrants—invented the stuffed Teddy Bear five months ago, Josephs life has turned upside down. No longer do the Michtoms gather family and friends around the kitchen table to talk. No longer is Joseph at leisure to play stickball with the guys. Now, Joseph works. And complains. And falls in love. And argues with Mama and Papa. And falls out of love. And hopes. Joseph hopes hell see Coney Island soon. He hopes that everything will turn right-side up again. He hopes his luck hasnt run out—because you never know. Through all the warmth, the sadness, the frustration, and the laughter of one big, colorful family, Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse builds a stunning story of the lucky, the unlucky, and those in between, and reminds us that our lives—all our lives—are fragile, precious, and connected. Brooklyn Bridge is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. About the AuthorKaren Hesse is the acclaimed author of over a dozen books for young readers, including the 1998 Newbery Medal winner, Out of the Dust. In 2001 she won the Christopher Medal for her young adult novel, Witness; in 2002 she was the recipient of a MacArthur Prize, only the second author of books for children to win this prestigious award. She lives in Brattleboro, VT. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
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