Book Description

Reviews (35)

Great story of a family working together to survive
This is a great tale of a tiny family living under the floor in a house. It shows how the father goes up into the house when everyone is asleep and "borrows" things his family needs or wants. He must only borrow things that will NOT be missed. They are not to be seen by the "big" people. Some of their relatives were seen and had to move from their home to stay safe. Once seen the "big" people will bring in exterminators and try to catch the tiny people (they think they're rats). In this story, the Borrower's daughter befriends the young boy of the house. He does NOT try to harm the family. Mater of fact, he befriends them and brings them things they need. Unfortunately, the Borrower then feels useless and their house gets cramped. It's a great book for young children (and even adults to read). It's easy to get lost in the story, even when you know people like this cannot exist. I won't tell you the ending, you need to read it for yourself. I highly recommend this book.

Great book, but check out the age level
When I was a child of 12 or 13, I loved the Borrowers books. The idea of a family of tiny people, living in my own house and taking, for the most practical of purposes, things we'd thought we'd lost was quite enjoyable. The best part of the books, for me, were the descriptions of what they did with the buttons and baubles they risked their lives to 'borrow' - (imagine bumping into our family cat late one night while you're trying to lug a teacup back home).

Because I was a young girl who thought girls could do anything, I didn't really appreciate Arrietty's spunkiness. As the only child of the last Borrowers in this household, she's allowed to do many things her own mother hadn't done as a child. And perhaps because she can do some things her mother couldn't, she moves a step further and does whatever any boy could do.

I thought I could read these books to my 8 year old, who loves the Harry Potter series and The Wrinkle in Time books, but these books are too difficult for little kids (even those reading at an advanced level).

The language is very British and there are side explanations that are much too lengthy. Evidently I missed, as a pre-teen reader, the notion that the Borrowers might have been fabricated by the boy who was narrating the stories. (It is rather absurd to think that they were made up - I've lost too many socks and earrings in my lifetime, so I know Borrowers exist.)

Before the John Goodman version of the movie, we watched British video of The Borrowers and The Return of the Borrowers (great for younger kids). It was excellent, even though the special effects aren't where they were in the American version, the British version was excellent.

For those 11 and up (to 111) this is a great series to read.

The Borrowers
I've always loved this book, ever since I read it in fourth grade; the thought of little people always appealed to me. The style the book is written in is sort of old-fashioned for today's readers, but if a person can read it, then I definitely recommend it.

It's about a type of people, Borrowers, that are very tiny. They live in houses and 'borrow' things, like food, paper, and basically anything that they can get their hands on. They picture people as giants that are put on this earth to make things for them to 'borrow'... They live under floor-boards, behind pictures, over mantles; basically anywhere. That's how Arrietty's mother and father tell it.

But, in all reality, there is only herself, her mother, and her father left in that one particular house. Every other Borrower family had emigrated to somewhere else... and Arrietty accepts that until one day she is seen by a boy that puts the thought into her head that maybe her family is the last of the Borrowers.

And that's really how it all starts. Arrietty and the Boy form a sort of friendship, where the boy takes a letter to the place where Arrietty's Uncle is supposed to live, and Arrietty reads to him. (The Boy says that he's bilingual, and that's the reason that he can't read well.) And taking the mail isn't the only thing that the Boy does- he also brings the Clocks furniture, food, and other things.

Things which are discovered missing later.

And that brings in the cat and the rat-catchers...

One of my favorite childrens' books; I think the reason I like it so much is that it doesn't take for granted that kids wouldn't be able to understand a longer book... I think that's also what I love about the Harry Potter books, as well.

Anyway, read this. Very sweet, very family friendly. Altogether enjoyable.

Story Student
The Borrowers is a really good book. Borrowers are little people who live in the bottom of peoples houses and borrow their things. There is a family called the Clocks. There are worried and lonely for other Borrowers! Are there any borrowers left in the world? On day they go out, and they try to find any other Borrowers. Then they run into a cat! The cat grabs Mrs. Clock, and I recommend this book for all its joy and charm, and the author wrote this book for the short people of the world.

A very old fashioned , but well written book
This yarn takes place under the kitchen floor of a house where no human child has lived in a very long time.The book begins when a lady named Mrs. May is telling a girl, Kate, about the world of the "Borrowers." From a borrowers' point of view humans are as large as giants. The human "beans," have not seen borrowers since the time of one in particular named Egglantina as it is disastrous to be seen by a human.Borrowers borrow such things as spools for seats,and even borrow names as you will see. The most interesting idea in the book was that Mary Norton wrote about a species that is a logical impossibility. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

A slow starter but good book all around
This book is the second book in a series by Mary Norton about little people who borrow what they need to survive from humans.The borrowers from book one are Arrietty, Homily and Pod. They continue their story in this sequel. In this book other borrowers are introduced. These include Spiller, Uncle Hendreary, Eggletina(one of Arrietty's three cousins) and Aunt Lupy.
In the beginning, I found this book to somewhat boring. It was a narrative from a human called Kate. She was the girl who learned of this story in book one. She and her Great Aunt Sophie travel from their home in the city to the country where Great Aunt Sophie inherited a cottage. This cottage is near where the borrowers story started. There was a complication however. It seemed that someone else lived in that same cottage. This man was now old. He lived there in the cottage for 80 years. Kate and Great Aunt Sophie want to find out if the story of the borrowers is real or not. Old Tom Goodenough is the man who lived in the cottage. He was also the young man in the original story who was brought in to use his ferret to try to get the borrowers out of the house. He remembers the borrowers. He had Arrietty's diary and let Kate read it. The book then flashes back to the actual time when Arreitty, Homily and Pod are escaping from the big house and trying to survive in their new world.
They had to try to find the Badger Set where they think other family mambers are living. This is the story of their journey. Arrietty, Homily and Pod find an old boot and decide that it would be their sleeping area. They had to drag it with them during the day, while they looked for the badger set. You could say this was an early camping trailer. They had a hard time finding the badger set, and decided to secure the boot under a stumps root and use it as a permanent home. Arrietty met Spiller who helped them. He supplied them with meat, tea, candles and a lot of other things. Spiller would borrow these items from a number of souces. He used a tin soap box for a boat and floated up and down the stream. Things were going well and then the frost came and then the first snow. They ran out of food and had to rely only on some wine that Spiller gave them. They got drunk and forgot to cover their entrance and a gypsy who was the owner of the boot, found it and took it home. Arrietty, Homily and Pod were still in the boot!
This is where the book gets really good. I won't ruin the surprise of this books ending for you.
I found this book a little hard to get into at first. I wish Mary Norton could have gotten to the plot line quicker. I like to read about how they survived and what they used to survive. Once I got into the main part of the book, I could not stop easily. It was suspensful. I wonder if Mary Norton will allow us to be introduced to other borrowers and further the story line with Arrietty, Homily and Pod. I like these characters and want to find out what will happen to them. I guess I will have to continue and read the rest of this series. Maybe you will hear from me in a review of The Borrowers Afloat.

The Borrowers Afield
This book is about a very tiny family who is smoked out of their house under the floorboards of an old England home. They are forced to move to the fields and go on a journey to their relatives house. along the way they find a boot to live in and a tree stump for shelter. They meet a boy named Spiller who helps them out a little. In the end................

More wonderful Borrowers
In this sequel to The Borrowers, the Clocks, having lost their home, must now set up a new life in a lost boot. Arrietty finds the outdoors exhilarating, while Homily finds it dangerous and extremely dirty. The Clocks know that there must be other Borrowers somewhere, but where are they, and how will they find them in such a big, wide world?

As with the last book, this one contains a charming story that is well accompanied by illustrations that add a lot to the simple words. These books are considered children's classics, and it's easy to see why. My children loved this book, and yours will, too.

The adventures of the Clock Family continue...
For all those who loved the original Borrowers, this is thestory of what happened to the Clock family after being driven fromtheir home. In many ways, it is an "equal, not a sequel." ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

The third house to fourth in the third book
In this book, "The borrowers afloat" the Clocks once again venture out of a their brand new (rundown) house. This is their 3rd house in the 3rd book. This book tells how they manage "afloat" to get away from the empty cotttage, and "SPECIAL" relatives. Will they get to their dream house?

More adventures with the Borrowers
In this, the third book in the Borrowers series (after The Borrowers, and The Borrowers Afield), the Clocks (Pod, Homily and Arrietty) find that they must leave the safety of their new house and venture forth once again into the great big world. Setting their sights on Little Fordham, a miniature model town, the Clocks follow young Spiller out. But the world is a dangerous place for someone as small as a Borrower, and their voyage is filled with excitement.

Once again, Marty Norton has produced a story that is a lot of fun. Containing both plenty of adventure with a heartwarming story. My children and I loved this story, and you and yours will too.

The Borrowers Afloat
One time I saw a movie it was called The Borrowers. I thought it might be a little bit like the book. I thought it would be about borrowers who were on the river in a teapot. The cover gave a large hint. Borrowers are tiny people only about six inches high. Borrowers can not live without people. A family of three borrowers are living inside of a cotige wall,then the owners suddenly move out. There is one place called Little Fordham where borrowers live so they set out to find it. There were some parts that were slow but it got better toward the end. If you like books with little people mabye you want try it?

Very good book
I liked this book alot. It kept me very interested. There were some funny parts but mainly exciting adventures. This is a good book for a second or third grader. I am in second grade. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Highly recommended
This wonderful book was written in 1975 by Mary Norton (1903-92), the author of the incomparable Borrowers stories. It tells the story of James, whose dream takes him to a distant land, where he meets many of the characters of old folktales, such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jack-the-Giant-Slayer and Jack-of-the-Beanstalk. But, they are all old now, and past adventures. But, when the daughter of Beauty and the Beast (Boofy and Beau to their friends) needs help, James rises to the occasion. Although he's usually a fan of Science fiction, James must maneuver himself and the girl through this magical wonderland, in search of a magical frog, and answering the question, "Are all the giants dead?"

This is a very nice, gently entertaining story. It is gentle enough for quite young readers, and sure to please. I must say that what I liked most about this book is the illustrations created by the great Brian Froud. My children and I loved this book, and we highly recommend it to you.

A pleasant, minor fantasy.
"Are All the Giants Dead?" is a very fun story peppered with clever in-jokes for those who love fairy tales.
Young James, who is more interested in science fiction than fairy tales, is wisked away in his sleep by Mildred, an ethereal storyteller who takes him off to a magical kingdom. This place turns out to be the land of "happily ever after" where all the legendary heroes and heroines of the past live in leisure and contentment long after their stories have ended. James, though, finds one or two stories left unresolved, and so his adventure begins.
Mary Norton's prose is crisp and well paced, and her characters are very well drawn. The story, however, may have turned out more memorable had the plot become a bit more involved. The villian of the story, for instance, is glimpsed only briefly at the tale's end.
And of course Brian Froud's 8-10 black and white illustrations are fantastic.

Clever Fairy Tale for Adults
This is a neat little dream-narrative but I would describe it as more for adults than children. It's a gentle dream fantasy which plays with the 'rules' of the classic fairy-tale genre. You really have to be a serious fairy-tale fan to get the jokes. Brian Froud's illustrations are a treat, as always.

Old fairy tale characters are brought to life in a new form.
Are All the Giants Dead takes a somewhat casual attitude to introducing common fairy tale characters in their old age. James, a young boy, is lead on an adventure from normal, everyday life, to the world of the heroes he hears about in his bedtime stories. They've all grown older (though perhaps not wiser); James becomes acquainted with the two giant killing Jacks, who now run a pub together. While his guide to the fantasy world takes care of business elsewhere, James learns the stories of how all the giants are indeed dead... or are they? According to Jack the Giant Killer, he has slain them all, but Jack of the Beanstalk admits his friends secret: there is no proof that the last giant is indeed deceased. James, of course, is excited by the prospect of adventure, and wishes to investigate the situation himself. The book is full of the wishes of the young (and, to risk a cliche, the young at heart), and an adventure anyone who has ever wanted an adventure can enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Fascinatingly different
This book was written in 1982 as an afterthought to the earlier books (The Borrowers (1952), The Borrowers Afield (1955), The Borrowers Afloat (1959), and Poor Stainless (1966)). This follows the Clocks (Pod, Homily and Arrietty) after their escape from the Platters. Having found their way to an old rectory, the Clocks realize that they will never really be safe.

This book is quite different from the earlier books. This story contains social commentary, as seen when the family meets Peregrine Overmantle, and the introduction of more fantastic elements, such as a household ghost. It's quite interesting to imagine where Mary Norton might have gone, had she had the time to write more Borrowers stories. Anyway, this is a great book, and well worth your time and money.

The Saga Continues
Just to set everyone straight, this book is NOT based on the campy, sellout movie "The Borrowers." The movie should be renounced by all true fans, as it is a badly done attempt at commercializing on Mary Norton's brilliant ideas. Anyway, "The Borrowers Avenged" was written more than ten years before the Borrowers movie. It continues the story of Pod, Homily, and Arrietty, as they finally settle into an old rectory. It raises important questions about the future--(who will Arrietty marry, Spiller or Peagreen? I tend to think Peagreen.), but as all good Norton stories, gives you room to decide for yourself.

Not a good end to an otherwise delightful series.
This book was undoubtedly not intended to be the last in the series, but unfortunately it was. The book left several very important characters at odds in the end it a disheartening way. If I had to do it over again, I would have stopped the series with The Borrower's Aloft. Other than this story, the rest of the series by Mary Norton was a delightful addition to our family's storytime.

Imagination is needed for enjoyment.
The Borrowers Avenged is about the characters in the not-so-recent movie The Borrowers. They have many adventure from living in a model village to moving to a church. This is a great read!! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

Bed-Knob and Broomstick By:Norton, Mary
Bed - Knob and broomstick
By: Norton, Mary
Reviewed By: S. Chang
Period: P.5

Three children, Carey, Charles, and Paul are brothers and sisters that were sent to Bedfordshire to stay with their aunt. Very near their aunt's house, an old lady named Miss Price lives in a small house. On an early morning, the three children find Miss Price in pain with a broomstick next to her. Soon they find out that she is a witch and fell while practicing to ride on a broomstick. To prevent the children from revealing her secret, she put a spell on Paul's bed-knob. The spell was to take the children whenever they want if they twist the knob and wish. They take it home and twist the bed-knob and wish. But they don't end up getting quite what they want, only trouble, especially when they meet Emelius Jones.
This book, Bed ?Knob and Broomstick is included in one of my favorite books. I liked it because of many reasons, but most of all it's because it was unpredictable and adventurous. In most books, everything goes well most of the time and all the books seem to have almost the same story. But in this book, opposite from many other books that I have mentioned, almost everything goes wrong and is unpredictable. For example, who knew Paul was going to say, "It's hers. It's what she fell off. It's what she rides on.?Who knew they were going to meet Emelius Jones and get into all that adventure?
I say that this book is full of adventure. Especially when a dummy soars though the sky and save Emelius. I remember how they described that situation. In this book, some boys screamed, "A witch on a broomstick!?in the past of Bedfordshire. I always like it when they make the bed go somewhere. I also liked it when they went to the island of Ueepe. I liked that part because it made me think Carey and Charles wouldn't make it and Miss Price and Paul had already left. I felt as if I was with the 3 children and Miss Price.
Although this book comes in as one of my favorite books, it isn't a perfect book. I think every book has its pros and cons. What I didn't like about this book was when Emelius is over at Miss Price's house. I think I didn't really enjoy that part because of the wordings. How it was worded was very weird and it confused me. After I think about it, I don't remember much from that part. Nothing was made very clear to me. In my opinion, this book is a very good book except for this part in the book that I have mentioned.

Definitely not the movie
So, having seen the Disney movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks, you know the whole story, right? Wrong! Being a fan of that movie, I picked up this book expecting some minor discrepancies, but was amazed to find a story that had practically nothing in common with the movie.

This is the story of Carey, Charles and Paul Wilson who, while staying with their aunt in Bedfordshire, suddenly discover that a neighbor, Miss Price is a witch! Not your stereotypical witch, Miss Price is a prim and proper lady who is willing to buy the children's silence with the gift of a magic bed knob that will allow the children to travel through space and time. Seeking to visit their mother, the children find themselves scooped up by the London police. Next, Miss Price takes them to an isolated tropical island, only to discover that cannibals inhabit the island. Their final adventure takes them to Restoration England, where they meet a forlorn (and inept) necromancer, Emelius Jones.

This story (actually two books combined into one) is quite charming. In a gentle and freewheeling fashion, Mary Norton draws the reader along on a fantastic adventure. This book is just right for the young reader, with a few nice illustrations, and a wonderful storyline.

Bedknob and Broomstick
Our class enjoyed hearing our teacher read this story. She thought we might like it because we enjoyed "Harry Potter" last year. We liked it when the children travelled back into the past. It was good when Miss Price and Emelius fell in love and travelled back to Emelius's time

Classic Tale of Magic and Adventure
I first read this book as a child, and it was one that I read again and again. Using a magical bedknob, the children in this story travel through time and space to ancient England, a desert island and more. I just bought this for my nine year old niece, who is a "Harry Potter" fan, but too young for most of the scarier titles that are sometimes suggested for fans of the series. Like all of the author's books, this one is exciting, but not scary, and is clearly the product of a gentler time.

Mary Norton's All-Time Best!!!
I've always found the Borrower books to be boring and somewhat of a sluggish read, but this book by Mary Norton is superb and I'm surprised that more people don't know of it. The writing is witty and fast-paced. Erik Blegvad's illustrations are a joy to look at and compliment the writing beautifully. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

The Borrowers Aloft
I liked this book a lot. I like to read about how resourceful the Borrowers are when they use stuff humans don't need or misplace. It had really nice pictures, too. I recommend this book to kids five years and older.

The Borrowers in another tight situation
In this, the fourth book in the Borrowers series (after The Borrowers, The Borrowers Afield and The Borrowers Afloat), the Clocks have moved into Little Fordham, and are starting their new life. Unfortunately, unknown to them, the greedy Mr. Platter has built a rival model village. Having seen the Borrowers, he kidnaps them to add them to his own model. How can such small people escape from a prison built by such huge human "beans"?

Ah, Mary Norton (1903-92) was a genius! Her Borrower stories are an excellent combination of suspenseful adventure and heartwarming drama. My children and I love this book, and highly recommend it to you!

Read them all. They're all wonderful!
As a child in the 1950's, I read the original Borrowers in 4th grade. I read and re-read the one in the school library, til school closed for the summer. As luck would have it, I found the book and it's subsequent additions that summer in a book store. They were the only thing I ever BEGGED my mother to buy me. I took home The Borowers, The Borrowers Afield, and The Borrowers Afloat, and I still know parts of them by heart. When I was 18, the Borrowers Aloft came out, and my mother sent it to me at college. I was 36 when the Avenged came out, and I RAN to the bookstore. The stories are as fresh today as the first time I read them. I'm now in my 50's, and I can't imagine a life without Homily, Pod and Arriety Clock. Homily who is courageous, even though she'd rather not be. Pod, who is a simple man, taking care of his family. And Arriety, ready for life, ready for adventure, a young Victorian Feminist, if there ever was one. She taught me that a girl could be anything she wanted to be. They bravely faced a daunting world, and they're only 6 inches tall. I now own well over a thousand books, and really believe that it was this small family that lead me to my love of reading.

cool
This book was pretty good. It was better than the second one which was better than the first and the third one, although the third one was better than the first. Ya Got Me? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

WAY better than the movie
as you know, i am a BIG Disney fan, BUT this book is so much better than the movie - can't tell you, you must read it! the wonder and excitement and the MAGIC. oh how i loved those inocent days of youth, i used to read books like this for hours, lost in imigination. great book, and when reading try not to think of angela landsbury...

Great
I found this book every enjoyable, It's in two parts, which comes in the one book. It's differnet to the Disney movie in regards to the adventure, but the rest is more or less the same, the bed and her falling of the broom.
If you read any other of Mary Norton's books, she wrote 'The Borrowers' then you will love this.

Magical!
Once I saw the Bedknobs and Broomsticks movie I wanted to read the book. At once I fell in love that Ms. Price, prim and proper, is a witch. I recommend this book to anyone who likes witches, magic, adventure and flying beds.

stupid
this is the worst book i've ever read it should be burned

Cool!
I read this book during the summer and I thought it was cool.It's not like the Disney movie but so what, this was published before.Read this book!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A memory of earlier Borrower days
While Arrietty and Homily sit and sew on a piece of cloth, Arrietty asks for a story. Homily reaches back and tells of an adventure from her younger days. When she was young, there was a mischievous boy Borrower named Stainless Knife Machines (a Borrower's last name is always drawn from where they live). When Stainless disappears one day, everyone goes looking for "poor Stainless."

Written in 1966, this book shows how Mary Norton might have gone on writing charming Borrower short stories. Ah, what might have been... Anyway, this short little story (32 pages, including illustrations) is quite interesting and fun to read. Please introduce your children to the Borrowers!

Not as interesting as the other books in the series...
This is a short story of a young borrower, Stainless, who was asked to go 'borrow' a bit of parsley from the human beings. Borrowing a bit of parsley is a simple job for any borrower, even young ones. Maybe a 5-minute job. But little Stainless was gone for a whole day and night. His mother was very worried about his safety, so the borrower grandfathers, passed an order that all borrowers, no matter male or female (except the very young ones), form search parties to look for Stainless. You have to read the rest to find out what happened because if I go on with the review, you'll know what happened in the end as it is really a very short story. Happy reading! ... Read more