Rascal by Sterling North (9y & 7y)

General Vibe:

I remember loving Rascal as a child because I was fascinated with the idea of having a raccoon for a pet.  As an adult approaching this book, I am struck with how much Rascal is a side character and incidental.  The chapters don't really revolve around his adventures and mishaps so much as they take the time to paint a portrait of what early 20th century life was like.  We hear about the war which his older brother is fighting in and the Spanish flu; local fairs with pie eating contests and a horse vs car race; and North's victory garden that he grows to sell vegetables.  In fact, it's quite a lonely and quiet life as North's father is often away on business, and North is left for literally weeks on end at home alone. The moments spent camping or in nature are lyrical, but I never felt my kids' attentions wane. A lot less goes on in these stories than say what happens in My Family and Other Animals, with less outrageous characters.  The details of life are intriguing and the novel still holds its allure, even though the aspect of allure has changed with time (and age). 

Plot and Characters: 

As mentioned above, you get less outrageous characters but the characters are finely if more subtly drawn.  A house keeper who cannot put up with animals, a metropolitan-modern visiting sister who is shocked by the canoe being built in the living room, a fly fisherman who North meets in the woods while camping, a leather maker who, since his business mostly revolves around making horse tackle, hates automobiles, a bully who meets his comeuppance twice, a neighbor who has it in for Rascal, and a hard put upon aunt who relates that she hopes that heaven is nothing more than a continuation of working on the farm. Rascal his lovingly portrayed as well, as well as pet crow, and his dog.

Future Recommendations: 

I'm not inspired to read anything else by Sterling North.