Rascal

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-6-At 11 years of age, Sterling North found himself the caretaker of a baby raccoon. His long-enjoyed Newbery Honor book (Dutton, 1963) provides the details of a year in the life of a boy and a raccoon. Set in 1918, Sterling's father is often absent and perpetually involved in research for a novel about Fox and Winnebago Indians. Sterling's mother is deceased, and he is often left to his own devices. Rascal therefore enjoys such comforts as sleeping in Sterling's bed and attending the county fair. As Rascal ages, Sterling is aware that the raccoon is having normal springtime urges and is not happy residing in the pen Sterling was forced to construct. Storyteller Jim Weiss narrates at a leisurely pace without sound effects or musical accompaniment. His very slightly stilted inflection delivers the story as a reminiscence rather than events related by a young boy. The audio rendering of this beloved animal story will please the tale's admirers and win fans new to the timeless adventure.Fritz Mitnick, Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw, PACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Some audiobooks have star narrators. Others let the narrative itself be the star. RASCAL falls into the second category, and the Newbery Honor book's down-home narrative is as warm and compelling as a long conversation with your best friend. This first-person account tells the story of North's boyhood and his relationship with a raccoon he discovered as an abandoned kit. North, Rascal and North's good-natured St. Bernard, Wowser, bounce from one adventure to the next. Sala could easily be North; his no-nonsense Middle American voice brings this charming animal story to life. M.C. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Chicago Tribune
Everyone should knock off work, sit beneath the nearest tree, and enjoy Rascal from cover to cover.


Book Description
Skunks, woodchucks, a crow named Poe, an absent-minded father, an eighteen foot, half-finished canoe in the living room—welcome to the North home! Nothing’s surprising at the North residence. Not even eleven-year-old Sterling’s new pet raccoon. Rascal is only a baby when young Sterling brings him home to join his unusual family. The mischievous raccoon and Sterling are partners and best friends for a perfect year of adventure—swimming, fishing, exploring the countryside together—until the spring day when everything suddenly changes and Sterling realizes he must let Rascal go. This heartwarming and delightful memoir of a boy’s friendship with a wild animal, and his growing awareness of the world around him, has become a treasured classic. Rascal has taken his place among literature’s most captivating and endearing animals. A Newbery Honor Book An ALA Notable Children’s Book A NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book


Card catalog description
The author recalls his carefree life in a small midwestern town at the close of World War I, and his adventures with his pet raccoon, Rascal.


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North's story of his raccoon, Rascal, and their year together holds as much delight today as it has for many years. Weiss uses his natural talent as a professional storyteller to weave the many emotions of humans and animals into this alluring and nostalgic tale. His enjoyment of the text seems to spontaneously infect the listener with enthusiasm while capturing the quiet peace and contentment found in North's remembrance. His Irish and German accents, used for some secondary male characters, sound realistic, while his softened voice and controlled tones serve well for female voices. A remarkable classic tale offers pleasant listening. P.A.J. A 1999 ALA Notable Recording ￯﾿ﾽAudioFile, Portland, Maine


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