Travel Far, Pay No Fare

Anne Lindbergh

ISBN 10: 0060217766 ISBN 13: 9780060217761

Publisher: HarperCollins

Synopsis

Twelve-year-old Owen and his weird cousin, Parsley, use a magic bookmark to bring animals and events to life from their favorite books and find themselves in a potentially disastrous predicament. By the author of The Shadow of the Dial.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-7-- This story takes off into flights of fantasy when Owen, 12, and his cousin Parsley, 9, visit children's books. The two are thrown together when, over his protests, Owen's mother moves them to Vermont where she plans to marry her brother-in-law, Parsley's father. Also angry about the coming event, the girl is planning to sabotage the wedding by bringing 15 cats into the house, knowing that her aunt is allergic to them. She tells Owen about her magic bookmark, and that she can bring home such well-known cats as Tom Kitten, the Three Little Kittens, and the Cheshire Cat. Owen does not believe her until he finds himself at the Mad Hatter's tea party. He is upset when Parsley tells him that she takes things from other books, too, and accuses her of stealing. She protests, saying that the books remain unchanged. Despite his misgivings, they visit several books and the boy finds himself eager to read the books he has visited. He becomes interested in helping the young deer in The Yearling , while Parsley collects diamonds in The Twenty-one Balloons and tries to ride the Goose Prince in The Fledgling . It is not difficult to believe that a child can become a reader after such zany and exciting adventures. It is, however, difficult to see how things can be removed from books without changing them. While the flaw in the fantasy may interfere with readers' understanding and enjoyment of the story, the book might encourage children to read the other books the cousins visited. That would be a bit of magic. --Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

An intended fantasy-adventure story is instead a tedious labyrinth of events connecting parental remarriage, time travel and reading appreciation. Owen resents the fact that his divorced mother, a prolific children's book author, is marrying her deceased sister's husband. Leaving Boston, starting junior high in rural Vermont, and soon having weird cousin Parsley, age nine, as a sister requires considerable acclimation. The equally displeased girl secretly schemes to stop the impending nuptials. Using a magic bookmark, she brings home cats featured in classic novels, thus tormenting her allergic aunt. When Parsley tells Owen, a reluctant reader, about her "travels," he's incredulous, until he too is transported to stories such as Alice in Wonderland , Little Women and The Yearling . Lindbergh's voice occasionally intrudes upon Owen's narrative; "I'd blush to invade someone's privacy" and "glutinous yellow" are not a 12-year-old's phrases. Extolling the pleasures of reading is a worthy enterprise, but only ardent bibliophiles will stick with these unappealing characters and convoluted plot. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• ISBN 10: 0060217766
• ISBN 13: 9780060217761
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 199