The+Borrowers


 * __The Borrowers __** by: Mary Norton

Book Review by: Holly Heath

Age Range: 9 and up Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Sandpiper; 1 edition (April 1, 2003) Language: English ISBN-10: 0152047379 ISBN-13: 978-0152047375 Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
 * Bibliographic Information: **


 * Summary: ** The book begins with a discussion between a young girl named Kate and her elderly relative Mrs. May about the borrowers. __The Borrowers__ is a story about miniature people, who are referred to as “borrowers” because they borrow everything that they want or need from humans. They live in hidden places like inside walls and under floors of people’s homes. They “borrow” from the humans who inhabit the home including furnishings, like spools for tables, needles for kitchen utensils, and food. They don’t see their borrowing as stealing because they think the humans are there in order to provide for them. The borrowers fear being discovered by humans and therefore their lives are filled with action and adventure. Arietty, a young borrower, is one of the main characters of the story and lives with her mother, Homily, and her father, Pod. Arietty is not allowed to leave their home because of the dangers, like the cat. Arietty’s boredom drives her to convince her father to take her with him to go borrowing. Without her parents knowing, she begins visiting with a young human boy. By the end of the story, Mrs. May, Kate, and the reader must debate whether or not Borrowers truly exist.


 * Review: ** I remember reading this book when I was in elementary school, and I absolutely loved it. The book takes the reader on a fun adventure inside the unreachable nooks of a house. The fun part about this book is the possibility of the Borrowers being real or not. Students would love discussing and debating reasons they could be real or might not be.


 * Analysis of Literary Element: **<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;"> The writing-style of the book sets up the reader so that they are hearing about the Borrowers through a story told by an elderly lady. The way that the story is framed makes this book fun for students to read because they can involve themselves by listening to Mrs. May’s story. By the end of the story, the reader is left to decide whether they think the story could be true or not since the speaker does not give a specific answer.


 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Author Biography: **<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Mary Norton, who was born in London in 1903, was an English author of children's books. She published her first book in 1943 and is best known for her book “The Borrowers,” which is the first of five. Norton won the 1952 Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognizing “The Borrowers” as the year's outstanding children's book by a British subject. For the 70th anniversary of the Medal in 2007, it was named one of the top ten winning works, selected by a panel to compose the ballot for a public election of the all-time favorite.