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Book Reviews of The Family Under the Bridge

The Family Under the Bridge
The Family Under the Bridge
Author: Natalie Savage Carlson, Garth Williams (Illustrator)
ISBN-13: 9780590441698
ISBN-10: 0590441698
Publication Date: 1990
Pages: 97
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 75

4.1 stars, based on 75 ratings
Publisher: Scholastic Inc
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

15 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on
Helpful Score: 7
A hobo befriends a homeless family. Interesting view of life on the streets and lessons about what is important.
madreocho avatar reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
My children loved this book! It made them think about a different way of life than ours. A very poignant look at what being homeless might be like. We imagined ourselves in their shoes, and we grew to love the main character - an old homeless man who imagines himself to be just fine without any family. But he is transformed and the ending is wonderful!
Psalm150 avatar reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 275 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is a fabulous book, used with Sonlight K. Oh la la!
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
A timeless story of homelessness, and empathy for others. A great read-aloud.
Psalm150 avatar reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 275 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Oh la la! Terrific book! Three years later, my kids still talk about it. I think it is time to read it again!
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Newberry Honor. This is a story of friendship. Armand is a man who lives under a bridge, and pushes all his belongings in a cart. Armand does not like children, but the children who also live under the bridge get to know Armand in spite of his grumpiness. Soon Armand comes to love the children as if they were his own family and sets out on a mission to find a better home for them.
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Used in Sonlight
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 518 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
newberry honor book, used in solight k core. we thought it was delightful; full of warmth, humor and charm.
harmony85 avatar reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 982 more book reviews
There was once an old man named Armand who lived under a bridge in Paris. The children who lived under the bridge knew a true friend when they saw one, even if he was a little grumpy to begin with. Has Armand found himself a ready-made family?
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 40 more book reviews
Wonderful children's classic by a wonderful children's author. It is a Newberry Honor Book----can't go wrong with your child reading this one!
SusanofGreenGables avatar reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 618 more book reviews
This is a Sonlight Core K book.
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 29 more book reviews
This is a great book. Its at an elementary school reading level.
tyra avatar reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 14 more book reviews
Beautiful family story, especially for the Christmas season. Recommended for reading aloud.
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 40 more book reviews
I read this 2/3 yrs ago to my girls, and we liked it very much.
reviewed The Family Under the Bridge on + 20 more book reviews
This is a cheery, upbeat romp, written in a sugary style that will appeal to some, but not to others. The idea of homeless folks who have essentially no significant cares is odd, and for me counterproductive. Everyone has significant cares (not just the homeless), and a story about homeless folks could give us a chance to help our children develop deeper compassion for others and to realize that not everyone has the comforts and the security we enjoy. Yes, there's a balance to be struck between painting the world as sweetness and light versus painting it will all its injustice and horrors as neither approach is, in my view, respectful of children. We respect children by acknowledging that they do not have the knowledge base to process a large load of realistic pain that others experience, but we also respect children by believing that they can begin to understand and begin to develop compassion.

A good book for some, set in Paris, can be used as a basis for discussions of metaphors. Avoid this book if romanticizing poverty annoys you.