Thursday's Children

by Rumer Godden

Book Overview

As he tags along to his spoiled sister's ballet classes, Doone discovers and develops his own rare and special talents. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670711969
• ISBN13: 9780670711963
• Release Date: June 1984
• Publisher: Viking Books
• Length: 249 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Love It!

I searched for this book for years! My parent's had bought it a long time ago and I first read it when I was 10. But when we moved it got lost. I've looked and looked but couldn't find it. It's one of the most uplifting, interesting, and downright inspiring books I've ever read. Read and enjoy!

Timeless

When I was 12 years old I was forced to make what I would later call A LIFE DECISION: to dance or to swim. Both took up so much time and I was at the age where for training purposes the decision had to be made...I picked swimming...Although I had been swimming for 2 years without looking back, I found this book at age 14, picked it up and reclaimed the part of myself that had been left behind when I made the decision to swim, and now, even with swimming behind me, this is the book I pick up when I need to remember who I am, and what growing up was all about.Rumer Godden is an unbelievably talented artist in her own world of artistry. She tells the story of a young dancer (a boy!), struggling to overcome the odds of his maleness, his place on his family's totem pole, his own idiosynchrisies, his prima donna sister, his neglectful though well-meaning mother and a thousand other battles so convincingly, that the reader forgets that this is just a story. Godden makes her words truly take on a life of their own, and the story just, well, dances...This is a must read, especially for anyone who has ever tackled the daunting task of childhood, and even more especially if within that childhood, ballet was involved. This story is a gift.

A wonderful coming-of-age story of a boy who wants to dance

Doone Penny knew he wanted to dance in the ballet when he was five years old and had to go with his sister after school to her ballet classes because no one was home to look after him. He would listen to the music as he waited for his sister and one day he stood out in the hallway and practiced the steps on his own. A young cleaning lady observed him for days before coming to correct his stance; she was once a famous ballerina but an injury put a stop to her carreer. She had a daughter who was taking classes and she would clean the studio and home of the instructor as a way to pay for her child's dance lessons. She saw something rare in Doone, which compelled her to help him get those first positions right.Doone continued on with his passion for dancing, and he met people who would help him or hinder him. He had to deal with prejudice from other boys, his father and brothers, who thought ballet was for sissies and he had to deal with the jealosy of his sister who couldn't bear the thought that her brother might have rare natural talent that would overshadow her accomplishments. His mother was not supportive, she felt any compliments to Doone were taking away something from her precious only daughter, Crystal. So Doone had to fight very hard for what he wanted but he had teachers and friends to give him lessons and support and help him on to the path where he might one day realize his dreams.I love this book and one day hope to add it to my personal library. It is a book I can read over and over again. The characters are interesting and real, even characters you don't like at first will grow a bit and soon you understand why they are the way they are. You will find yourself rooting for Doone every step of the way, and wondering and hoping that he will get where he wants to be.

This is a great book

This book is a favorite of mine. It is a little out of date, but it is such a good story that never really matters. I LOVE this book!