I read this as a child and kept it for my own children to enjoy someday. Well someday is now and I am reading this to the boys. They enjoyed this book. It wasn't quite as magical as I remembered from when I was little but it was still intriguing. It is a nice read that leads to some interesting discussion about growing up. ( )

This was just okay. It had a nice atmosphere and interesting relationships, but I was disappointed that we never learned what happened to the folks Greta goes to visit in Blue Cove. She seemed to grow very fond of them, but had no curiosity about the rest of their lives. I also would have liked to know more about her relationships and what was happening in the present time when the weather was clear. Beautiful cover and a quick read. ( )

This Newbury honor book tells the story of a fog-obsessed girl living in Nova Scotia. While others see the fog as an economic hardship, Greta loves it. She ventures "over the mountain" into a land of imaginary friends or a time from the past to a fishing village whose stories she's heard told. She finds a young girl with whom she shares adventures. The language and style remind me of the way my mom told stories. Published in my mom's childhood, this book may have been one she read and cherished. This book should keep even today's young reader's interested in its tale. ( )

First published in 1932, this small book was captivating. A young girl, who lives on an island in Nova Scotia, loves the fog. Unlike the fishermen who need the light for their living, Julia cannot wait for the fog to toll in. Begging her mother to leave for a walk, Julia soon accomplishes her tasks and walks over the mountain, into a land where she is taken away to a place where in the day there are only markers of where houses where, now in the fog, she is drawn to a small village.

Going back in time, Julia meets another girl as a play mate. Told she must hurry home before dark, Julia lives in two worlds, that of long ago, and the world of her current life with her mother and father and small house in a fishing village.

I loved the writing which immediately allowed me to envision the land of far away.
This is writing at it's best!

Five Stars

I found this book at a garage sale. I read it aloud to my fifth grade class. I let them rate the book anonymously this afternoon after we finished, tallied and averaged: 3.89 stars.
The students were also asked to provide a sentence or two to explain their ratings. Here are a few samples, verbatim:

***** "Excellent... It teaches a good lesson and will truly be an adventure".
***** "it was very cute but it was also sad"
**** "This book was good because I got the hang of the characters and the book was cool".
**** It is good because it is interesting and makes me want to see what is next".
*** " The story was slow, but at the end it was good".
** "Took too long to get info and I do not like magic".

This is just a small sample. Overall the students enjoyed it. ( )