Rascal

Sterling North recalls the year of 1918-19 when he raised a raccoon kit called Rascal at the age of 11. In many ways it was a simpler time, and despite the fact that his brother was away at war and his mother had died four years previous, the story has more than a touch of nostalgia as Sterling pretty much has the run of the place while his father works or leaves on business trips. He's building a canoe, having adventures with his animal friends - including a crow and a dog named Wowser, in addition to Rascal - dealing with school bullies, and going to the local fair.

I didn't really know what to expect when I picked up this title, working my way haphazardly through all the Newbery Award and Honor books. I was pleasantly surprised at how show more much fun this was to read as an older Sterling reminisces about one glorious year and contemplates the changing times of his community and the world at large. Some older children's books don't age well, but this one has a lot of charm and lasting appeal. show less

Things are pretty quiet in rural Wisconsin in 1917, unless, that is, you are eleven-year-old Sterling North. An avid naturalist, Sterling raises a variety of unusual pets: Poe, the crow, two skunks, a drooling St. Bernard named Wowzer, and assorted cats. His inseparable best friend, though, is Rascal, a young raccoon. Sterling relates the tales of his and Rascal's misadventures over the course of a year. From the unfinished canoe in the living room to the fenced off Christmas tree, life in the North household is unconventional, but warm and radiating that sense of childhood innocence in nature that often feels absent in today's less rural world.

I listened to the audio of this book with my eight-year-old daughter, and she immediately show more began trying to tame a crow (raccoons being verboten near our chickens). Jim Weiss has a rich, warm voice and narrates the story beautifully. I think I actually preferred listening to this one rather than reading it, although it's been many years since I first read it. My only reservation with the book is the manner in which Sterling acquires Rascal; but the ending compensates. Well-deserving of the Newbery Honor. show less

Rascal is a tender and nostalgic coming-of-age story that captures the deep bond between a boy and his unlikely pet—a raccoon. Set in the early 20th century and rooted in Sterling North’s own boyhood memories, the novel offers a gentle, heartfelt look at friendship, loss, and the bittersweet nature of growing up.
Though aimed primarily at younger readers, the book’s themes are universal. Sterling’s adventures with Rascal are full of innocence and charm, as the pair explore the natural world and navigate the quirks of life in a quieter time. North’s writing brings the Wisconsin countryside to life, and his love for animals and nature shines throughout the story.
While I appreciated the simplicity and warmth of the tale, Rascal show more didn’t leave as lasting an impression on me as other similar boy-and-animal stories. Its quiet pacing and low-stakes narrative may not resonate with all readers equally, especially those seeking more emotional depth or dramatic tension. Still, it’s a wholesome read that has rightfully endured for over fifty years, and it will surely continue to charm new generations of readers who enjoy gentle, heartfelt stories about the bonds that shape our childhoods. show less

I had some vague good memories of this book - I think my mom read it to us when I was a kid. I'm so glad I picked it up and read it to my girls! The story is enchanting, though filled with much real life difficulty. It is the sweet story of a boy who found and raised a racoon and their year of loving life together.
Sterling North is an excellent writer. He brought this year to life with beautiful words and hilarious anecdotes that made me smile all the way through. Great book for nature-lovers and animal admirers. And I'm glad that it didn't end as sadly as I was thinking. No traumatic "where the red fern grows" to leave you in despair at the end :)
The vocabulary was a little above my girls' heads, and honestly above mine occasionally, show more but they all thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. show less

Skunks, woodchucks, a crow named Poe, an 18-foot half-finished canoe in the living room... welcome to the North home! Rascal is only a baby when Sterling brings him home to join the menagerie, but soon raccoon and boy are best friends, doing everything together- until the spring day when Sterling realizes things must change.

"Rascal: A Memoir of a Better Era" is a children's book by Sterling North, published in 1963, that recounts a year in his childhood in Wisconsin during World War I, focusing on his relationship with a pet raccoon named Rascal. The story explores themes of loss, family dynamics, and the transition from childhood innocence to maturity as Sterling navigates the challenges of growing up.

Although excellent, this one seemed an odd selection for a Newbery Honor. Rascal is a memoir, not a novel. It is also more of a paean to nature and an old fashioned rustic way of life than it is a story. The writing is beautiful in a poetic way. It's not that today's 12-year-old wouldn't understand what they were reading in this book... but I don't think many 12-year-olds could appreciate the beauty of every sentence, or the value of a book in which plot isn't particularly relevant.
Sterling North finds a baby raccoon when he is 12 years old, and like so many other wild animals in his past, he takes it home to keep as a pet. His mother is dead, and he is the only child of an indulging and permissive father, who even takes weeks long show more business trips, leaving Sterling at home on his own.
The time period is World War I. Sterling has an older brother serving in France, but his Summer and fall are all wrapped around Rascal, the raccoon he has brought home. Most episodes are about the raccoon, but in others, Rascal is just a player in a larger story about Sterling's childhood in the small town upper mid-west.
It's a lovely book. My suspicion however, is that only the very brightest, or most nature-loving of today's adolescents will appreciate it. show less

A classic adventure for animal lovers of all ages, especially those young rascals who love to explore the outdoors. The writing is easy for younger readers to follow and the plot is enjoyable enough for parents to share as a chapter story at bedtime, planting the seed for dreams of the wilderness and animal fun through the evening. This story will emphasize the need to care for an animal in an all around way, incorporating natural habitat and instinct with a desire to bond with their human companion, but it also reminds us that there are times when our wild friends need to return to a life on their own. The theme may be a common one among books where wild animals are adopted as pets, but I can't imagine a more enjoyable read, or a story show more that better deserves the Newbery Honor. Every library should have this on their shelves. show less