Product Description

Doomed to - or blessed with - eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten year old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks kidnap her and explain why living forever at one age is less than a blessing that it might seem. 'Intense and powerful, exciting and poignant, Tuck Everlasting will last forever - in the reader's imagination.' Amazon.com 'Someone ought to start spreading the word that Natalie Babbitt is not only a children's writer the style is so fine and subtle that grownups too will take real pleasure. 'Tuck Everlasting' is one of the best books ever written - for any age.' Anne Tyler, New York Times Featured in Elle Hot 100 "This refreshing and original story throws up all sorts of moral dilemmas, not least the question of whether one would like to live forever. Children in Year 4 and above will find much to ponder here." Times Educational Supplement "Babbitt's economy of style is such that she can use a single gesture or detail to convey great swathes of meaning She understands perfectly the sense of powerlessness felt by children and her message is whether your name is Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins or Winnie Foster, young people with courage and a sense of rightness can 'make a difference'. " Herald (Glasgow) 'A welcome reissue of a book previously published in 1977. Long regarded as an American masterpiece, Natalie Babbitt's novel deals with a weighty subject - everlasting life, no less - with a lightness of touch and a simplicity that never descends to the pedantic or the condescending. Sounds fanciful, but is told with all the cool, sharp, clear-eyed 'realism' that represents the best of American writing. And don't be influenced in any way by the fact that a Disney version is in production - just read it. It's breathtaking.' Chris Stephenson, Carousel 'This novel is both lyrical and provocative and a timeless

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17297 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Review
'Intense and powerful, exciting and poignant, Tuck Everlasting will last forever - in the reader's imagination.' Amazon.com; 'Someone ought to start spreading the word that Natalie Babbitt is not only a children's writer... the style is so fine and subtle that grownups too will take real pleasure. 'Tuck Everlasting' is one of the best books ever written - for any age.' Anne Tyler, New York Times; "This refreshing and original story throws up all sorts of moral dilemmas, not least the question of whether one would like to live forever. Children in Year 4 and above will find much to ponder here." Times Educational Supplement; "Babbitt's economy of style is such that she can use a single gesture or detail to convey great swathes of meaning; She understands perfectly the sense of powerlessness felt by children and her message is whether your name is Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins or Winnie Foster, young people with courage and a sense of rightness can 'make a difference'." Herald (Glasgow); 'Not since Swift invented the Struldbrugs has the quandary of everlasting life been so thoughtfully explored...A poignant story.' Mary Hoffman, Armadillo

Amazon.com
“Intense and powerful, exciting and poignant, TUK EVERLASTING will last for ever – in the readers imagination”

About the Author
Natalie Babbitt started out as an illustrator and has written and illustrated many novels and picture books for children. Tuck Everlasting has won several awards in the US including ALA Notable Book. Natalie has also won countless awards for her other books. Natalie teaches writing for children and book illustration and also writes reviews of children's literature for the New York Times Book Review and other publications. She is a grandmother of 3 and lives in Rhode Island, USA.

Customer Reviews

A light, yet thought-provoking read
"Tuck Everlasting", by Natalie Babbitt, is a fairly short book, yet it still manages to be a thought-provoking story that brings up a lot of issues, such as what we need in life to be happy.

In the book, the strictly brought-up and proper main character, Winnie finds a spring whose water makes the drinker immortal. She doesn't drink from it, however, because she is stopped by the Tuck family, who are immortal. They are the only ones who know the secret of the spring. At first she is angry, but gradually she comes to understand what immortality really means and she is glad the Tucks stopped her from drinking.

Immortality is something that has always fascinated the human race, who wouldn't want to live forever? This book examines immortality carefully and really makes the reader think hard about it.

Great Read
This is an amazing book, even if the film a few years back failed to capture the magic of the story. This book is often used in Children's Literature courses, and is also used in grief counseling for children. It has much to offer on many different levels.

The Tucks have a secret, and their secret can either be seen as a blessing or a curse. The Tucks drank from a magic spring and now they cannot die. Young Winnie Foster finds out their secret and so the Tucks take her home to try and explain the secret and the importance of keeping it. Yet now the town is in an uproar looking for the Tucks, and the family needs Winnie's help.

The writing is excellent, and the story will keep you turning the pages. If you are looking for a book for yourself or to read to children in your life, this is an excellent pick. Well written, with impeccable prose, you will not be disappointed.

A wonderful tale for adults and children
Tuck Everlasting is the tale of both the Tuck family and Winnie Forster. Winnie Forster is a very precocious ten year old girl who is slightly fed up of being at home and is starting to test her freedom. In fact she is resolute that she will runaway as she is always telling the toad at the bottom of the garden and yet inevitably putting the event off. One day after a man in a yellow coat comes to the house they hear what Winnie's Grandmother says is elf music and the next day a highly dubious Winnie goes off into the woods her family own, but are out of bound to Winnie, to try and find the source of the music. I utterly loved Winnie as a character and could have happily read much more of her than the 140 pages of this book.

What she finds are not elves but instead a young boy, Jesse Tuck, who is drinking from a stream hidden in the wood. When a thirsty Winnie goes to drink from the stream he won't let her and once his family arrive so worried are they that Winnie has seen the stream they kidnap her. The reason is she now knows of the stream that once you drink from makes you live and stay the same age forever and never die. Once Winnie knows the truth she thinks it would be wonderful, however as the Tuck family show her living forever has its dark and downsides too.

This book is actually a children's classic, it is one that is definitely is a cross over book though. I am unashamed to add that I was completely and utterly spellbound by the book. It has all the makings of a modern fable and fairytale; you have the inquisitive young girl, the water of eternal life, a boy who can live forever, a very good-in-a-dark-way baddie (beware men in yellow), a few twists and of course a toad. Wonderful!