Little Britches

A good contrast with Little Women. Ralph is devilish and brave. Very obvious right and wrongs through the book. An entertaining story. Such a sad ending- why so much death in the last few chapters? Maybe to prepare children for the death of loved things as they grow. His father's death confirms his transformation from boy to man. I loved the characters in this story, especially Two Dog. A great book for a boy.

The Odyssey

Odysseus is cunning and strong. He is also sometimes foolish and proud. His son isn't developed much but there is a sense that he will replace his father in every sense. Penelope is also clever, she tests Odysseus by pretending to have moved the bed that he built from a living tree. So many of the images from this story have become western architypes. Odysseus' homecoming was my favorite part.