Status
Available
Local notes
Fic Hun
Collection
Publication
Follett Pub. Co. (1966), Edition: Sixth Printing, 192 pages
Description
After her mother's death, Julie goes to live with Aunt Cordelia, a spinster schoolteacher, where she experiences many emotions and changes as she grows from seven to eighteen.
Subjects
Awards
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Children's — 1969)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — 1968-1969)
Newbery Medal (Medal Winner — 1967)
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee — 1967-1968)
Language
Original publication date
1966
Physical description
192 p.; 8.7 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member atimco
I read Up A Road Slowly as a teen, and have always remembered it as a perceptive story about a young girl's un-extraordinary coming of age. Nothing very dramatic happens in this unassuming little paperback, but somehow the story has stayed with me all these years because of the carefully drawn
After her mother's death, seven-year-old Julie Trelling is sent to live with her schoolteacher aunt in the country. We follow Julie through the next ten years as she grows up and begins to understand her world and the adults around her. In some ways this story reminds me very much of L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. Though it incorporates many of the same events in the Anne books, Hunt's world is much less idealized than Montgomery's. For instance, both Anne and Julie have a schoolmate who dies young, but while Montgomery takes the romantic view that death can sanctify everything, Hunt is more focused on the grittier realities. Instead of a shy, loving Matthew, the male figure in Julie's life is her flamboyant drunkard of an Uncle Haskell. Aunt Cordelia (notice her name, Anne fans!) and Marilla are a bit closer in characterization as the older spinster who grows to love the young girl. Indeed, Cordelia is even closer to Aunt Hetty in Montgomery's The Story-Girl.
Anne has a love affair that turns out poorly; so does Julie. But the circumstances are very different indeed. There are little touches here and there, like Julie decorating the table with flowers because of her artistic eye (just like Anne) and the spinster aunt Cordelia/Marilla eventually revealing a sad love affair in her past. I imagine that Hunt includes all these nods as a tribute to the strong influence Montgomery has had on the sub-genre of female coming-of-age stories.
I also noticed many similarities to Norma Johnston's The Keeping Days, but they are less pronounced than the Anne likenesses. All three girls want to be writers, end up falling in love with a childhood friend who enrages them somehow when they are children, and have a strong older woman in their lives (whether aunt, mother, or guardian). Tish's and Julie's stories are narrated in the first person, while Anne's technically isn't (but Montgomery tells much of the story in Anne's words). All three girls are highly intelligent, and their education and academic achievements are extremely important to their development.
Though some of the characters in Up A Road Slowly are only thinly characterized (like Danny), there are others I still remember vividly from my first read. Uncle Haskell in particular is a fascinating and tragic figure, maybe because the good in him — though present — is buried so deeply. He is a lying alcoholic who has never taken any responsibility for anything in his life. Haskell has pretensions of being a famous writer, but it's all a show (and probably just as much for himself as the rest of the world). The scene when Julie and Aunt Cordelia discover the start of a story on his typewriter after he dies (commits suicide?) is so poignant. Indeed, it's one of the main things I remembered about the book. His sister Cordelia blames their mother for how Haskell turned out; she spoiled him shamefully and his character was warped because of it. Though she never appears in the novel, Julie's grandmother has left a terrible legacy and its effects are felt by the next generation.
The story leaves off as Julie finishes high school and looks forward to her coming college years. I wish that there were sequels! This is a gentle, wise, never oversweetened book that I'm happy to have rediscovered. Recommended.
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characters and relationships described in deft prose. It's always a pleasure to read and find that one's memories are accurate. Up A Road Slowly, the 1967 Newbery Award winner, is a thoughtful, delightful book.After her mother's death, seven-year-old Julie Trelling is sent to live with her schoolteacher aunt in the country. We follow Julie through the next ten years as she grows up and begins to understand her world and the adults around her. In some ways this story reminds me very much of L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. Though it incorporates many of the same events in the Anne books, Hunt's world is much less idealized than Montgomery's. For instance, both Anne and Julie have a schoolmate who dies young, but while Montgomery takes the romantic view that death can sanctify everything, Hunt is more focused on the grittier realities. Instead of a shy, loving Matthew, the male figure in Julie's life is her flamboyant drunkard of an Uncle Haskell. Aunt Cordelia (notice her name, Anne fans!) and Marilla are a bit closer in characterization as the older spinster who grows to love the young girl. Indeed, Cordelia is even closer to Aunt Hetty in Montgomery's The Story-Girl.
Anne has a love affair that turns out poorly; so does Julie. But the circumstances are very different indeed. There are little touches here and there, like Julie decorating the table with flowers because of her artistic eye (just like Anne) and the spinster aunt Cordelia/Marilla eventually revealing a sad love affair in her past. I imagine that Hunt includes all these nods as a tribute to the strong influence Montgomery has had on the sub-genre of female coming-of-age stories.
I also noticed many similarities to Norma Johnston's The Keeping Days, but they are less pronounced than the Anne likenesses. All three girls want to be writers, end up falling in love with a childhood friend who enrages them somehow when they are children, and have a strong older woman in their lives (whether aunt, mother, or guardian). Tish's and Julie's stories are narrated in the first person, while Anne's technically isn't (but Montgomery tells much of the story in Anne's words). All three girls are highly intelligent, and their education and academic achievements are extremely important to their development.
Though some of the characters in Up A Road Slowly are only thinly characterized (like Danny), there are others I still remember vividly from my first read. Uncle Haskell in particular is a fascinating and tragic figure, maybe because the good in him — though present — is buried so deeply. He is a lying alcoholic who has never taken any responsibility for anything in his life. Haskell has pretensions of being a famous writer, but it's all a show (and probably just as much for himself as the rest of the world). The scene when Julie and Aunt Cordelia discover the start of a story on his typewriter after he dies (commits suicide?) is so poignant. Indeed, it's one of the main things I remembered about the book. His sister Cordelia blames their mother for how Haskell turned out; she spoiled him shamefully and his character was warped because of it. Though she never appears in the novel, Julie's grandmother has left a terrible legacy and its effects are felt by the next generation.
The story leaves off as Julie finishes high school and looks forward to her coming college years. I wish that there were sequels! This is a gentle, wise, never oversweetened book that I'm happy to have rediscovered. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member lunacat
This Newbery Award winning novel follows the life of Julie as she grows from a grieving confused seven-year-old who has just lost her mother, through her teenage years until she is seventeen. In doing so, it charts not only her life but the lives of those around her.
With no dramatics, explosions,
The language is poetic but never overcomplicated or flowery and atmosphere and setting are described with ease.
I fell in love with this novel and the people within, and saw so much of myself in Julie that, by the end, I was in tears, not with sadness or even happiness but just with pure understanding.
Sadly, I'm not sure this would appeal to many young readers out there now, and they are missing out on a huge delight. A book that is quietly understated, with no need for gimmicks, that lets the characters tell their stories with grace and honesty.
With no dramatics, explosions,
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magic or ending of worlds, this is a simple and yet stunningly beautiful tale of a girl growing up and the struggles she faces. From learning the guilt that being selfish carries to the knowledge that often, things cannot be fixed, Julie's life is a quiet pleasure to enter. Every interaction she has, every character shown is complete and so real I felt I knew them as well as she does.The language is poetic but never overcomplicated or flowery and atmosphere and setting are described with ease.
I fell in love with this novel and the people within, and saw so much of myself in Julie that, by the end, I was in tears, not with sadness or even happiness but just with pure understanding.
Sadly, I'm not sure this would appeal to many young readers out there now, and they are missing out on a huge delight. A book that is quietly understated, with no need for gimmicks, that lets the characters tell their stories with grace and honesty.
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LibraryThing member btivis
Up A Road Slowly is a Newberry Award winning novel that tells of a girl's life and struggles from childhood to adulthood. The story begins when Julia is a young child and her mother is sick and dying. Her dad is unable to take care of her so he sends her to live with her prim and proper Aunt
I first read this book when I was in the sixth grade and I loved it. My teacher had it on her shelf because she didn't feel it was appropriate for all of the students in the class, but she felt that I would enjoy it. When I reread it as an adult it did not have the same appeal to me. I still thought it was a good book, but I did not love it like I had before.
If I were to use this book it class, it would definitely be with an older group or a more mature group of students. I would love to use it for creative writing assignments. I think the lessons you could come up with are endless. Students would begin by writing about how they would feel if they were in Julia's place when dealing with Aggie Kilpin. They would then have to talk about how the older Julia might have reacted to Aggie. Other writing topics could be to write the heart-felt story of her life that she gave to Uncle Haskill, or write a story on life from Uncle Haskill's point of view. I think there are several moral issues with how to treat people in this book as well.
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Cordelia in the country. Although she greatly misses home and her sister Laura, she soon begins to bond with Aunt Cordelia and her way of life. As years pass and her dad remarries, she goes to live with them in the city but realizes her real home is in the country with her aunt. As she transitions to her high school years she goes through all of the things teenagers are faced with. This ranges from loving the wrong person to the feeling of not really belonging anywhere. She soon realizes who her true love is, and her life seems instantly better. After secretly working on her writing with Uncle Haskill, she gets a suprise phone call and is told she has been published. Just when she thinks life can't get any better she is faced with yet another death. Aunt Cordelia is also pushing her out the door to move on in her life. What decisions will she make? Will she lose the love of her life in the process of moving out? This is a must read book for girls who are just beginning to make big transitions in their lives.I first read this book when I was in the sixth grade and I loved it. My teacher had it on her shelf because she didn't feel it was appropriate for all of the students in the class, but she felt that I would enjoy it. When I reread it as an adult it did not have the same appeal to me. I still thought it was a good book, but I did not love it like I had before.
If I were to use this book it class, it would definitely be with an older group or a more mature group of students. I would love to use it for creative writing assignments. I think the lessons you could come up with are endless. Students would begin by writing about how they would feel if they were in Julia's place when dealing with Aggie Kilpin. They would then have to talk about how the older Julia might have reacted to Aggie. Other writing topics could be to write the heart-felt story of her life that she gave to Uncle Haskill, or write a story on life from Uncle Haskill's point of view. I think there are several moral issues with how to treat people in this book as well.
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LibraryThing member rosinalippi
This book made a huge impression on me when I was twelve. I think it was the first time I consciously took note of the way the sentences were put together, and the imagery. Forty years later I can remember sentences and characters.
LibraryThing member goodnightmoon
Almost all the way through this book, it hit me: This book is exactly like Anne of Green Gables. It's got the same old-fashioned feel (I can't believe it's supposed to take place in the 1960s!), the same breakneck, covers-10-years pace, the same strict, unfamiliar new household, the same terse
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style of "We kissed and I realized I'd always loved him; the end." I did enjoy Julie's personality and her way of overcoming her various difficulties, but I didn't get enough character development (hello, Danny?) and certainly not enough scene description. Enjoyable, like Anne was, but not instructive or vivid to me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nicole.Mitchell
A review of this Book is basically a teen growing up in the country area with her Grandma.Realizing the importrance of Life, Love, Family, and Freinds.
LibraryThing member Whisper1
While this 1967 Newbery Medal winner is not a page turner, nor does it have the gripping, heart wrenching events that occurred in some other Newbery award winners, such as Out of the Dust. Missing May or The Higher Power of Lucky, it is a book I would recommend.
The story is a simple one of a strong
The beauty of the book is in the elegant writing of the author as she superbly crafts the stages of maturation and the examples set by the Aunt as she tempers the headstrong, impetuous girl through adult hood.
The story is a simple one of a strong
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willed, stubborn, feisty seven year old who, when her mother died, moved in the country with an older, school teacher Aunt.The beauty of the book is in the elegant writing of the author as she superbly crafts the stages of maturation and the examples set by the Aunt as she tempers the headstrong, impetuous girl through adult hood.
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LibraryThing member debnance
Julie’s life changes completely when her mother dies and she is sent to live with her cold, school marmish Aunt Cornelia. At first, Julie hates her new life, but, as time passes, she grows to love and respect her aunt and to love her life in the country. Many years pass as Julie grows from a
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young child into an adult, as her sister marries, leaving Julie despondent for a time, as she develops friendships and romances.A very good coming of age novel, but I will always love Irene Hunt's Across Five Aprils best. Show Less
LibraryThing member nlevanen09
Critique: This a great example of realistic fiction because it follows a young girl through many developments and losses in her life. From the loss of her mom, her sister marrying and having a child, to her first love and the death of her uncle, you watch Julie grow into a woman.
Point of View: This
Grade Level: Intermediate
Point of View: This
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is a great first person book because you get all of the experience from Julie and at the end of the book you learn that Julia has a passion of writing. It ties in well with the plot when her uncle is discussing how she should write the experiences of her life. Grade Level: Intermediate
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LibraryThing member ElizabethCrow
Summary: what a great story for the young girls to read.Julie is the main character in this book going through the learning of life and all its boundries for girls ,at Aunt Cordelia's house she would learn a lot, from love to jealousy, to dealing with the loss of a friend, sad times and the good
Personal reaction: I feel this is a great book for young girls to read from, what i would say, at least 3rd grade up.Keeps the intrest up by pulling you into the writers perception of the surroundings.Great book!
Classroom extension: one would be teach about the Newberry Award and the books such as this one who recieve it, another would be to talk to the class about their feeling on the story and how they might relate to what Julie was feeling in different parts of the book.
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times, coming of age has all different aspects is what this book does a fine job of displaying. Life and the unfair ways it effects young girls beliefs.Personal reaction: I feel this is a great book for young girls to read from, what i would say, at least 3rd grade up.Keeps the intrest up by pulling you into the writers perception of the surroundings.Great book!
Classroom extension: one would be teach about the Newberry Award and the books such as this one who recieve it, another would be to talk to the class about their feeling on the story and how they might relate to what Julie was feeling in different parts of the book.
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LibraryThing member Maya47Bob46
One of my favorite books from my teen years. It may be slightly dated, but it is in many ways still relevant with lessons about growing up, accepting people as they are, and finding love. I think my favorite scene is the one with the train conductor who talks about needing not to be number one all
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the time. I saw it on the shelf and am re-reading it. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenGennari
An old-fashioned, good coming-of-age story. Unsurprisingly, the childhood friends discover they love each other all along.
LibraryThing member klburnside
Up a Road Slowly is the 1967 Newberry winner, although it seems like an odd choice. I really liked the book, but it wasn’t at all like most Newberry winners. First of all, there really wasn’t much action or adventure or much of a forward moving plot to speak of. It is mostly a girl’s overly
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insightful reflections upon her childhood and teenage years and the people that influenced her life for better or for worse. This doesn’t seem like a book I would have liked as a kid. I’m not sure what the target age is for the Newberry award, but somehow the thoughts and emotions of the narrator seemed almost too mature and complicated for young readers. But I liked it. Show Less
LibraryThing member satyridae
Charming and sweet.
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
I really liked this story of Julie growing up and learning about love and family. Julie is a real girl - full of flaws and selfishness and loyalty and love. I especially appreciated her realization of where home really was and what love means.There aren't a lot of exciting plot twists, but there is
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a nice sense of growing up and "coming of age". Show Less
LibraryThing member fuzzi
There are so many "coming of age" books available, but this one is special, not surprising considering who the author is. Irene Hunt writes "real" people, with "real" issues, not the usual stereotypical characters that are so common in young adult literature. Told from a first-person point of view,
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we are witness to young Julie's inner issues, her desire to control situations, and eventually, to her growth into a young woman. Show Less
Other editions
Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt (Paperback)
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Pages
192