Lentil

Give this book to a boy (along with a Harmonica - of course) and he will LOVE it.

This is a great nostalgic book for a middle America that really doesn't exist anymore. A small town in central Ohio supported by a robber baron with a kid who plays the harmonica and runs to school in the morning - it doesn't get anymore nostalgic than that. And the fun of Old Sneep (sucking on a lemon), the great Colonel Carter, and, of course, Lentil (with his harmonica) really makes this a great book. It's also substantive without being too long, which is nice for parents who have to read lots of books to their kids.

As a retired preschool/ daycare administrator I never hesitate to say that McCloskey is one the all-time great writers . Lentil has always been one of the best books to read at story time . You can't go wrong with buying this story for your favorite 4 or 5 year old, but even my 9 year old grandsons love this tale, and it got them interested in playing a harmonica!

This is a lovely story set in a town in Ohio during the '40s. Lentil learns to play a harmonica and there are sweet scenes of small town life as well as a marching band. My 3.5 year old son loves this book, along with all of McCloskey's books. What has been wonderful for us about this book is the character of "Old Sneep", who grumbles and does mean things. This has really hit home with my son regarding our teaching of having a joyful heart and not complaining. Great literature at its best.

This is an excellent book for the musically inclined child whose singing voice is a little less than melodious. In the book, the vocally challenged Lentil finds his mantra through the harmonica and ends up saving the day with it. My father gave me this book along with a harmonica when I was seven years old in response to my wobbly warbling, and I've been playing harmonica and many other instruments ever since. I just can't 'harp' enough on how great of inspiration this book was to me and could be for other vocally vexed children. -stephen