Take Me with You When You Go

As a teacher who uses read alouds to explore the joys of reading, I found this book an excellent addition to my repertoire and one that I will use in the years to come. As a fan of Kate DiCamillo (Tales of Despereaux; Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane), Avi (Poppy and Rye; Book w/o Words) and Louis Sachar (Wayside School; Holes), finding authors who know how to write stories that appeal to the young and old while not sacrificing form, content, and language is rare. Alan Venable joins the thin ranks as one of these authors. There are many great stories out there, but reading aloud to kids is an entirely different ball of wax than simply reading to oneself. The flow of language Venable has achieved with Take Me With You When You Go is reminiscent of Kate Di Camillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I loved reading it, and my students protested whenever it was time to close the book after read aloud. Perfect for 2nd & 3rd graders, although I read it to my 1st graders this year and they enjoyed it thoroughly. Themes of forgiveness, persistence, and responsibility (to name a few) play throughout the text as Brother and Sister discover where they came from and who they are. A must read aloud.

I had planned to take Take Me With You When You Go on an upcoming trip but I paused to look at Laurie Marshall's drawings and just happened to glance at the text as well. Before I knew it a couple of hours had passed before I emerged from the engrossing, other-world of Sister and Brother Forgotten, Left-Behind, Every-Day-Missed and a truly happy ending filled with hope for any reader. The author has a real gift for spinning a yarn and nailing names and titles (The Wild Hope, Uncle Broken-Heart, Porcabella & Mudworth). They absolutely sing as do the lacy bits of poetry that all kids must love because they are repeated just often enough, but not too much, and afford the anticipated comfort of familiarity. I also appreciate that the tale itself could have taken place at any time. I think that helps the characters who represent people we all know emerge more vividly. Take Me With You When You Go is a great little book.

I love the way this book flows and I'm enchanted by the creative use of language. The descriptions are at once specific and yet could be anywhere. Very appealing. The world needs more stories like this, I think; stories in the timeless tradition of the fairy tale where children overcome enormous obstacles to survive and succeed best when they are kind and giving.

As soon as I got the book I settled in and so enjoyed reading it. It felt like a classic fairy tale, with the journey, mysterious helpers and magical song. I enjoyed the repetitive elements in each chapter. The recurring and expanding song which brought everyone back together in the end appealed to the musician in me. The whole mood of the book felt soothing even while melancholy. The sadness of missing family and the search to find the parents who had disappeared; the element of the twin brother and sister; the fruit and trees - so many archetypal elements which will resonate with readers. The drawings are lovely; old fashioned, with detail.I didn't want it to end as soon as it did - perhaps there will be another book.

Take Me With You When You Go is a lovely story about families - closeness, distance, pain, loss, and re-connection. I bought it for my granddaughter and had to read it first, of course, and listened to the haunting song that runs through the story. The story centers on a brother and sister - once together, never apart - and the family they long for and find, eventually. It's the closeness and caring that make this a wonderful book to share with children and grandchildren.