Customer Reviews
Surviving and Thriving in the Wilderness by Rawlings 
2006-06-29
This book is a classic. It opens with Jody leaving a log
cabin to hoe in the corn field. A huge bear named Slewfoot kills
the Baxter family sow. Old Julia, the family hound is badly wounded and the bear escapes into the wild.
The scenery depicts man as one with nature. Jody comes from a traditional society where he experiences great outdoor living. Penny discusses the bear hunt and the character Lem trades a New England gun to Penny in exchange for a feist. Before dawn, a fox enters the house after having been chased by a dog. After the morning breakfast, Buck Forrester rides Jody home by horse.
Jody returned home from the Forrester's home to find out that Penny killed a deer. Jody and Penny headed to the sinkhole to chat. Next day, they hunted deer and traded for supplies. The Baxter's major concern was deer-hunting for survival.
The sinkhole reminds us further of the survival motif.
Jody falls ill and is not certain whether or not the culprit
is the brierberry. Jody shoots a deer on a fishing trip.
Grandma Hotto is a stock character with a jovial personality.
Penny teases Jody about liking Eulalie Boyles- a neighbor.
When Eulalie sticks her tongue out at Jody, he throws a
potato at her. Oliver and Lem fight over a girl named Twink.
Jody awakens sore after a fight. Oliver loses the fight and
Penny is proud of Jody's valiant participation . Jody bids
goodbye to Oliver and returns home to find the hogs missing.
Penny is bitten by a rattlesnake. Buck stays with the Baxter's
until Penny recovers. He tells Jody that Fodderwing has died.
Another part of Jody's initiation into adulthood is seeing
two bears fighting over a female bear. The Baxters enjoy much
and persevere through heavy rains. Slewfoot kills a hog and
the family decides to kill all of the hogs for the winter food.
The Forresters, Penny and Jody hunt. They kill 2 deer, bears and
capture 10 cubs. Next the Baxters go to Volusia to visit
Grandma Hutto. The book has survival of the fittest themes;
whereby, bigger animals kill the smaller ones. Jody is the only
surviving child of the Baxter family.
The theme of the book concerns a family's struggle to survive
and thrive in the wilderness. Survival of the fittest rules.
People must kill animals to survive. Wild animals threaten
the homes of families routinely. Overall, the work is a good
read for young people. It is written in an easy conversational
style of writing. This work is assigned in middle school or
high school as required reading.
The Yearling 2006-06-05
If you could have anything in the world, what would it be? For years, Jody Baxter knew the one thing that he desperately wanted- and it was as simple as a pet. When he is ten, he finally finds his fawn. Now, Jody has a wonderful life living with his family, and his tame fawn on their farm in Baxter's Island, Florida. He spends his time hunting or fishing with his father, visiting his grandmother, or playing with his fawn, Flag
and his friend Fodder-Wing. What could possibly go wrong?
This book, The Yearling, by Marjorie Rawlings is an excellent read, for the more advanced reader. Rawlings is very good at creating an exciting story and excellent at accurate description. If you enjoy a longer, but still interesting, more detailed story, this book is definitely for you.
When Jody Baxter finds the young fawn abandoned in the woods his life changes dramatically. He goes from a bored, and slightly lazy and depressed boy to a whole different person. He loves to play with the fawn more than anything, and will do anything for it. Because of his devotion to it, he does any work he is asked to do, as well as he can, because he wants his parents to let him keep it. But the fawn seems to Jody's parents to be more trouble than it's worth. It is destroying their crops and food supplies. How will Jody's family survive the winter with no food?
I thought that this whole book is interesting even though it is so long. Because of the length, I think it would be hard to actually keep up the reader's interest, but Rawlings does a very good job at it. Her description of the forest scenery is also, at times, shockingly good. Truthfully, this isn't the best book I have ever read, but is definitely among the top three. It has all of the features of a good book: the plot is
interesting and original, the length and language are decent, and the ending is truly moving and thought provoking. If anyone is looking for a good read, no matter what type of books they normally select, I would highly suggest this one.
One of the finest novels ever written! 2006-03-23
It is not hard to see why this modern masterpiece was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1938. It was made into a classic movie starring Gregory Peck as Penny Baxter and was illustrated by the legendary N.C Wyeth. They would not have exhausted their immense talents on a mediocre book (as some of the reviews have expressed- were they reading the same book as me?).
The story is beautifully crafted and it flows effortlessly. The homespun language is quaint and is perfect for the book (which is set in the late 1800s). The author knew the intricacies of nature in Florida and described it with exactness and beauty. There are many sections of the book that are filled with warm humor and lightheartedness. The deep closeness between the father and son is touching as well as the love between the husband and wife.
Life was a tough stuggle then and it is brought out with great skill. Rawlings was a master of timing and decriptions.
(For those high school students who were forced to read the book- read it again in ten years. I felt the same way about "To Kill A Mockingbird". In high school I hated it. Later in life- I loved it. Maturity adds a lot to any book).
There is one aspect of the book that is a little hard to believe- grown men getting up in the middle of the night to play their music on guitars and so forth- stark naked- in front a of a young neighbor- but that is only thing in the entire novel.
N.C. Wyeth's illustrations are perfect for the story. His use of strong directional lighting is fabulous. I would recommend the Scribner Classic (hardcover)with his illustrations in it.
Rawlings lived in the heart of the Florida woods in the winter time and was a keen observer of nature and men. I think I learned more about hunting from this book than from any other source.
Because this book lacks sex, extreme violence, aliens or risque humor- perhaps it seems dull to some- but it is for those very reasons that I was enthralled with it. Imagine a book filled with brilliant writing, a complex plot which is weaved by a consummate artist and many secondary adventures all which fortify the plot and without one tinge of cussing!
This book deserves ten stars not five.
THE SINGLE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ 
2006-02-16
If you ever get the chance to read The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings--DON'T. A better use of your time would be to lick your car clean. This is the absolute WORST book I have ever read. It drags on forever with unnecessary descriptions of the trees and grass; there is no discernable plot, just a lot of nonsense vignettes; and--most importantly--it is boring. I hope that by writing this Mrs. Rawlings is spinning in her grave, because that would be more interesting than this book. I would not hesitate to give this book no stars at all--but Amazon only offers a one-star option. But I don't give a single star.
Not.
One.
Mediocre 
2006-02-06
I read this book for my English class; and I'm sorry to say that I was not the only one who was disappointed with it. In fact, I'm sure that few of my classmates would give this novel such a warm review as I am giving. But had I not been instructed to read it, I am afraid that I would not have wasted my time with it.
There was little to no excitement throughout the duration of the book--there were hunts, there were fights--but none of which truly excited my attention. The most rewarding chapter was perhaps the last chapter, but it was too long a journey to reach it.
Although some of my classmates would vouch that the dialogue in "The Yearling" was outright disgusting and that Marjorie's descriptions were unecessarily lengthy, these things were not what bothered me. I was simply bored with the plotline. Sure, it was a lukewarm coming-of-age tale, and Marjorie captured the immaturity of Jody very well, but, as aforementioned, it was not exciting. And I found that Penny especially, was very flat and without fault. My English teacher was quick to insist that he was a hero because of this, but I thought that this only made him unrealistic. Who do you know who is so faultless, so good and selfless? I would certainly like to meet such a person.
I could have appreciated this story more, perhaps, if it had been shorter. There was so much prelude to the main plot (concerning Flag) that I would have happily put the book down and never have picked it up again if I was not required to read it cover-to-cover. "The Yearling" is by no means a page-turner, and I never truly pitied or sympathized with the characters.
So why am I giving this book two stars and not one? It is because of the last sentence in the book. It was the only thing that was worth reading twice. The last sentence really struck a chord with me, and I could probably recite it from memory now, except I wouldn't want to spoil it for you (that is, if you go against my opinion and actually purchase/borrow "The Yearling").
All-in-all, I would not recommend this book to anyone. I think I am being generous in calling it mediocre.
Part of growing up 2007-06-26
I read this book as a young person while still in school. Now, while picking some books for a 10 year old nephew who is becoming an avid reader, I read it again. It is a beautiful book but it made me cry at 74 as well as when I first read it at about 14. I now live close to the Rawlings home in Cross Creek and have a keener apreciation of the setting but the writing itself is what makes the book. Of course the story represents another era and a poor southern family but the characterizations are well drawn and universal. Fodderwing and his family are people that every young person should meet.
Just as the opening words, to my mind, of "Mr. Roberts" transcend good writing and are superb, so the final few sentences of "The Yearling" speak to me in universal terms about youth and "where has it all gone?"
the yearling 2007-02-22
received my books in excellent condition as described and in a reasonable amount of time
The Yearling 2007-01-10
The Yearling is one of the most emotionally provocative classics I have ever had the fortune to come across. Being a 12 year old myself, I empathize greatly with our young hero, Jody Baxter, who resides in a dense florida scrub, leading an agrarian lifestyle with his father and mother. Coming of age in the savage, untamed heart of late ninteenth century Florida is not an easy task, and Jody will need to mature swiftly if he wants to survive in the wild enviorment that is his own. Luckily, many things aid him, mostly indirectly, such as his pet fawn, that he cares for with such a passion, that in the end, a very difficult and demanding choice is required of him.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings writes this splendid tale with an honest and unwavering hand, thankfully not romanticizing the protaganist, as can be seen with novels of a lesser quality. Our heroe's flaws and redeeming qualities are portrayed in a realistic fashion, as Rawlings shifts between comedy and tragedy with the deft skill of a very gifted writer. This delightful story is bereft of all unconvincing melodrama that often plagues such novels, and tells this innocent boys experiences with vivid imagery. No matter how impassive the reader might be, Rawlings eventually delves into our minds, hearts, and memories.
I Feel Sorry for the So-Called "Kids" and Teens of the 1 Star 2006-10-10
I originally wasn't planning to write another review for amazon.com, but the movie of "The Yearling" was on TV last night. Remembering how it touched me, especially the sorrowful end, I decided to take a look at the reviews posted here.
Most were brilliant, right to the point, and then I saw "kid's review" and a few others that found the book boring.
Sorry, children, that in an age of Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan, not to mention strumpets like Britney and Jessica Simpson you don't have the chance to come of age. Or to appreciate a classic, moving read. Yes, we're an image and media-driven society, and the negative effect of it all falls on these kids who not only hate a classic, but can't even write why they hate it in a meaningful review.
This the price we are paying when our kids can't feel struggle, pity, or hurt.
"The Yearling" was a very realistic tale of the life of a poor American family struggling to make ends meet in late 19th Century Florida, and of a boy who like many today, doesn't understand that there is bitter besides the sweet in life - especially when it comes to the loss of a beloved pet. I can only wish that some of the sorry weirdos who have recently murdered schoolchildren or another weirdo denizen of Florida had read this book, or the Twain and Jack London classics when they were children. They might have learned something good and moral beyond the twisted thoughts that they came of age with.
This book, along with the aforementioned Twain and London classics, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", and Bill Bennett's "Book of Virtues" should belong on the bookshelf of any and all American mid-and upper-elementary school age children.
I teach 6th grade and I would not hesitate in recommending this book or any of the classics that I grew up reading to my students.
The Yearling 2006-07-01
I remember checking The Yearling out of the library when I was 10 or 11. I read the first few pages and was so intimidated by the length of the novel that I returned it to the library two weeks later...unread. My loss. I just finished reading this book and it is a beautiful, poignant, rich story that I will hold in my heart forever. I appreciated Rawlings' detailed descriptions and her extensive character development. I felt like I was really there in the Florida scrub experiencing everything that Jody experienced. Jody's love for Flag is so lovely, touching, beautiful...and familiar. Have you ever had a pet whom you loved more than anyone else in the world and would do anything for? There is no other love like it...it is true devotion. The scene where Jody meets Flag is so enthralling that I wanted to read it over and over. I felt like I knew each character and I became so attached to Jody and Flag and their devoted friendship that I wept in more places than one.
Although I think this is an excellent book for children and adults, I'm not sure that there are many teenagers who will appreciate it. It is a harsh story in places, but it is not so much the harshness that I'm talking about. This book is about a time when people were more at one with nature and life was simple and slow-moving. There are no explosions, no sex, no swearing and no gratuitous violence. I loved the novel for those reasons. To many young people, this may spell "boring". Although I would have loved this story at any time in my life, had I read it when I was a teenager, I would have never had the patience for the rich detail. Now, I savor it. I loved the story for its slow-moving, simplicity and detail and because it was a total break from the warp speed and superficiality of today.
This is actually the best book I've ever read, and definitely the most touching. I can't wait to have children old enough to read it together with them. This is an unforgettable coming-of-age story...I think you have to have come of age yourself to really appreciate the landscape that Jody traverses with his cherished friend and where it brings him. I'm so glad I took the time to read this wonderful book and really savor it. I can't recommend it highly enough.
