Outside Over There by Maurice Sendak

Outside Over There by Maurice Sendak

Summary: When Ida’s parents were away she looked after her baby sister. One afternoon, while Ida played her wonder horn, she didn’t notice goblins take her baby sister through another window and replace her with an ice replica of her. When Ida realized what happen she knew the goblins stole her sister to make her a goblin bride, so she went after her. Only, she made a mistake by climbing back out the window backwards causing her to go flying through the sky, until she heard her father singing a song from the sea about how to turn back around and to save her sister. So Ida turned around and all of a sudden she was the goblin wedding, only they looked just like babies and just like her sister. So Ida played a song on her horn and made then dance, and then she made them dance right into the river. After the goblins were gone, she scooped iu her sister and brought her home. There waiting for them was their mother, who had a letter from their father that said he’ll be home soon, and that Ida should watch her baby sister and mother. And so that is what Ida did.

Review: This is a fun story, however there is alway the problem of censorship (the babies in the book are naked) and it is something I would check on before having this book in my classroom. Especially if I was going to put it in a grade 3, 4, or 5 classroom, because the students would definitely notice. The story however is fun and a great lesson on paying attention because you will miss something important.