As a teacher, I read aloud to my students on a daily basis. Over the years I have read some amazing children’s books, and sadly have also had contact with those I would consider to be less than extraordinary. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane happens to be one of those books that falls in line with them amazing stories as opposed to the less than extraordinary.
Set in an ambiguous time (though one can assume it takes place a long time ago), Edward Tulane is a rabbit doll made out of china by Pellegrina for her granddaughter, Abilene. Pellegrina went out of her way to make Edward a very special rabbit by dressing him in the finest clothing made of silk and giving him other trinkets that would set him far above and beyond any other doll. Abilene adores Edward, yet Edward is extremely vain and only thinks of himself. After Pellegrina notices this, prior to the family’s departure to England, she tells Abilene a story of a princess who has no love for anyone, and gets turned into a warthog. The story is told in hearing distance of Edward who doesn’t fully understand the relevance of the story until it is too late. Pellegrina then turns to Edward and tells him, very pointedly, how disappointed she is in him.
Edwards miraculous journey begins when two little boys who were teasing Abilene accidentally throw Edward over the side of the boat that Edward, Abilene, and her family were traveling on toward England. From the point when a fisherman finds Edward in one of his cast nets to the very end when he meets up with Abilene years later in a doll shop, Edward is introduced to a host of different people and owners who take him under their wing. Through disappointments, heartbreak, and even death Edward learns how to love, and finally comes to fully understand Pellegrina’s motive in telling Abilene the story of the princess.
Through great writing The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane had me fully engaged the entire time that I read to the children. In fact, I was so engaged and enamoured with this book that I pined to read it when I couldn’t, and couldn’t wait to finish the book with the kiddies…I had to finish it on my own. I would highly recommend this to kids and adults alike.
