Another on the possible read-aloud list that probably won't make the cut for various reasons. 1) I LOVE the name of the mountain, which is the name of the book, it is pretty creative. Local people are frightened of it, so they call it "Knee-knock Rise." The small town at the base is called, also creatively, Instep. 2)I'm just not sure what Babbitt was getting at here. As much as I really don't like to put words into someone else's mouth, I feel there could be several interpretations, which I will share with you. The book explores the timeless theme of belief...and why people believe. I could very possibly be over thinking this, but here are a few ways one might consider the purport of this book. a) People who believe in God are fools, but they're mostly happy fools. He's not really there, but it gives them pleasure and purpose to believe He is. Conversely, the wise do not believe in Him, but maybe they're not so happy? Religion is the fool's opiate? OR b) People are super gullible. Their need for something to believe in is so important that they will not believe anyone who tries to "cure" them of their wrong beliefs. It suits some people's purpose to believe the universe revolves around our planet. OR c) People as a mass blindly follow tradition/custom. If it's been done forever, it should keep on being done forever. Even if at least some of them "find out" that there's no meaning in the said tradition/custom, they should keep their mouths shut, nobody cares. For the sake of the economy, or the national morale, or whatever, just keep on doing what's been done. Status quo. I don't particularly like any of those interpretations. In all of them, the message is that "people" are pretty stupid. All in all, there was some nice imagery, some nice writing, but it left me feeling unsatisfied. Of course a "believer" who thinks he has, in a sense, unmasked the wizard and found only a grumpy, little man, would naturally feel unsatisfied if they had been a sincere adherent up until that point. I can imagine the confusion and even possible consternation. I am quite possibly wrong on all counts here, I accept that possibility. It was thought-provoking at any rate.
April 29, 2013 I've read several books since the last Good Reads. I enjoyed "Tuck Everlasting" so much, that I've tried to get, and read more books by Natalie Babbitt. I don't enjoy fiction books as much as realistic fiction books, but Natalie Babbitt can make the fiction books great! So now I need to tell you the book I'm reading! Knee Knock Rise, obviously by Natalie Babbitt! So I should probably follow the directions about what our Good Reads this week is supposed to be about. Egan is the most interesting character in this story. So you will probably enjoy him the most. Egan has a curious mind. He always wonders what is on that misty cliff that everybody in Instep talks about. He always wonders what his uncles are like. Wonders, wonders, and wonders. He's not scared of what's up there, when he goes to stay in Instep with his relatives. Even though his cousin tries to scare him, he is brave, always very brave. At the same time he is confused with all that happens when he goes to stay in Instep with his relatives. Why do all the people who live in Instep have scary dreams every night? What is that noise coming from that cliff? What actually is on that mysterious cliff? Egan is very curious, brave, and confused all at the same time, throughout the story. If I was Egan I would go home immediately. After hearing about all that scary stuff, I would have gone straight home. For example, when I slept over at my friends house I felt the need to go home, because I heard something scary. Egan is experiencing extremely odd things when he visits Instep. From his missing uncle, to the creature that lives up on the cliff, Knee Knock Rise. When Egan' s relatives experience a visit from something, or somebody during the middle of the night, while Egan is with them, everything gets out of control. All the towns people think its the creature that lives up on Knee Knock Rise. Egan's relatives are second thinking what visited them, a couple nights ago during the storm. They never ever, in their whole experience in Instep have had a visit from this "thing". Everybody is now scared and does not know what to expect next.
What do You think about Kneeknock Rise (1984)?
This is a brilliant little book, by Natalie Babbitt, author of Tuck Everlasting, another great book. I finished this book, only 118 pages, in one day! It was very well written. Kneeknock Rise tells the story of a young boy called Egan as he takes a dare from his rude cousin and climbs the dangerous Knee-knock Rise to slay the deadly Megrimum, a monster who has been harming the villagers. What he discovers there will change everything and everyone--and he will see how strong the power of believing can really be.
—Janeen-san
So far the book is about Egan who visit's his uncle and aunt gertrude but what he doesn't know is that his uncle Ott climbed kneeknock rise and hasn't returned. But as he continue's his life with his uncle anson and aunt gertrude.when the fair is in town he buy's a beatiful necklace for his mom and his cousin anna tease's him and dare him to climb "The Rise" and he does. annabelle a dog of Ott follows Egan all the way to the top of "The Rise" and find out that annabelle is with his uncle who is supposely the "Merminmrum". But towards the end he finds out a great secret and dosen't tell anyone else except the town people below kneeknock rise.(But for the people who haven't read this book yet let me tell you this it is a gasp taking mind blowing heart pumping book.)
—Daniel Perales
I thought I was going to love this book. Halfway through, I was sure I was going to love it. It ended up leaving me with a lot of thoughts, but mixed feelings. The fact that this brief children's book left me thinking quite deeply is a sign of how good the book was, but still. I think I wanted something different out of it in the end.One of the blurbs on the back of the book describes it as a "new folktale," and that's probably an apt description. The story tells the tale of a boy named Egan as he visits the town of Instep. Instep is situated at the base of Kneeknock Rise--a mountain that is continually shrouded in mist, home to the Megrimum, a fearsome creature that moans frightfully during rainstorms. The town's inhabitants have all kinds of superstitions about how to protect themselves from the Megrimum, and as Kneeknock Rise is the most exciting thing for miles around, there's a certain level of pride mixed in with their fear of the beast on the mountain. Kneeknock Rise acts as somewhat of a tourist attraction each year when Instep puts on a fair and travelers arrive hoping to hear the Megrimum. The reader is introduced to the monster and the legends surrounding it through the eyes of an outsider, as Egan tries to figure out exactly what it is that lurks at the top of Kneeknock Rise.The book ultimately explores the nature of mystery and belief. Why do we believe? Is it because we need to believe in something, regardless of logic and fact and reason? Or is there something more to it than that?One of the visitors to Instep describes what draws him to the town and away from his everyday life:"It's the knowing there's something different, something special up there waiting. It's the knowing you could choose to change your days--climb up there and throw yourself right down the throat of the only and last and greatest terrible secret in the world. Except you don't climb up."I loved that description--the desire for the mystery and the wonder of something utterly unknown. The fear of it, and yet the desire to keep it close, just in case. Because: you could. Or you might. One day.
—Barbara
