Member Reviews
A cute and clever story about a grieving American girl and her adventures in the south of France with the era’s colorful and notable artists and writers.
This is a charming way to introduce kids to historical figures of this era, though I do think the book skews a bit young in terms of text and appeal for anyone who might actually be old enough to have even a basic appreciation for Hemingway or Diaghilev. Still, it’s a cute concept, and certainly provides an intriguing portrait of many of the creatives spending time in France during this era.
That said, this is a pretty optimistic portrait of many of them. I’m not sure there’s much chance most of these people (mostly looking at you, Picasso) would be happy to spend a lot of time goofing about with a bunch of kids they don’t really know. It’s also worth noting that “Grand Tour” means something very specific, so the title is misleading in that this isn’t what Alice is doing. It’s more like “summer abroad.”
But overall this is fun and unusual, and it’s a clever way to introduce kids to great art and artists in a variety of disciplines.
This was a good and unique Middle Grade novel, with an interesting plot.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher.
This was close to a five star read for me. I really enjoyed the old-fashioned style and structure. Remember those vintage books where the main character just needs to learn something? Yeah, this works like that, and I actually loved it.
Alice Atherton, overcome with grief after her mother's death (I told you it was old-fashioned), and stifled by her governess's rigid educational methods, is sent to France to spend the summer with family friends who... do things a little differently. By introducing their children and Alice to a variety of artists (from Picasso to the Fitzgeralds), they teach them to think differently about art, education, and life. It's pretty straightforward structurally and plot wise...but it was also quirky and fun. In many ways, Alice Atherton is a homeschooler's dream, as one of the main points is that life is a better teacher than what we usually see as education.
That one missing star is because I have strong, unyielding opinions about modern art. :) At one point, Picasso teaches the children to make sculptures from things they find in a junk yard. They display their work at a dinner party that evening, and the guests look at it with disgust...until it's announced that the creator was Picasso and that the Louvre would be picking it up in the morning. Suddenly the guests are awed delighted.
Here's the thing... If you have to know the artist to appreciate a work of art...it might just be bad art. If you like it more because the Louvre wants it even though you hated it, you need to take a deep look at your critical thinking.
So, hey, if you don't mind modern art and you love old-fashioned stories, this is probably a perfect book for you. If you fall on my side of those issues, you'll probably like it a lot and just want to shake your head a little at that one chapter, or maybe discuss it with your child readers.
I have to add that the coolest thing about this book is that the story is based on a true family! I would have loved to know them!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book so much that I'm buying a physical copy of it for my niece!
Young Alice Atherton has been despondent ever since her mother died. Now, the dreariness of her days in New York in the spring of 1927 are bringing her to the edge of boredom too. In Alice Atherton’s Grand Tour by Lesley M. M. Blume (Knopf Books for Young Readers, October 2023), Alice’s father decides to bring her out of her dreariness by sending her to southern France to live with family friends, the Murphys, who have a unique way of approaching life. He hopes that her visit with the cosmopolitan family will give Alice a chance to have her own “grand tour” of Europe, learning more about life, art, and the world right from the Murphy’s backyard.
The tone of Alice Atherton’s Grand Tour can only be described as light-hearted and fun. Although Alice’s story begins with the fact of her mother’s death, the entire book evokes delight. There is humor and the narration feels reminiscent of everything familiar. Alice’s adventure doesn’t start out very exciting, since her governess refuses to let Alice take any risks. But even in this pre-adventure portion of the novel, the tone creates a humorous, somewhat exaggerated feeling that suggests that better things are coming.
Once Alice is freed from her shackles and meets the unorthodox Murphys, she knows it will be a summer to remember. Gerald and Sara Murphy give their children almost free reign this summer, and Baoth, Honoria, and Patrick teach Alice what it means to be a child and love life. The best part is that father Gerald has arranged for his friends to come from Paris to teach the children during the summer, creating a truly unique opportunity for learning.
The Murphys guests were truly unique, including the estimable Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Serge Diaghilev (a famous dance instructor), and Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Their out-of-the-box lessons show what a delight learning can be and Alice comes to love life and learning, especially the arts, as she never had from her boring school room in busy and dreary New York City.
For me, one of the best parts of the book was finding out, in the end, that the Murphy family was a true family that knew the famous guests depicted in the book. From the friendly pet monkey to Picasso’s goat made out of garbage, many of the people and events shown in the book really did happen, although maybe not all in one summer. The Murphy children were real children, and their unique upbringing was similar to as described. Obviously, Alice Atherton was not a real character, but the blending of the real with this fictional story was truly delightful. (It was heartbreaking to learn, however, that a few of the Murphy children died young. I had come to love them!)
I greatly enjoyed Alice’s story. Her’s was an adventure I almost wish I could replicate for my own children: a summer of exploration in southern France, learning from the best of the best in art, writing, and dance. I wonder, was Alice named after Alice in Wonderland, who likewise entered a different world full of adventure? Probably not, but I like to draw these parallels.
In the end, I’m not convinced that Alice’s summer was the “grand tour” the title declares, at least as I’ve understood the tradition of a “grand tour of Europe.” But there is no doubt that the characters who visited the family during this fictional summer had much to say about the beauty and purpose of life. I suppose that is the overall purpose of a “grand tour.”
Alice Atherton’s Grand Tour is short and sweet but tells a humorous, deceptively educational, and fun story of friendship that will delight many middle grader readers.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Twelve year old Alice Atherton is grieving her mother when her father decides to send her to the French Riviera to visit family friends, the Murphys. While spending the summer in their home, she meets a delightful array of guests including Picasso and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Each guest, as well as the Murphys, holds an important piece of the puzzle in Alice's healing process.
This charming read is a sweet introduction to the 1920's and some of the historical figures of that time. It definitely holds an old fashioned feel reminiscent of authors such as Alcott and Montgomery. Readers of The Boxcar Children series will likely enjoy it as well. The characters are full of whimsy and the introduction to famous artists and writers was a fun bonus. This book is generally without any red flags for parents and I would recommend it for ages 8-11.
*Disclaimer: I recieved a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Alice Atherton's Grand Tour is an enchanting book about her summer stay with her father's friends, the Murphy family. Alice is reeling from the recent loss of her mother and her somber, no-nonsense governess hasn't done much to improve the situation. Her father believes that the charms of the Murphy family (along with their children) will be exactly what Alice needs to revive her spirits.
Mr. and Mrs. Murphy and their children warmly welcome Alice into their family. Their days are filled with the sea and so many new adventures. And while she is visiting, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have lined up some mentors for the children to learn from: Pablo Picasso, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and others. Each mentor offers different lessons (and some offer examples NOT to follow).
Readers will learn right along with Alice about art, music, theatre, and writing through each of the selected mentors. The summer is a balm to Alice's grieving heart as her view of the world is expanded in so many interesting ways. Above all, Alice gets a taste of a very hands-on eduction that involves not only learning by hearing but learning by doing. The question is whether Alice will want to return home after all the excitement of life with the Murphy family!
The author sensitively approached the loss of a parent and the myriad of feelings that Alice experiences as a result. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy serve as in loco parentis offering direction, connection and understanding--pushing Alice to try things she never dreamed she could. Don't we all need someone to push us outside of our own safety so we can experience more of life?
This book would be a marvelous read aloud in the elementary or middle grade classroom to bring historical figures to life and hopefully inspire a greater appreciation for the arts in its many forms. How will Alice's magical summer conclude? Will she have to return to her stodgy governess or will she find a way to bring some of summer's magic back home to America? You will have to read it yourself to find out.
I highly recommend this book and I loved the historical notes the author included as an Afterword about each of the mentors from the book. You'll also find out some interning information about the Murphy family as well. A wonderfully, imaginative, sweet story that introduces children to noteworthy figures within the arts and literature worlds.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Alice Atherton's Grand Tour from NetGalley for the purpose of review No other compensation was received.
My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers. I'm voluntarily leaving a review and haven't received compensation.
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Language: There's about three words that could be considered swearing that might make some gatekeepers lift their eyebrows.
Alice lives in New York in the early 1900s. Nothings has been the same since her mother died (which happened off page before the story begins).
So her father sends her to France to spend the summer with family friends (the Murphys) and their children where they meet some famous people as their "teachers."
The story is an excuse to introduce readers to Hemingway, Picasso, Sergi Diaghilev and his Ballet Russes, and Scott and Zelda Fitzerald. I did not realize the Murphys are also actual historical people along with their kids, Honoria, Boath, and Patrick. Even the monkey is real.
Don't worry—the seedier side of the famous peoples' lives are left out. I thought it was a clever way to get children to learn a bit about some of the movers and shakers of the 1900s.
This might be good as a classroom read in addition for kids who love historical fiction.
I recommend this book!
Happy reading!
This is a charming little book with a big heart. I would recommend this for students under the age of 10, as it reads pretty young and tips toward being overly sweet. However, it is a great introduction to some of the great minds of the 1920's. I will likely not being adding this to my middle school collection, but I have some young readers in my life who may enjoy this one. Content warning: while it happens off screen, the death of a parent is a central feature of this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC.
"The heartwarming story of a young girl sent to live with the extraordinary Murphy Family in southern France.
Ten-year-old Alice Atherton is sent by her father to spend the summer with his dear friends the Murphys who live with their three children and pet monkey in the French Riveria. There, Alice will meet and learn from some of the most extraordinary luminaries of the time. She visits a junk yard with Pablo Picasso looking for objects to make into art, performs a dance inspired by celestial bodies with the renowned Ballet Russes, and imagines magical adventures with Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
An uplifting story that will appeal to readers who love books by authors like Kate DiCamillo and Jeanne Birdsall"
And will really appeal to lovers of The Durrells!
This was such a fun and entertaining middle grade. I loved Alice and the cozy southern side of France vibe, I loved the storyline and the flow. This felt like sunshine.
This book was great! It was so fun and lighthearted and I really liked that. I enjoyed how they included famous people from history so you can learn about them in a fun, easy way!
Alice is sent to France to spend the summer with a wonderful family in an effort to brighten her spirits after the tragic loss of her mother. The parents have decided to educate their children with the help of a few of their eclectic friends and Alice begins to blossom and find joy. We see her change through her letters to her father as she shares her happiness. Fun middle grade story set with several historical figures like Hemingway, Picasso and F. Scott of the 1920's dropping in to teach the children lessons. A quick read and it might be hard to find the right reader for this one. Thanks to NetGalley and RandomHouseChildrens
Ten-year-old Alice takes little interest in life after the death of her mother of a fever in New York City in 1927. A doctor is called in, and he recommends a change of scenery. Even though he hates to part with her, Alice's father reaches out to friends who are expatriots who live a wealthy but Bohemian lifestyle in the south of France. Miss Pennyweather, Alice's uptight governess, is sent with her, which leads to a very uninteresting ocean voyage, since she is outraged by everything that is not exactly the way it is back in New York. This holds true once they reach the home of Sara and Gerald Murphy, who live with their children Patrick, Baoth, and Honoria. The children are encouraged to frolic barefoot in simple frocks that can be stained by fruits that they pluck from trees they pass, and Miss Pennyweather demands that she and Alice be put on a ship home immediately. In the end, the decision is Alice's, and only Miss Pennyweather is packed off. Alice gets used to this lifestyle, which includes a tame monkey named Mistigris, and is not sure is she should look forward to the "lessons" that Mr. Murphy has planned. He reaches out to his friends, which results in the children learning art from Pablo Picasso, writing from Ernest Hemingway, and ballet from Serge Diaghilev. They even have rather unusual lessons delivered to them from Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, who push the envelope even for parents as liberal as the Murphys. Mr. Atherton is interested to hear all of the adventures that Alice is having, and eventuallyl arranges to come and visit with the Murphys himself. The family is based on real people who lived in the 1920s and hosted many celebrities of the time, and the book includes biographical information on the real people who are depicted.
Strengths: My senior thesis in high school was on F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I thought McAlpine's The Mystery Box, which imagined Frank Dixon and Carolyn Keene as artists in 1920s Paris was inspired. I've also watched entirely too many episodes of The Durrells in Corfu and secretly want to read nothing but children's literature published in the early part of the twentieth century. I found this every bit as charming as this author's quirky road trip book, Julia and the Art of Practical Travel. Who doesn't want to spend a summer hanging out on a French beach, picking fruit from trees, and running about with Hemingway's son? The illustrations were very evocative of the time period as well.
Weaknesses: This is absolutely perfect for readers who love Streatfield's Shoes books or imagine that they could be in Birdsall's Penderwicks family. Sadly, I have yet to find these readers among my students. Additionally, I found it hard to believe that any parents ever would have entrusted the Fitzgerald's with any children. Ever.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Smith's I Capture the Castle or Margery Sharp's works, or like a Classic story about girls who are sent to livewith other families, like Fisher's Understood Betsy or Alcott's Eight Cousins.
A sweet story written with an old fashioned feel. Lovers of Louisa May Alcott and LM Montgomery will want to purchase this title for the middle grade readers in their lives.
Probably more appealing to a girl than boy, but could work for both!!
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to preview this title ahead of its publication date.