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Arthur, For the Very First Time
Arthur Rasby is ten years old and having the worst summer of his life. His parents don't listen to him, so he writes everything down -- everything that's real -- in his journal. But when he goes to stay with his Great-Aunt Elda and Great-Uncle Wrisby on their farm, his world is turned upside down. For the first time Arthur wonders what's real and what's not. His aunt and uncle do things Arthur's parents would never do -- like climbing out windows to sit in trees, singing to their pet pig, and speaking French to a pet chicken. Life on the farm happens much too fast to write down -- sometimes wonderful, sometimes terrible. Arthur begins to understand there is more than one way of seeing and doing and loving. And he realizes there's a whole world just waiting to be discovered.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
15 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Patricia MacLachlan
124 books803 followersPatricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and always carried a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she went to remind her of what she knew first. She was the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lived in western Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 24, 2020
Wonderful read! Lots of concepts to discuss here: reality and imagination, fear and courage, disappointment and hope, difficult relationships and freeing ones. Taking responsibity for yourself or floating with circumstances. Also some laugh out laugh situations. Best for middle school readers.
March 17, 2021
a pleasant kid out in the country story; I bumped it up to four stars because of this bit about moles at the beginning of the book, in which the father is complaining about moles. It tickled me greatly.
"What do moles look like?" asked Arthur.
"Ugly."
Arthur wrote in his journal:
Moles: ugly
"And they always come no matter what I do!" said his father angrily.
Ugly, but loyal.
"What do moles look like?" asked Arthur.
"Ugly."
Arthur wrote in his journal:
Moles: ugly
"And they always come no matter what I do!" said his father angrily.
Ugly, but loyal.
August 25, 2011
I liked this one a lot. I think it is up there with Sarah, Plain and Tall.
Another one of those very sweet boys that I've noticed in several of her books. This time the book is told from his perspective, which is nice because we're trying to include more boy books, and familiarize ourselves with "boy lit". (CCL)
Another one of those very sweet boys that I've noticed in several of her books. This time the book is told from his perspective, which is nice because we're trying to include more boy books, and familiarize ourselves with "boy lit". (CCL)
August 24, 2019
It's interesting to me that five years before the publication of Sarah, Plain and Tall, author Patricia MacLachlan made mention of the concept of "mail-order wives" in Arthur, for the Very First Time. Perhaps it was during this period that the idea for her Newbery Medal-winning book first began to germinate; in hindsight, the few sentences in Arthur, for the Very First Time that directly address the topic of wedding engagements often being agreed to via correspondence in the days of old serve as sort of a preview of things to come.
Like many of Patricia MacLachlan's sensitive, heartfelt stories, Arthur, for the Very First Time is about a boy who really doesn't come from a bad family situation. His parents don't always pay attention to the things he says as he wishes they would, but the underlying layer of sadness to Arthur's life is subtle, something that you never see in full view, yet just the same you always know it's there. When his parents find out that they're going to have a baby, they send Arthur to stay with his Aunt Elda and Uncle Wrisby for the summer, in order to simplify for themselves the process of getting ready for the arrival of the new child.
What could have been a drab and uninteresting summer living on the farm with relatives he hardly knows turns out to be a season of intrigue and discovery for Arthur. Having always been one to cling tightly to hard facts and use them as a centering point for what he thinks and feels, Arthur's perspective on matters tumbles around a little bit as he observes the more easygoing, relaxed way that his aunt and uncle keep house. They're not tidy and refined like his parents, and their lives are marked by numerous eccentricities, yet it takes hardly any time at all for Arthur to come to love his aunt and uncle as if the three of them always been together. The neighbor girl, Moira, also befriends Arthur quickly, and it feels to him almost as if he's been adopted into a second family, without any questioning or reservation on the part of the people who've adopted him. There's a lot to learn on a farm about caring for others and letting them just be themselves even when it means having to relax one's possessive grip on them, and a boy like Arthur is receptive enough to learn it all; or, at least, to get a good start on a lifetime of emotional education.
As thoughtful and emotionally revealing as it is, Arthur, for the Very First Time sort of defies long, involved discussion and story recap. It's as if the characters and their unique, individual ways of feeling settle into one's heart and make a home there, but then in their familiarity become difficult to explain to others. Nonetheless, this is a fine book, and I wouldn't hesitate to give it my recommendation. I would rate Arthur, for the Very First Time as at least two and a half stars, and maybe the full three.
Like many of Patricia MacLachlan's sensitive, heartfelt stories, Arthur, for the Very First Time is about a boy who really doesn't come from a bad family situation. His parents don't always pay attention to the things he says as he wishes they would, but the underlying layer of sadness to Arthur's life is subtle, something that you never see in full view, yet just the same you always know it's there. When his parents find out that they're going to have a baby, they send Arthur to stay with his Aunt Elda and Uncle Wrisby for the summer, in order to simplify for themselves the process of getting ready for the arrival of the new child.
What could have been a drab and uninteresting summer living on the farm with relatives he hardly knows turns out to be a season of intrigue and discovery for Arthur. Having always been one to cling tightly to hard facts and use them as a centering point for what he thinks and feels, Arthur's perspective on matters tumbles around a little bit as he observes the more easygoing, relaxed way that his aunt and uncle keep house. They're not tidy and refined like his parents, and their lives are marked by numerous eccentricities, yet it takes hardly any time at all for Arthur to come to love his aunt and uncle as if the three of them always been together. The neighbor girl, Moira, also befriends Arthur quickly, and it feels to him almost as if he's been adopted into a second family, without any questioning or reservation on the part of the people who've adopted him. There's a lot to learn on a farm about caring for others and letting them just be themselves even when it means having to relax one's possessive grip on them, and a boy like Arthur is receptive enough to learn it all; or, at least, to get a good start on a lifetime of emotional education.
As thoughtful and emotionally revealing as it is, Arthur, for the Very First Time sort of defies long, involved discussion and story recap. It's as if the characters and their unique, individual ways of feeling settle into one's heart and make a home there, but then in their familiarity become difficult to explain to others. Nonetheless, this is a fine book, and I wouldn't hesitate to give it my recommendation. I would rate Arthur, for the Very First Time as at least two and a half stars, and maybe the full three.
September 6, 2015
I enjoyed reading Patricia MacLachlan's Arthur, For the Very First Time. Readers meet a young ten-year old boy, Arthur, and journey with him to his aunt-and-uncle's farm for an eventful summer. Arthur is a somewhat troubled young boy. Troubled being VERY relative of course. He's having trouble communicating with his parents. They still haven't told him that he's to have a little brother or little sister. Though he has figured it out himself. He hasn't exactly told them he knows or how he feels about this "happy" event. Arthur definitely spends time wishing things were different but believing that they can't be different. So how does Arthur spend his time? Well, before visiting Aunt Elda and Uncle Wrisby, he spent most of his time writing in his matter-of-fact journal. He spent a lot of time OBSERVING the world around him, but, not necessarily taking part of it. During his summer vacation, however, things will change for the better. Arthur will start living a little bit more--in some cases, a LOT more.
The book is definitely character-driven. I loved that. I loved meeting Arthur, his aunt and uncle, his new friend Moira. I loved meeting some of the animals as well. Like the chicken, Pauline, whom everyone speaks to in French! It was just a very satisfying read.
The book is definitely character-driven. I loved that. I loved meeting Arthur, his aunt and uncle, his new friend Moira. I loved meeting some of the animals as well. Like the chicken, Pauline, whom everyone speaks to in French! It was just a very satisfying read.
August 1, 2012
MacLachlan handles very deep subjects with simplicity and sweetness. I'm sorry her books weren't around for me to discover as a child, but I'm enjoying them as an adult.
July 4, 2022
Patricia MacLachlan is fast becoming a favorite author of mine and I certainly enjoyed this first novel of hers.
I did, however, pick it up specifically because of this Publisher's Weekly article and am now thoroughly perplexed!
I did, however, pick it up specifically because of this Publisher's Weekly article and am now thoroughly perplexed!
April 11, 2020
A tiny, perfect gem of a book!
Arthur is 10, he writes in a journal, his mother is pregnant (but he's not supposed to know), all his friends are away for the summer, and his parents are doing a lot of yelling at each other. So, Arthur goes to stay at Great-Aunt Elda and Great-Uncle Wrisby's farm. There he meets Pauline, surely the most wonderful chicken who ever lived...she even speaks French! And Bernadette, the beloved pig who's about to have a litter, and Moira, the vet's granddaughter, who calls him Mouse, and the vet called Moreover, for reasons that become very obvious.
Poetic, charming, sweet, very funny, lovely and short. Perfect!
Arthur is 10, he writes in a journal, his mother is pregnant (but he's not supposed to know), all his friends are away for the summer, and his parents are doing a lot of yelling at each other. So, Arthur goes to stay at Great-Aunt Elda and Great-Uncle Wrisby's farm. There he meets Pauline, surely the most wonderful chicken who ever lived...she even speaks French! And Bernadette, the beloved pig who's about to have a litter, and Moira, the vet's granddaughter, who calls him Mouse, and the vet called Moreover, for reasons that become very obvious.
Poetic, charming, sweet, very funny, lovely and short. Perfect!
June 27, 2025
MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall series is better, yet this is worth the read. I'd rate it as a 3.5 star book. Features that make this worth the read are its boy protagonist with a well-drawn character arc and many funny scenes with eccentric supporting characters.
It might be a good read-aloud while we're doing Sarah, Plain and Tall in reading class. Students would enjoy comparing the two books, and they would benefit from some discussions/teacher comments to help them catch some nuances they would probably miss otherwise. Also, as a read-aloud, there are a few parts I might skip.
It might be a good read-aloud while we're doing Sarah, Plain and Tall in reading class. Students would enjoy comparing the two books, and they would benefit from some discussions/teacher comments to help them catch some nuances they would probably miss otherwise. Also, as a read-aloud, there are a few parts I might skip.
December 30, 2022
I did enjoy this book, and was surprised to learn late in its pages that it does tie in to the "Sarah Plain & Tall" books. (The others are better). This one proceeds at a sweet, slow pace, but few of my readers today have the patience for that, and some of the issues are perhaps a bit ambiguous for them.
November 14, 2019
This re-read was good, some funny characters but I was more interested in the animals (the chicken and pig) than the human characters this time around. Still, a good story, but not as compelling as some of her others.
November 25, 2024
Machlachlan Macs #1
Pretty average yarn which I never really felt I could sink my cappers into so to speak, it was what it was and lets face it ask me in a week or so what it was all about and I'll probably say meh.
Pretty average yarn which I never really felt I could sink my cappers into so to speak, it was what it was and lets face it ask me in a week or so what it was all about and I'll probably say meh.
November 11, 2016
Read this aloud to a 9, 7 and 5 year old. We couldn't put this book down. Amazing fun, great writing, sensitive handling of tough subjects.
July 15, 2017
This is story is about a boy of ten years old. Good one for the aged 9+ years.
October 26, 2019
3rd-4th and up: Quirky characters and touching moments but the ending was rather abrupt. Just ok.
January 21, 2020
Started really good. Cute, wholesome, educational, totally my jam but it pittered-out for me.
July 27, 2020
C. fiction, children's fiction, grade 5, boy stays with great aunt and Uncle, farm, from stash, discard
February 22, 2025
I just read this book in a couple of hours. It's really very cute!
October 7, 2013
Arthur Rasby is ten years old. Everything he reads or hears is written in his journal for future reference. This particular summer, his mother is pregnant and very irritable. As a result, his parents are not getting along, so they send Arthur to the country to live with Great-Uncle Wrisby and Great-Aunt Elda. On their farm, Arthur enters a world where nothing is orderly or commonplace. His aunt and uncle have a pet chicken named Pauline who understands French and sleeps in a cradle beside the stove. Uncle Wrisby sings to his pig, Bernadette. At first, Arthur thinks that they are all "scatty," but as he watches them and writes down their activities in his journal, he learns that there is more than one way of doing and seeing things. Moira, the veterinarian's granddaughter, teaches him the most important lesson. She calls him "Mouse" and tells him that he is like a social worker. He is always asking meaningful questions and writing the answers down in a book, but never doing anything about the things he learns. The night that Bernadette gives birth to her litter of piglets, he finally earns Moira.
MacLachlan, the author of Sarah, Plain and Tall, is a world-class children’s author who creates memorable characters. Arthur Rasby is no exception.
MacLachlan, the author of Sarah, Plain and Tall, is a world-class children’s author who creates memorable characters. Arthur Rasby is no exception.
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May 10, 2009Arthur Rasby is ten years old and having the worst summer of his life. His parents don't listen to him, so he writes everything down -- everything that's real -- in his journal. But when he goes to stay with his Great-Aunt Elda and Great-Uncle Wrisby on their farm, his world is turned upside down. For the first time Arthur wonders what's real and what's not.
His aunt and uncle do things Arthur's parents would never do -- like climbing out windows to sit in trees, singing to their pet pig, and speaking French to a pet chicken. Life on the farm happens much too fast to write down -- sometimes wonderful, sometimes terrible. Arthur begins to understand there is more than one way of seeing and doing and loving. And he realizes there's a whole world just waiting to be discovered.
July 31, 2015
Arthur Rasby is an observer. Everything he hears or learns goes into his journal. When his mother is expecting a baby, Arthur`s parents send him to stay with his aunt and uncle. Here he meets Pauline the chicken, neighbor Moria, and a sow that loves singing. Arthur is a natural observer, but gets a new perspective before the summer is over.
This is another book I loved as a kid; it's right up there with Sarah, Plain and Tall. I think it's because of this book that I started to keep a journal of my own. The story is simple but like all other Patricia Machlachlan books, goes on to a deeper level.
This is another book I loved as a kid; it's right up there with Sarah, Plain and Tall. I think it's because of this book that I started to keep a journal of my own. The story is simple but like all other Patricia Machlachlan books, goes on to a deeper level.
May 31, 2012
A book is going to be good when one of the characters is called, "Moreover". And there's a hen that will respond to commands in French, and a very large sow who likes singing.
The story of Arthur's summer with his great-aunt and uncle is just as charming as all of MacLachlan's other books. Arthur learns a lot about himself in this summer. He's sent to stay with his great-aunt and great-uncle because his mother is expecting a baby - not that his parents have told him this. Arthur is an observer. . . until he meets a neighbor named Moira, who changes his perspective.
The story of Arthur's summer with his great-aunt and uncle is just as charming as all of MacLachlan's other books. Arthur learns a lot about himself in this summer. He's sent to stay with his great-aunt and great-uncle because his mother is expecting a baby - not that his parents have told him this. Arthur is an observer. . . until he meets a neighbor named Moira, who changes his perspective.
July 29, 2012
I first read this book for a children's literature class many years ago. I liked it then, but when I read it to my son last month, I enjoyed it even more. The book is funny and sad and thoughtful all at the same time. The characters, especially Arthur, his great-aunt and great-uncle, and their hen, Pauline, are memorable. This book will find you longing for summers past on the farm, even if you never stepped foot on one in your life.
August 10, 2016
MacLachlan has this odd way of writing where she throws you into a story immediately and let's you splutter and splash and eventually figure out what's going on. I'm not sure if I like it or not, but I do like the writing - so yes? But I am occasionally frustrated by it. This book is the same. But all the characters are lovable and there's a good message.
April 9, 2008
funny
could-not-finish
June 29, 2011I liked it at first, but I lost interest quickly. Just not enough action to keep me involved.
September 5, 2011
Great book for the beginning of the school year. Arthur uses a journal to record what he notices and thinks about. Patricia MacLachlan uses language in surprising ways. Great read!
January 3, 2012
As a child I read this over and over again and truly loved it.
May 1, 2013
Patricia MacLachlan's books are fresh, light, and fun to read -- almost as much as I remember the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, but in a different era altogether. Highly recommend for young readers.
September 20, 2013
August Book group
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews