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The Flying Classroom
A comical school story by the author of Emil and the Detectives. In the Christmas at the Johann Sigismund School there's plenty of fun and excitement for Martin, Matthias, Johnny, Sebastian and Uli, including a flying classroom, the kidnap of a friend, a parachute descent, and a family reunion.
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1933
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2430 people want to read
About the author
Erich Kästner
299 books609 followersErich Kästner (1899–1974) was a German author, poet, screenwriter and satirist, known for his humorous, socially astute poetry and children's literature.
A stout pacifist and democrat, he was expelled from the national writers' guild during the Nazi era, with many of his books being burned in public. Today, he is widely regarded as one of Germany's most prolific and beloved children's book authors.
AKA:
Έριχ Καίστνερ (Greek)
A stout pacifist and democrat, he was expelled from the national writers' guild during the Nazi era, with many of his books being burned in public. Today, he is widely regarded as one of Germany's most prolific and beloved children's book authors.
AKA:
Έριχ Καίστνερ (Greek)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
August 14, 2016
There were two episodes in this German children's classic that really stayed with me. The first occurs early in the book. The narrator tells you about a little boy called Johnny, who was born in New York. His father is German and his mother is American, and they really don't get on. Mom leaves. And when Johnny is four, his father puts him on a boat to Hamburg, with a label round his neck on which he's written Johnny's name. He tells the Captain that Johnny's grandparents will meet him at the other end. Everyone on board is very nice to the kid, especially the Captain, and when they get to Hamburg he makes a point of taking Johnny down to the arrivals hall to be sure he finds his grandparents. But they never turn up - not surprisingly, says the narrator, because they had been dead for several years. Johnny's father just wanted to get rid of him. The Captain, who's a kind and honorable man, adopts Johnny and arranges for him to attend the boarding school where most of the action takes place. But even though Johnny is brave and determined and does everything he can to look at life from the positive side, he never fully recovers from the awful thing that was done to him when he was just four years old.
The second episode takes place around the middle of the book. There's another boy at the school, called Uli. He's the smallest kid in the class and some of the nastier kids like to pick on him. One day, the teacher arrives and he finds that the bullies have put Uli in a trashcan and suspended it from the ceiling so that he can't get down. The teacher asks Uli's best friend, Matthias, why he didn't stop them. Matthias is really big and strong and usually looks after Uli.
"I couldn't," says Matthias, "there were too many of them."
"Well," says the teacher, "there's a sentence I'm going to ask all of you to write out five times." And he gives them the sentence, which in German is An allem Unfug, der passiert, sind nicht etwa nur die schuld, die ihn tun, sondern auch die, die ihn nicht verhindern; I would render this in English as "When bad things happen, it's not just the fault of the people who do them, but also the fault of the people who don't do anything to stop them." Then he tells them to get Uli down safely, and the whole class write out the sentence five times.
I've now read three of Erich Kästner's books, and it's clear that he had a very strong sense of right and wrong. He published this one early in 1933. A few months later, he was forced to watch while the Nazis publicly burned most of his works; unfortunately, not enough people tried to stop them. But after the war his books quickly returned, and I understand that German children are still growing up reading them.
______________________
When we were in Berlin last week, we visited the place where Kästner's books were burned. Thank you Matt for pointing out that it was directly opposite Humboldt-Universität.
The second episode takes place around the middle of the book. There's another boy at the school, called Uli. He's the smallest kid in the class and some of the nastier kids like to pick on him. One day, the teacher arrives and he finds that the bullies have put Uli in a trashcan and suspended it from the ceiling so that he can't get down. The teacher asks Uli's best friend, Matthias, why he didn't stop them. Matthias is really big and strong and usually looks after Uli.
"I couldn't," says Matthias, "there were too many of them."
"Well," says the teacher, "there's a sentence I'm going to ask all of you to write out five times." And he gives them the sentence, which in German is An allem Unfug, der passiert, sind nicht etwa nur die schuld, die ihn tun, sondern auch die, die ihn nicht verhindern; I would render this in English as "When bad things happen, it's not just the fault of the people who do them, but also the fault of the people who don't do anything to stop them." Then he tells them to get Uli down safely, and the whole class write out the sentence five times.
I've now read three of Erich Kästner's books, and it's clear that he had a very strong sense of right and wrong. He published this one early in 1933. A few months later, he was forced to watch while the Nazis publicly burned most of his works; unfortunately, not enough people tried to stop them. But after the war his books quickly returned, and I understand that German children are still growing up reading them.
______________________
When we were in Berlin last week, we visited the place where Kästner's books were burned. Thank you Matt for pointing out that it was directly opposite Humboldt-Universität.
December 9, 2024
"چطور ممکن است یک آدم بالغ دوران کودکی خود را فراموش کند، طوری که حتی نتواند تصورش را کند که یک کودک گاهی چقدر غمزده و دلگرفته است؟ در این فرصت میخواهم از همهی شما صمیمانه خواهش کنم: هرگز کودکی خود را فراموش نکنید! قول میدهید؟ قول شرف؟"
از پیشگفتار کتاب
وقتی از لای کتابهای مذهبی کتابخونهی پدر این الماس رو بیرون کشیدم و خاکش رو ستردم فکرشم نمیکردم بتونه انقدر صادقانه و بیغلوغش اون ایدهای که زندگی سخته و زهرماره ولی باید تا آخر ادامه داد و به قول خودِ کستنر پوست کرگدن پیدا کرد، توی یه داستان با تم کریسمس و بهویژه برای مخاطب نوجوان پیاده بشه. نه، خیال نکنید که داستان از این داستانهای انگیزشی و زرد و دهنپرکنه. خیلی جذاب پرتت میکنه توی دوره کودکیات و توی خاطرات و تخیلات داشته و نداشتهات دنبال بچگیِ تنهات میگرده و زندهاش میکنه تا بار دیگه لمسش کنی. انگار کستنر در قالب مسافر زمان وارد دنیای کودکی خودش میشه و ازش حرف میزنه تا تو هم همین تجربه رو داشته باشی.
تجربهی شبهای برفی کریسمس کنار همکلاسیهای مدرسهی شبانهروزی با همهی شیطنتها و دلتنگیهاش.
"کلاس پرنده" از این به بعد بین کتابهای کتابخونهی خودم به زندگی ادامه میده و جاش گرم و نرمه.
از پیشگفتار کتاب
وقتی از لای کتابهای مذهبی کتابخونهی پدر این الماس رو بیرون کشیدم و خاکش رو ستردم فکرشم نمیکردم بتونه انقدر صادقانه و بیغلوغش اون ایدهای که زندگی سخته و زهرماره ولی باید تا آخر ادامه داد و به قول خودِ کستنر پوست کرگدن پیدا کرد، توی یه داستان با تم کریسمس و بهویژه برای مخاطب نوجوان پیاده بشه. نه، خیال نکنید که داستان از این داستانهای انگیزشی و زرد و دهنپرکنه. خیلی جذاب پرتت میکنه توی دوره کودکیات و توی خاطرات و تخیلات داشته و نداشتهات دنبال بچگیِ تنهات میگرده و زندهاش میکنه تا بار دیگه لمسش کنی. انگار کستنر در قالب مسافر زمان وارد دنیای کودکی خودش میشه و ازش حرف میزنه تا تو هم همین تجربه رو داشته باشی.
تجربهی شبهای برفی کریسمس کنار همکلاسیهای مدرسهی شبانهروزی با همهی شیطنتها و دلتنگیهاش.
"کلاس پرنده" از این به بعد بین کتابهای کتابخونهی خودم به زندگی ادامه میده و جاش گرم و نرمه.
December 22, 2025
Well, I try to reread Erich Kästner's middle grade Christmas story Das fliegende Klassenzimmer (which is called The Flying Classroom in English translation) every year during the holiday, during the Christmas season. And every year, Das fliegende Klassenzimmer is a totally and utterly delightful Yuletide reading experience for me and one that I do very highly recommend either in the German original or in one of the English translations (and there are at least two of these).
But yes, with novels that have been perennial favourites since childhood, I often do find it both nigh impossible to in any way post a review that is for one adequately laudatory of either the author or his/her story (at least according to my own rather stringent criteria) and for two is in any manner remotely critical (even with regard to those textual parts that might in fact actually warrant this). And with this in mind, I have had my probably very favourite German language Christmas-themed children's classic, Erich Kästner's Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer (The Flying Classroom) languishing as rated with five stars and on my favourites shelf but unreviewed for many many years (even though I did tell myself every December that it was indeed high time to attempt a written many review, to tell my Goodreads friends just how much I love this novel and how much Das fliegende Klassenzimmer has in fact meant to me over the years). And now, I have decided to take the proverbial bull by its horns so to speak and to finally pen a review of Das fliegende Klassenzimmer, of probably my favourite novel by Erich Kästner, period, and to not care or rather to attempt to not care whether my review is expansive and congratulatory enough and to also not be all that academically, intellectually bothered with regard to probably still being rather blind with regard to many of the potential issues with regard to datedness, gender stratification and the like (because well, for a novel that was originally penned in the 1930s, Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer actually remains surprisingly fresh, new and with attitudes and philosophies that are still both important and essential for not only children but also for adults).
And wiithin the framework of a boarding school (an all boy's boarding school, of course, but really, the scenarios and issues shown within the pages of Das fliegende Klassenzimmer are in my opinion part and parcel to many school-themed stories, both uni-gender and co-educational, and really childhood in general), Erich Kästner portrays the importance of friendship, loyalty, overcoming personal fears and phobias and that remembering and yes also embracing one's childhood and one's past are essential for becoming a responsible and yes a likeable and respect-worthy adult (not to mention that while one is supposed to fight to master childhood trauma and problems, one also needs to remember it, to accept it and that it will always be a part of one's psyche and life, and that therefore, Johnny Trotz being abandoned by his father as a toddler will never leave him as a memory, and since he is a writer, will probably also make its way into his texts, his printed words, that Martin Thaler will always due to his family's issues with unjust unemployment and resultant poverty have a permanent sense of social justice and attempt to fight against what he perceives as injustice, just as universally loved teacher Dr. Bökh aka Justus has remembered how he suffered as a student at boarding school because his teachers were not particularly pleasant and approachable and has as a teacher striven to make himself someone whom his students can trust and turn to with their problems, with their both small and not so small issues and sadnesses). And really, Erich Kästner's glowingly positive depiction of Dr. Bökh has (I strongly believe) also been one of my main and lifelong career influences, for as an instructor of German at the college and university level, I have always and gladly first and foremost had my students and their intellectual welfare in mind, that they need to learn the material necessary as painlessly and in in as easy to understand a fashion as possible, and that instructing with a fair and easily comprehensible approach is much more important and necessary than class averages and somehow keeping these in the so-called but to and for me rather artificial and silly Bell-Curve.
Absolutely and most highly recommended is Erich Kästner's Das fliegende Klassenzimmer, and if you have not yet encountered Das fliegende Klassenzimmer either in its original German or in some of the (and yes, pretty well more than decent) English language translations (and I know there are also versions in French, Spanish etc.), do go and read the novel ASAP. And yes, the only minor caveats I do have to give with regard to Das fliegende Klassenzimmer is that there are indeed a few scenes of schoolyard fist and snowball fighting textually shown by Erich Kästner when the "Gymnasium" and the "Realschule" students duke it out, some minor cases of hazing and that cigarette smoking is unfortunately both featured and not really condemned all that much in Das fliegende Klassenzimmer (but that in particular the smoking scenes are in fact and in my opinion simply a sign of the times, as in the 1930s, when Das fliegende Klassenzimmer was published, cigarette smoking was generally still pretty much considered as not all that problematic and even often seen as a right of passage from childhood to being a bit more mature and adult-like, not to mention that many photographs I have seen of Erich Kästner show him smoking).
But yes, with novels that have been perennial favourites since childhood, I often do find it both nigh impossible to in any way post a review that is for one adequately laudatory of either the author or his/her story (at least according to my own rather stringent criteria) and for two is in any manner remotely critical (even with regard to those textual parts that might in fact actually warrant this). And with this in mind, I have had my probably very favourite German language Christmas-themed children's classic, Erich Kästner's Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer (The Flying Classroom) languishing as rated with five stars and on my favourites shelf but unreviewed for many many years (even though I did tell myself every December that it was indeed high time to attempt a written many review, to tell my Goodreads friends just how much I love this novel and how much Das fliegende Klassenzimmer has in fact meant to me over the years). And now, I have decided to take the proverbial bull by its horns so to speak and to finally pen a review of Das fliegende Klassenzimmer, of probably my favourite novel by Erich Kästner, period, and to not care or rather to attempt to not care whether my review is expansive and congratulatory enough and to also not be all that academically, intellectually bothered with regard to probably still being rather blind with regard to many of the potential issues with regard to datedness, gender stratification and the like (because well, for a novel that was originally penned in the 1930s, Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer actually remains surprisingly fresh, new and with attitudes and philosophies that are still both important and essential for not only children but also for adults).
And wiithin the framework of a boarding school (an all boy's boarding school, of course, but really, the scenarios and issues shown within the pages of Das fliegende Klassenzimmer are in my opinion part and parcel to many school-themed stories, both uni-gender and co-educational, and really childhood in general), Erich Kästner portrays the importance of friendship, loyalty, overcoming personal fears and phobias and that remembering and yes also embracing one's childhood and one's past are essential for becoming a responsible and yes a likeable and respect-worthy adult (not to mention that while one is supposed to fight to master childhood trauma and problems, one also needs to remember it, to accept it and that it will always be a part of one's psyche and life, and that therefore, Johnny Trotz being abandoned by his father as a toddler will never leave him as a memory, and since he is a writer, will probably also make its way into his texts, his printed words, that Martin Thaler will always due to his family's issues with unjust unemployment and resultant poverty have a permanent sense of social justice and attempt to fight against what he perceives as injustice, just as universally loved teacher Dr. Bökh aka Justus has remembered how he suffered as a student at boarding school because his teachers were not particularly pleasant and approachable and has as a teacher striven to make himself someone whom his students can trust and turn to with their problems, with their both small and not so small issues and sadnesses). And really, Erich Kästner's glowingly positive depiction of Dr. Bökh has (I strongly believe) also been one of my main and lifelong career influences, for as an instructor of German at the college and university level, I have always and gladly first and foremost had my students and their intellectual welfare in mind, that they need to learn the material necessary as painlessly and in in as easy to understand a fashion as possible, and that instructing with a fair and easily comprehensible approach is much more important and necessary than class averages and somehow keeping these in the so-called but to and for me rather artificial and silly Bell-Curve.
Absolutely and most highly recommended is Erich Kästner's Das fliegende Klassenzimmer, and if you have not yet encountered Das fliegende Klassenzimmer either in its original German or in some of the (and yes, pretty well more than decent) English language translations (and I know there are also versions in French, Spanish etc.), do go and read the novel ASAP. And yes, the only minor caveats I do have to give with regard to Das fliegende Klassenzimmer is that there are indeed a few scenes of schoolyard fist and snowball fighting textually shown by Erich Kästner when the "Gymnasium" and the "Realschule" students duke it out, some minor cases of hazing and that cigarette smoking is unfortunately both featured and not really condemned all that much in Das fliegende Klassenzimmer (but that in particular the smoking scenes are in fact and in my opinion simply a sign of the times, as in the 1930s, when Das fliegende Klassenzimmer was published, cigarette smoking was generally still pretty much considered as not all that problematic and even often seen as a right of passage from childhood to being a bit more mature and adult-like, not to mention that many photographs I have seen of Erich Kästner show him smoking).
May 28, 2018
با این کتاب کلی از خاطرات دوران مدرسه و شیطنت های بچگی واسم زنده شد. به قول آقای بی دود ای کاش هرگز دوران کودکی خودمون رو از یاد نبریم چرا که قشنگ ترین دوران زندگی هر انسانی بدون شک همین روزهای کودکانه ست
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June 2, 2018Children's story set in a boy's boarding school, focusing on a group of friends.
The title comes from the story within the story - the group of friends are preparing a play to be performed before the Christmas holidays, it is called ?, the idea of this play is that in the school of the future, learning will be experiential, you want to teach children about volcanos - well you'll pack them into a plane and fly to one, history - fly to the pyramids and so on.
In the time honoured way of plays within plays what this alerts us to is that the learning within the fictional school is also experiential, it is not the formal top down lessons which count in the formation and leading forth of the young people towards adult life (which giving the date of publication may include dying on the eastern Front in the bleak midwinter) it is the feud with the neighbouring school in the same town , the bullying in the classroom and how pupils respond to it, the attempt of one boy to demonstrate to himself and the world that he is truly brave.
We're shown that so long as you can successfully avoid death in wars, the influence of informal experiential learning is life long as shown in the contrast between the relationships of the school boys and those of the school director and his eventually rediscovered friend.
It's overwhelmingly the story of how good deeds prompt others to do better and be better people, which makes it an appropriate Christmas book I suppose.
The title comes from the story within the story - the group of friends are preparing a play to be performed before the Christmas holidays, it is called ?, the idea of this play is that in the school of the future, learning will be experiential, you want to teach children about volcanos - well you'll pack them into a plane and fly to one, history - fly to the pyramids and so on.
In the time honoured way of plays within plays what this alerts us to is that the learning within the fictional school is also experiential, it is not the formal top down lessons which count in the formation and leading forth of the young people towards adult life (which giving the date of publication may include dying on the eastern Front in the bleak midwinter) it is the feud with the neighbouring school in the same town , the bullying in the classroom and how pupils respond to it, the attempt of one boy to demonstrate to himself and the world that he is truly brave.
We're shown that so long as you can successfully avoid death in wars, the influence of informal experiential learning is life long as shown in the contrast between the relationships of the school boys and those of the school director and his eventually rediscovered friend.
It's overwhelmingly the story of how good deeds prompt others to do better and be better people, which makes it an appropriate Christmas book I suppose.
August 28, 2008
The first time I read this book was about 20 years ago, and I have loved the book ever since. Probably apart from my textbooks which, whether I like or not, I had to read repeatedly in high school and college, this is the book that I’ve been reading again and again from the first to the last page for most times.
The story is set in an all-male boarding school – or to be exact a Gymnasium called Johann-Sigismund in Germany. Unlike many other books about teens living in dorms, the story does not last a term, but instead only portrays a couple of days in the life of five Obertertia students. They’re preparing for their Christmas musical performance, but at the same time they also have to face several important events, from school-brawls over silly reasons against the student of the local Realschule (isn’t that big!) and personal troubles.
Although written in a relaxed, funny manner, the book also deals with problems like self-confidence, self-esteem, poverty, loneliness, doubts about the education system – the things that have been, and will always be, haunting teens of every age. And the teens in DFK, although they may live tens of years ago, are characters that we can still relate to in this time and age. There’s the poetic, dreamy Johnny; there’s the sharp, lone-wolf Sebastian; there’s the intelligent, proud Martin; there’s timid, ‘cowardly’ Uli; there’s rough but basically kind-hearted Matz.
There are a lot of things that we can learn and ponder from the book, although the book itself does not feel patronizing. Kastner carried out his main purpose as an author of books such as Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer: he told a story, and he did it well. He built characters, without wasting too many words trying to describe them all; as we follow the dialogues and the events, we can understand the characters involved in the book.
Truly a gem.
(By the way, if you try to Wiki this book, some of the information in the page was provided by yours truly. Yes, I love the book that much.)
The story is set in an all-male boarding school – or to be exact a Gymnasium called Johann-Sigismund in Germany. Unlike many other books about teens living in dorms, the story does not last a term, but instead only portrays a couple of days in the life of five Obertertia students. They’re preparing for their Christmas musical performance, but at the same time they also have to face several important events, from school-brawls over silly reasons against the student of the local Realschule (isn’t that big!) and personal troubles.
Although written in a relaxed, funny manner, the book also deals with problems like self-confidence, self-esteem, poverty, loneliness, doubts about the education system – the things that have been, and will always be, haunting teens of every age. And the teens in DFK, although they may live tens of years ago, are characters that we can still relate to in this time and age. There’s the poetic, dreamy Johnny; there’s the sharp, lone-wolf Sebastian; there’s the intelligent, proud Martin; there’s timid, ‘cowardly’ Uli; there’s rough but basically kind-hearted Matz.
There are a lot of things that we can learn and ponder from the book, although the book itself does not feel patronizing. Kastner carried out his main purpose as an author of books such as Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer: he told a story, and he did it well. He built characters, without wasting too many words trying to describe them all; as we follow the dialogues and the events, we can understand the characters involved in the book.
Truly a gem.
(By the way, if you try to Wiki this book, some of the information in the page was provided by yours truly. Yes, I love the book that much.)
March 31, 2018
Translated into English as The Flying Classroom.
For the longest time I've always associated the 'right books' with immense bouts of depression. Since I was a kid, I would happily spend the day reading tonnes of charming little tales about brave princes, mysterious elves and clever talking tigers. But then some busybody teacher would inevitably ruin my enjoyment by letting me know that these books were not age-appropriate anymore. I needed to read stories with more depth! I would generally relent and give the suggested books a try, only to end up neck deep in melancholy. And people wonder why kids are reluctant to take up reading...
How about telling them about an author's trials in finishing a story that is 2 years overdue? Let them giggle at his pathetic attempts to claim that Christmas stories cannot possibly be penned in August. Failing that, tell them about giving butterflies auspicious names like Gottfried, in attempt to hone their stalling techniques.
As for the story itself, wouldn't your inner child rather read about rowdy kids preparing for their winter holiday? Now don't dismiss these activities as meaningless, just because of our protagonists' age: waging a snowball-fight to liberate your friend, or protect your school's honor is no small feat. Plenty of planning is needed for this. Tactical approach to battle, stalling methodology to gain time to liberate the captive, and not least dealing with the consequences of unauthorized rule breaking.
Still seems too cheerful a representation of the real world? How about being 'unfairly' stuck in detention while your sick mother is waiting for you to visit her at the hospital?
By the end of the story, I was freely bawling my eyes out. This is the kind of story you should want 12-year-olds to discuss. Not stuffy old poems, entrenched so deep in their own metaphors that even the teachers have to rely on heavy guesswork to analyze them.
The only thing I was not too keen on, were the chapter titles. They gave away the entire plot of the story!
Score: 4.2/5 stars
This is the kind of story that will make children want to dive into a book and not emerge until they've scoured its every nook and cranny.
For the longest time I've always associated the 'right books' with immense bouts of depression. Since I was a kid, I would happily spend the day reading tonnes of charming little tales about brave princes, mysterious elves and clever talking tigers. But then some busybody teacher would inevitably ruin my enjoyment by letting me know that these books were not age-appropriate anymore. I needed to read stories with more depth! I would generally relent and give the suggested books a try, only to end up neck deep in melancholy. And people wonder why kids are reluctant to take up reading...
How about telling them about an author's trials in finishing a story that is 2 years overdue? Let them giggle at his pathetic attempts to claim that Christmas stories cannot possibly be penned in August. Failing that, tell them about giving butterflies auspicious names like Gottfried, in attempt to hone their stalling techniques.
As for the story itself, wouldn't your inner child rather read about rowdy kids preparing for their winter holiday? Now don't dismiss these activities as meaningless, just because of our protagonists' age: waging a snowball-fight to liberate your friend, or protect your school's honor is no small feat. Plenty of planning is needed for this. Tactical approach to battle, stalling methodology to gain time to liberate the captive, and not least dealing with the consequences of unauthorized rule breaking.
Still seems too cheerful a representation of the real world? How about being 'unfairly' stuck in detention while your sick mother is waiting for you to visit her at the hospital?
By the end of the story, I was freely bawling my eyes out. This is the kind of story you should want 12-year-olds to discuss. Not stuffy old poems, entrenched so deep in their own metaphors that even the teachers have to rely on heavy guesswork to analyze them.
The only thing I was not too keen on, were the chapter titles. They gave away the entire plot of the story!
Score: 4.2/5 stars
This is the kind of story that will make children want to dive into a book and not emerge until they've scoured its every nook and cranny.
December 9, 2020
Erich Kastner’s children’s book was first published in 1935, unlike his most famous piece Emil and the Detectives, it has a minimal plot, it’s an understated, beautifully-observed and gently-paced Christmas story centred on a boys’ boarding-school in a small German town. A close band of pupils put on a Christmas play, rivalry with another local school leads to a kidnapping and a furious snowball fight, but essentially Kastner’s writing about friendship, growing-up and finding out how best to live. It’s slow to take off but, once Kastner’s main characters and their relationships were established, I found it unexpectedly absorbing and moving. This could easily have tipped over into syrupy, sentimentality but it’s saved by a vein of stark realism: it’s evident Germany’s having economic problems and Kastner’s slightly meta, introduction and afterword depict a precarious world, full of natural beauty but also one where pleasures can be fleeting. Anthea Bell’s translation is smooth and convincing, and this edition features a series of atmospheric illustrations by Walter Trier.
January 15, 2024
লেখকদের নানা রকম ট্রাজেডি থাকে। তার মাঝে একটা হলো অপ্রাসঙ্গিক হয়ে যাওয়া, আরেকটা হলো নিজেরই কোন লেখা এতটাই বিখ্যাত হয়ে যাওয়া যে, অন্য লেখাগুলো তার আড়ালে চলে যাওয়া। এরিখ কেস্টনারের বেলায় এই দুটোই ঘটেছে। ভদ্রলোকের এমিল এন্ড দ্য ডিটেকটিভস-এর নাম দুনিয়াজোড়া লোকের জানা, বাংলাতেও আমরা সেবা প্রকাশনীর কল্যাণে প্রায় সবাই এমিলের গোয়েন্দা দল নামের দারুণ কিশোর উপন্যাসটা পড়ে ফেলেছি (সেবার স্বর্ণযুগের অনুবাদ, বোঝাই কঠিন যে একটা ভিনভাষার বই পড়ছি)। সেবা থেকে লোটি ও লিসা নামে তার আরেকটা অনুবাদও বের হয়েছিল। কিন্তু এ সবই বহুকাল আগের কথা; তাঁর কিশোর উপন্যাসগুলো লেখা হয়েছিল মোটামুটি ১৯২৯ থেকে ১৯৪০-এর মাঝে, মানে ২য় বিশ্বযুদ্ধের আগে। এরপর তিনি বড়দের জন্য লিখেছেন, রাজনৈতিক লেখালেখি, কিন্তু নতুন শতাব্দিতে, স্মার্টফোন জেনারেশনের কাছে মনে হয় তিনি অপ্রাসঙ্গিকই হয়ে গেছেন। আমি নিশ্চিত না এমনকি তার এমিল এন্ড দ্য ডিটেকটিভসও একবিংশ শতাব্দিতে জন্ম এমন কয়জন পড়েছে; অন্য বইগুলো তো দূরে থাক। তাই ছেলের জন্য লাইব্রেরিতে ঢুঁ মারতে গিয়ে যখন কেস্টনারের দ্য ফ্লাইয়িং ক্লাসরুম দেখলাম, দ্বিধায় ছিলমা নেব কিনা। ব্যাক কাভারে লেখা আছে, এই বইটা কেস্টনারের পরিচিত বইগুলোর মাঝে পড়ে না, কিন্তু এটাই তার সেরা লেখা। কৌতুহল হলো, নিয়েও এলাম। কয়েকদিন ফেলে রাখার পরে পড়তে বসলাম, আর ১ দিনের মাঝে শেষ করে বলতে পারি, ব্যাক কাভারে বাড়িয়ে লেখা হয়নি। এমিল এন্ড দ্য ডিটেকটিভস বিশুদ্ধ কিশোর উপন্যাস; যেখানে হাসি-আনন্দ-মজাটাই প্রায় সবটা জুড়ে। কিন্তু পরিপক্কতা আর জীবনের বাস্তবতা দেখানোর দিক দিয়ে দ্য ফ্লাইয়িং ক্লাসরুম অনেক বেশি এগিয়ে থাকবে। এখনকার মিডল স্কুল বা ইয়াং অ্যাডাল্ট বই যারা পড়ে, তারা অবশ্য বলতে পারে যে, এ আর এমন কি, সব বইতেই তো বাস্তবতা আর বেদনার চেহারা থাকেই! কিন্তু মনে রাখতে হবে যে, এই বই গত শতাব্দির প্রথমার্ধে লেখা। আসলে, লিখে বোঝানো মুশকিল ঠিক কি কারণে বইটা আলাদা; বরং পড়ে দেখলেই ভাল। লেখার শুরুতেই লেখক বলে দেন যে, যেসব লেখক শৈশব আর কৈশোর মাত্রেই হাসি-আনন্দে ভরপুর স্বর্গরাজ্যের ছবি দেখান, তারা আসলে মিথ্যুক। শৈশব আর কৈশোরে কঠিন, নিষ্ঠুর, কুৎসিত সব অভিজ্ঞতার মুখোমুখি হতে হয় অনেককেই; পেটে খাবার যোগানো আর মাথার উপর একটা ছাদ জোটানোর জন্য শৈশবকে বিসর্জনও দিতে হয় কখনো কখনো। তারমানে আবার এই নয় যে, এর মাঝেও আনন্দ নেই; জীবনটা অবিমিশ্র সুখ বা দুঃখে গড়া নয়। এইটুকু মেনে নিয়েই একটা বোর্ডিং স্কুলের ছেলেদের গল্পটা পড়তে হবে। মূল চরিত্র পাঁচটা--দরিদ্র কিন্তু মেধাবী মার্টিন, আঁতেল গোছের হলেও দারুণ স্মার্ট সেবাস্টিয়ান, ভীতু ছোটখাটো উলি, বাবা-মায়ের থেকে পরিত্যক্ত জনি, আর শক্তিশালী ভবিষ্যত বক্সার কিন্তু বন্ধুবৎসল ম্যাথিয়াস। সামনে ক্রিসমাস, ছেলেদের পড়াশোনার আগ্রহ কম, বাড়ি যাওয়ার জন্য দিন গুনছে সবাই। না, সবাই নয়, জনির বাবা-মা নেই, যে ক্যাপ্টেন তাকে দয়াপরবশ হয়ে লালন-পালন করেন তিনি এ মুহূর্তে সাগরে, কাজেই জনি থাকছে। কিন্তু বাকিরাও কি বাড়ি যাবে? যারা থেকে যাবে স্কুলে, কেমন কাটবে তাদের এই লম্বা ছুটি? চারপাশে আনন্দের আলোকমালার মাঝে যাদের ছোট্ট মনে একরাশ অন্ধকার জমেছে, অন্ধকারের শেষ প্রান্তে আলোর বিন্দু তারা কিভাবে খুঁজে নেবে? অসাধারণ এই বইটার শেষে গিয়ে সবকিছুরই উত্তর মিলবে, আর সেটা আমার খুব পছন্দই হয়েছে। রেটিং যে পাঁচ তারা সেটা বলা লাগছে না, আর বইটাও মাত্র দেড়শ পৃষ্ঠার আশেপাশে, কাজেই পড়াও যাবে তাড়াতাড়ি। কপিরাইটও থাকার কথা না, লিবজেনেই পাওয়া যাবে।
পুনশ্চঃ এবার বিভিন্ন চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব মাতাচ্ছে দ্য হোল্ডওভার নামের একটা সিনেমা; ক্রিসমাসের ছুটিতে বোর্ডিংয়ে থাকতে বাধ্য হওয়া কয়েকজনের গল্প নিয়ে। উপরের বইটার থেকে গল্প আলাদা হলেও, কোথাও একটা মিল আছে। বই আর ম্যুভি দুটোই হাইলি রেকমেন্ডেড।
পুনশ্চঃ এবার বিভিন্ন চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব মাতাচ্ছে দ্য হোল্ডওভার নামের একটা সিনেমা; ক্রিসমাসের ছুটিতে বোর্ডিংয়ে থাকতে বাধ্য হওয়া কয়েকজনের গল্প নিয়ে। উপরের বইটার থেকে গল্প আলাদা হলেও, কোথাও একটা মিল আছে। বই আর ম্যুভি দুটোই হাইলি রেকমেন্ডেড।
December 27, 2024
Детето в мен много обича тази книга. ❤️
_________
"Онзи неискрен господин твърди, че детството било изпечено от първокачествено козуначено тесто.
Как може един възрастен човек да забрави до такава степен детството си, че един ден изобщо да не знае колко тъжни и нещастни могат да бъдат понякога децата? (Използувам случая от все сърце да ви замоля: никога не забравяйте детството си! Обещавате ли ми? Честна дума?)
Защото всъщност няма значение дали плачеш заради счупената си кукла, или пък след години заради изгубения си приятел. В живота никога не е важно защо скърбиш, а само колко скърбиш. Детските сълзи съвсем не са по-дребни и често пъти са доста по-тежки от сълзите на възрастните.
Но да не се разберем криво, драги приятели. Не е необходимо да се разнежваме без нужда. Искам да кажа само, че човек трябва да бъде честен дори когато това му причинява болка. Честен до мозъка на костите си."
___________
"Вярно е, че Мартин е още дете. Но той много добре знае, че способност и богатство са две различни неща."
_________
"Онзи неискрен господин твърди, че детството било изпечено от първокачествено козуначено тесто.
Как може един възрастен човек да забрави до такава степен детството си, че един ден изобщо да не знае колко тъжни и нещастни могат да бъдат понякога децата? (Използувам случая от все сърце да ви замоля: никога не забравяйте детството си! Обещавате ли ми? Честна дума?)
Защото всъщност няма значение дали плачеш заради счупената си кукла, или пък след години заради изгубения си приятел. В живота никога не е важно защо скърбиш, а само колко скърбиш. Детските сълзи съвсем не са по-дребни и често пъти са доста по-тежки от сълзите на възрастните.
Но да не се разберем криво, драги приятели. Не е необходимо да се разнежваме без нужда. Искам да кажа само, че човек трябва да бъде честен дори когато това му причинява болка. Честен до мозъка на костите си."
___________
"Вярно е, че Мартин е още дете. Но той много добре знае, че способност и богатство са две различни неща."
April 18, 2019
Моят любим от детството Ерих Кестнер не ме разочарова и сега! Малко ме беше страх дали пак ще съм толкова доволна както, когато четях като дете Двойната Лотхен например.
Колко прекрасно пише този човек - с много душа, сърце и мъдрост, със страхотно разбиране на децата и техните детски пориви и храбри сърца. Много мила книга - обожавам истории за истинското приятелство, коеот е най-силно и истинско и всеотдайно, когато сме малки и за битките на сърцето, което още в ранна възраст трупа тъга и страх, но и колко много надежда само! Тази книга е повече мочешка, докато Двойната Лотхен е повече момичешка, но пак е супер ура!
Този път е слушах на аудиокнига и наистина се изкефих страхотно!
Колко прекрасно пише този човек - с много душа, сърце и мъдрост, със страхотно разбиране на децата и техните детски пориви и храбри сърца. Много мила книга - обожавам истории за истинското приятелство, коеот е най-силно и истинско и всеотдайно, когато сме малки и за битките на сърцето, което още в ранна възраст трупа тъга и страх, но и колко много надежда само! Тази книга е повече мочешка, докато Двойната Лотхен е повече момичешка, но пак е супер ура!
Този път е слушах на аудиокнига и наистина се изкефих страхотно!
May 22, 2014
I had a bout of nostalgia the other day, and just had to read this again. Still love it, still cried.
December 1, 2025
Ich mag diese Geschichte sehr und hab sie mir jetzt als Hörbuch auch wieder sehr gerne angehört :)
July 11, 2009
من با این کتاب این ادمی شدم که الان هستم..خوب یا بد...
و شاید سالها بعد کشفش کردم وقتی داشتیم با یه آدم دیگه درمورد اولین کتاب هامون حرف می زدیم..
این کتاب منه:)
اولین و شاید ماندگارترین(پس رابینسون کروزوئه مون چی؟ یا اون کتاب آوای وحش!؟..)
کلاس پرنده اولین ها بود.. مثل اولین عشق.. اولین بوس ..اولین آغوش..
و شاید سالها بعد کشفش کردم وقتی داشتیم با یه آدم دیگه درمورد اولین کتاب هامون حرف می زدیم..
این کتاب منه:)
اولین و شاید ماندگارترین(پس رابینسون کروزوئه مون چی؟ یا اون کتاب آوای وحش!؟..)
کلاس پرنده اولین ها بود.. مثل اولین عشق.. اولین بوس ..اولین آغوش..
September 11, 2025
I haven't read this author before, not even Emil and the Detectives, which is his most famous book, so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a charming Christmas story. It is a little disjointed, and a bit slow to start. We follow five boys at a boarding school on their adventures. They have a run in with boys from a rival school, and have to rescue one of their friends from his clutches, they bring together their housemaster and one of his oldest friends, all while they are putting on a Christmas play called The Flying Classroom.
Like many a Christmas story, it is quite moral, but never saccharine. It is about the friendship between the boys, and their helpful adult guardians. I will certainly be rereading it, and will look out for more of his books.
*Many thanks to Netgally and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*
Like many a Christmas story, it is quite moral, but never saccharine. It is about the friendship between the boys, and their helpful adult guardians. I will certainly be rereading it, and will look out for more of his books.
*Many thanks to Netgally and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*
January 17, 2023
Benim çocukken okuduğum kitapları tekrar okuma planımı bilen bilir. Bu kitabın yeri ise çocukluğumda da şu yaşımda da çok özel benim için. Yatılı bir lisede noel yaklaşırken neler olduğunu okuduğumuz sıcacık bir hikaye. Hababam Sınıfı ile Ölü Ozanlar Derneği arasında bir yerde duruyor. Nostalji ve sıcak çikolata kokuyor.
Gergin ve telașlı bir dönemimde okumak çok iyi geldi. Çelik birlik!
Gergin ve telașlı bir dönemimde okumak çok iyi geldi. Çelik birlik!
December 14, 2017
Ich liebe dieses Buch. Es ist ein Buch über Freundschaft, Leidenschaft für seinen Job und das wahre Leben. Fünf Schüler in einem deutschen Internat stehen kurz vor Weihnachten. Die letzten Tage sind Turbulent.
Eine Schneeballschlacht mit Folgen, zwei alte Freunde und ein Eisenbahnwaggon, Ein Sprung von einem Klettergerüst und jede Menge Kuchen und Küchenreste.
Als ich das Buch das erste mal gelesen habe war ich um die 11 Jahre. Jetzt habe ich es zusammen mit meinem 9 Jahre alten Sohn vor dem Einschlafen gelesen.
Auch mit 48, hat das Buch nichts von seinem Reiz verloren.
Egal ob Kind, Jugendlicher oder alter Mann. Das Buch ist ein Klassiker und bleibt immer in meinem Herzen.
Eine Schneeballschlacht mit Folgen, zwei alte Freunde und ein Eisenbahnwaggon, Ein Sprung von einem Klettergerüst und jede Menge Kuchen und Küchenreste.
Als ich das Buch das erste mal gelesen habe war ich um die 11 Jahre. Jetzt habe ich es zusammen mit meinem 9 Jahre alten Sohn vor dem Einschlafen gelesen.
Auch mit 48, hat das Buch nichts von seinem Reiz verloren.
Egal ob Kind, Jugendlicher oder alter Mann. Das Buch ist ein Klassiker und bleibt immer in meinem Herzen.
March 2, 2018
Ganz genauso muss ein Kinderbuch sein!
Klar, auch hier fehlen die weiblichen Figuren. Außer wenn von Müttern und hübschen Mädchen von der Tanzschule in Nebensätzen die Rede ist, übernehmen wieder nur Jungen die Hauptrollen. Diesmal kann ich darüber aber hinweg sehen, weil die Geschichte nun mal eben in einem Jungeninternat spielt.
Die Freundschaften unter den Kindern sowie vom Justus und dem Nichtraucher gehen wirklich ans Herz. Außerdem gibt es reichliche Denkanstöße, die auch für Kinder heutzutage noch wichtig sind.
Mal wieder hat sich gezeigt, dass Erich Kästner Kinder einfach verstanden hat und seine Bücher nicht umsonst zu Klassikern wurden.
Klar, auch hier fehlen die weiblichen Figuren. Außer wenn von Müttern und hübschen Mädchen von der Tanzschule in Nebensätzen die Rede ist, übernehmen wieder nur Jungen die Hauptrollen. Diesmal kann ich darüber aber hinweg sehen, weil die Geschichte nun mal eben in einem Jungeninternat spielt.
Die Freundschaften unter den Kindern sowie vom Justus und dem Nichtraucher gehen wirklich ans Herz. Außerdem gibt es reichliche Denkanstöße, die auch für Kinder heutzutage noch wichtig sind.
Mal wieder hat sich gezeigt, dass Erich Kästner Kinder einfach verstanden hat und seine Bücher nicht umsonst zu Klassikern wurden.
May 6, 2017
Anfangs war ich noch nicht total begeistert, jedoch je mehr ich las, umso fantastischer fand ich das fliegende Klassenzimmer! Herr Kästner ist einfach so ein gescheiter und symphatischer Kerl! Sein Schreibstil ist unbeschreiblich. Er schafft es in der Geschichte Themen wie Freundschaft, Mut, Familie und Armut so gut zusammenzuweben, ohne tadelnde Moral, aber gespickt mit zig Sätzen, die einfach nur brilliant sind! (4.5 Sterne, aufgerundet weil je länger umso toller find ichs <3)
May 24, 2025
کلاس پرنده یک داستان در رده نوجوانان درباره شجاعت، هوشیاری، صداقت، وفاداری و دوستیست. کتاب به خوبی چگونگی مواجهه با مشکلات و ترسها رو نشون میده. بر اهمیت همدلی و توانایی حل مسئله تاکید داره. در کل خوندن کتاب با طنز لطیفش بسیار خوشایند بود.
September 15, 2023
Einfach immer wieder toll - auch als Hörbuch :)
July 29, 2023
طرز فکر نویسنده حقیقتاً میخکوبم کرد. او در مقدمهی کتاب میگوید که نویسندههای کتابهای کودکان معمولاً بچهها را درک نمیکنند و فکر میکنند دنیای آنها سرشار از خوشی است، درحالی که واقعیت غیر از این است: بچهها عمیقاً غمگیناند.
یونی، مارتین، ئولی، ماتس و سباستین، پسرهای نوجوانی که در مدرسهی شبانهروزی درس میخوانند، تلاش میکنند تا با طرز فکر ساده و کودکانهی خود از زندگی در آلمان پیشا-نازیستی، جان سالم به در ببرند.
مخاطبین آثار کستنر کودکان نیستند، بلکه بزرگسالانی هستند که کودکیِ فلاکتبارشان را هنوز به دوش میکشند. تنها زمانی قادر خواهیم بود آثار او را به خوبی درک کنیم که بتوانیم کودکیِ فراموششدهمان را دوباره در آغوش بگیریم.
از متن کتاب:
«آقای نویسنده میخواهد به بچههایی که کتابش را میخوانند بقبولاند که آنها همیشه سرحال و خوشحالاند و از شدت خوشبختی نمیدانند که باید چه کار کنند. آن آقای چاخان، طوری نشان میدهد که انگار بچگی از خمیر خوشمزهای درست شده است!
چطور یک آدم بزرگ میتواند نوجوانیاش را کاملاً فراموش کند، طوری که روزی اصلاً دیگر نداند که بچهها گاهی ممکن است چقدر غمگین و بدبخت باشند؟ (در این فرصت میخواهم از ته دل خواهش کنم هیچوقت کودکیتان را فراموش نکنید. این را به من قول میدهید؟ قول شرف!)
در واقع مهم نیست که آدم برای عروسکی که شکسته یا دوستی که از دست داده، گریه کند. در زندگی، اهمیتی ندارد که آدم برای چه ناراحت است؛ مهم این است که چقدر غصه خورده. اشکهای کودکان پیش خدا کمتر و بیاهمیتتر از اشکهای آدمبزرگها نیست. سوءتفاهم نشود، آقایان! ما نمیخواهیم الکی خودمان را دلداری بدهیم. فقط منظورم این است که آدم باید با خودش صادق باشد، حتی اگر صداقت به ضررش باشد.»
یونی، مارتین، ئولی، ماتس و سباستین، پسرهای نوجوانی که در مدرسهی شبانهروزی درس میخوانند، تلاش میکنند تا با طرز فکر ساده و کودکانهی خود از زندگی در آلمان پیشا-نازیستی، جان سالم به در ببرند.
مخاطبین آثار کستنر کودکان نیستند، بلکه بزرگسالانی هستند که کودکیِ فلاکتبارشان را هنوز به دوش میکشند. تنها زمانی قادر خواهیم بود آثار او را به خوبی درک کنیم که بتوانیم کودکیِ فراموششدهمان را دوباره در آغوش بگیریم.
از متن کتاب:
«آقای نویسنده میخواهد به بچههایی که کتابش را میخوانند بقبولاند که آنها همیشه سرحال و خوشحالاند و از شدت خوشبختی نمیدانند که باید چه کار کنند. آن آقای چاخان، طوری نشان میدهد که انگار بچگی از خمیر خوشمزهای درست شده است!
چطور یک آدم بزرگ میتواند نوجوانیاش را کاملاً فراموش کند، طوری که روزی اصلاً دیگر نداند که بچهها گاهی ممکن است چقدر غمگین و بدبخت باشند؟ (در این فرصت میخواهم از ته دل خواهش کنم هیچوقت کودکیتان را فراموش نکنید. این را به من قول میدهید؟ قول شرف!)
در واقع مهم نیست که آدم برای عروسکی که شکسته یا دوستی که از دست داده، گریه کند. در زندگی، اهمیتی ندارد که آدم برای چه ناراحت است؛ مهم این است که چقدر غصه خورده. اشکهای کودکان پیش خدا کمتر و بیاهمیتتر از اشکهای آدمبزرگها نیست. سوءتفاهم نشود، آقایان! ما نمیخواهیم الکی خودمان را دلداری بدهیم. فقط منظورم این است که آدم باید با خودش صادق باشد، حتی اگر صداقت به ضررش باشد.»
August 17, 2016
Втора книга, която сме чели, обсъждали и изплакали във „формат майка и дете“ (заедно с „Момчетата от улица Пал“) - така че тя ми е като за 10 звезди: 5 за самата книга и Кестнер, 5 за родителското съпреживяване.
„ А Юстуса продължи своята разходка през утихналия, заснежен парк. До оградата. Там се огледа внимателно на всички страни. И сетне, точно както бе правил като момче, се прехвърли през оградата. Прескачането не го затрудни.
— Наученото си остава научено — каза той на един зъзнещ врабец, който внимателно го наблюдаваше.“
„ А Юстуса продължи своята разходка през утихналия, заснежен парк. До оградата. Там се огледа внимателно на всички страни. И сетне, точно както бе правил като момче, се прехвърли през оградата. Прескачането не го затрудни.
— Наученото си остава научено — каза той на един зъзнещ врабец, който внимателно го наблюдаваше.“
January 16, 2020
So ein tolles, warmherziges Kinderbuch! ❤
July 21, 2024
I already read this book in my childhood in school but after seeing the Erich Kästner Museum in Dresden I rediscovered his work. There is one scene in the book that stuck with me. Martins parents have not enough money so he has to stay in school for Christmas. His teacher sees him being different than usual, talks to him about the problem and gives him the money. Kästner has a clear idea about right and wrong and it shows especially in this scene but also in other parts of the book. In general the atmosphere of old Germany really makes you feel nostalgic.
February 8, 2019
Ovakve knjige te uvijek vrate u djetinjstvo. Savršeno!
January 9, 2025
“За всяка беля, която се случва, са виновни не само ония, които я извършват, а и ония, които не попречат на извършването й.”
Топлина и уют ❤️
Топлина и уют ❤️
August 27, 2018
A heartwarming story...
Bu kitabın beni duygulandırıp kalbime dokunmayı başarmasının bir çok sebebi var, bu sebeplerden biri de birkaç yıl önce kendime verdiğim bir sözü hatırlatması idi.
Erich Kästner'in çocuk kitapları dalında çok usta bir yazar olduğunu sık sık duymuştum ve bu söylenti kesinlikle boşuna değilmiş. Uçan sınıf-orijinal adıyla- Das fliegende Klassenzimmer 'in filmini yıllar önce henüz daha çok küçükken bize Almanya'da okulda izletmişlerdi. Filme dair çok az şey hafızamda kalmış bu yüzden kitabı okurken hikayeyle ilk defa tanışıyormuş gibiydim. Öncelikle kitap çok akıcı bir şekilde ilerliyor zaten çocuklara göre tasarlanmış ama aslında yetişkinler için de yazılmış. Yazar kitabın ritmik dilini çok güzel bir şekilde oluşturmuş, yeri geldi güldürmeyi yeri geldiğinde duygulandırmayı başardı. İçinde o kadar güzel alıntılar var ki, okuyucuyu düşündüren, öz eleştiri yaptıran ve durup bir kendini süzgeçten geçiren alıntılar... Beni düşündüren kitapları her zaman çok seviyorum çünkü onlar gerçekten bizde birer iz bırakmış demektir bize dokunmayı başarabilmiş demektir.
Hikayeye gelecek olursak beş tane çocuğun sımsıkı dostluğu, birbirinden farklı karakterleri ve çocukların arkadaşı olan samimi iki tane kahramanın hikayesi. Bu kitap çocukların bakış açısından dünyayı görebilmeyi olaylara farklı bakmayı hatırlatıyor bize. Aslında bir zamanlar bizimde olduğumuz kişiyi hatırlatıyor. Evet, bizde bir zamanlar çocuktuk bizde bu duyguyu yaşadık bizim de endişelerimiz, korkularımız ve hüzünlü anlarımız oldu ama maalesef ki çoğumuz eski halimizi, eski duygu dünyamızı unutuyoruz. Çocuk olmanın nasıl bir şey olduğunu unutuyoruz. Ve bu kitap tamda bu konuyu gözler önümüze seriyor. Çoğumuz annemizin babamızın bizi anlayamamasından ya da anlamaya çalışmamasından yakınmışızdır, büyüklerin aklı farklı çalışır bu doğru ama neden neden bir zamanlar bizim de geçtiğimiz o yolu unutuyoruz ki. Kendi özümüzü unutmamalıyız.
Bu kitabın beni duygulandırıp kalbime dokunmayı başarmasının bir çok sebebi var, bu sebeplerden biri de birkaç yıl önce kendime verdiğim bir sözü hatırlatması idi.
Erich Kästner'in çocuk kitapları dalında çok usta bir yazar olduğunu sık sık duymuştum ve bu söylenti kesinlikle boşuna değilmiş. Uçan sınıf-orijinal adıyla- Das fliegende Klassenzimmer 'in filmini yıllar önce henüz daha çok küçükken bize Almanya'da okulda izletmişlerdi. Filme dair çok az şey hafızamda kalmış bu yüzden kitabı okurken hikayeyle ilk defa tanışıyormuş gibiydim. Öncelikle kitap çok akıcı bir şekilde ilerliyor zaten çocuklara göre tasarlanmış ama aslında yetişkinler için de yazılmış. Yazar kitabın ritmik dilini çok güzel bir şekilde oluşturmuş, yeri geldi güldürmeyi yeri geldiğinde duygulandırmayı başardı. İçinde o kadar güzel alıntılar var ki, okuyucuyu düşündüren, öz eleştiri yaptıran ve durup bir kendini süzgeçten geçiren alıntılar... Beni düşündüren kitapları her zaman çok seviyorum çünkü onlar gerçekten bizde birer iz bırakmış demektir bize dokunmayı başarabilmiş demektir.
Hikayeye gelecek olursak beş tane çocuğun sımsıkı dostluğu, birbirinden farklı karakterleri ve çocukların arkadaşı olan samimi iki tane kahramanın hikayesi. Bu kitap çocukların bakış açısından dünyayı görebilmeyi olaylara farklı bakmayı hatırlatıyor bize. Aslında bir zamanlar bizimde olduğumuz kişiyi hatırlatıyor. Evet, bizde bir zamanlar çocuktuk bizde bu duyguyu yaşadık bizim de endişelerimiz, korkularımız ve hüzünlü anlarımız oldu ama maalesef ki çoğumuz eski halimizi, eski duygu dünyamızı unutuyoruz. Çocuk olmanın nasıl bir şey olduğunu unutuyoruz. Ve bu kitap tamda bu konuyu gözler önümüze seriyor. Çoğumuz annemizin babamızın bizi anlayamamasından ya da anlamaya çalışmamasından yakınmışızdır, büyüklerin aklı farklı çalışır bu doğru ama neden neden bir zamanlar bizim de geçtiğimiz o yolu unutuyoruz ki. Kendi özümüzü unutmamalıyız.
''Gençliğinizi unutmayın! İnsan sizin gibi henüz çocukken, bu sözler gereksiz gelebilir. Ama gereksiz değil. Bize inanın! Biz yaşlandık, ama yine de genç kaldık. Bunu kesinlikle biliyoruz, ikimiz de!''
November 20, 2025
This Christmas tale is not to be missed! Somehow it’s unique but still encapsulates everything we want in a holiday story. Comedy, tenderness, friendship, family, and a good old fashioned snowball fight.
Written in 1935, it’s by the author who brought us Emil and the Detectives and The Parent Trap. If you’ve read either of those, you’ll know that the forewords are awesome reading - Kastner is so witty! He’s very tongue in cheek (keep that in mind particularly during the violent school rivalry battle or you’ll really not appreciate a decent chunk of the book).
Noteworthy characters are (and not in any particular order): Dr Bokh who runs the boarding school with such a kind heart and tells the boys a very moving story. Uli, who is sick of being a coward and decides to do something about it (so funny!). Matthias who can’t stop eating. No-Smoking whom the boys respect and turn to for advice. And Martin; poor, sweet Martin.
Definitely recommend this one!
Ages: 7+
Content Considerations: it seems like everyone smokes, even the kids. Mentions beer and dancing, as a man plays piano at a joint (not overly described). There is a rivalry between two schools and the boys of one school kidnap a kid, tie him up and slap him every ten minutes. The boys then have an old fashioned fist fight to name the winning school. The “kidnapping”, fist fight, etc is somewhat tongue in cheek.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
I have an Instagram account that’s pretty bookishly unique too!
Written in 1935, it’s by the author who brought us Emil and the Detectives and The Parent Trap. If you’ve read either of those, you’ll know that the forewords are awesome reading - Kastner is so witty! He’s very tongue in cheek (keep that in mind particularly during the violent school rivalry battle or you’ll really not appreciate a decent chunk of the book).
Noteworthy characters are (and not in any particular order): Dr Bokh who runs the boarding school with such a kind heart and tells the boys a very moving story. Uli, who is sick of being a coward and decides to do something about it (so funny!). Matthias who can’t stop eating. No-Smoking whom the boys respect and turn to for advice. And Martin; poor, sweet Martin.
Definitely recommend this one!
Ages: 7+
Content Considerations: it seems like everyone smokes, even the kids. Mentions beer and dancing, as a man plays piano at a joint (not overly described). There is a rivalry between two schools and the boys of one school kidnap a kid, tie him up and slap him every ten minutes. The boys then have an old fashioned fist fight to name the winning school. The “kidnapping”, fist fight, etc is somewhat tongue in cheek.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
I have an Instagram account that’s pretty bookishly unique too!
January 1, 2009
Well, I know I like children book. They are all special for a person like me (who doesn't really want to grow up). But this book is so unique and the way Erich Kaestner wrote his dry humor in this book is really one of his kind.
You will meet the little Uli von Simmern, a wanna be a boxer Matthias Selbmann, the smartest Martin Thaler, the sarcastic Sebastian Frank and the author Johnny Trotz in this Germany boys boarding school story.
All of them are mixed up together. From funny story when Professor Kreuzkamm asked his own son about the accident of the burning books in the classroom. OMG, so hillarious! Friendship, happy story and closed with one touchy story about Martin who wanted so badly to go home to celebrate chrismast with his parents.
I read books about girl, specially those who also go to a boarding school (Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers or St Clare series). So this book really gives me boy's point of view.
You will meet the little Uli von Simmern, a wanna be a boxer Matthias Selbmann, the smartest Martin Thaler, the sarcastic Sebastian Frank and the author Johnny Trotz in this Germany boys boarding school story.
All of them are mixed up together. From funny story when Professor Kreuzkamm asked his own son about the accident of the burning books in the classroom. OMG, so hillarious! Friendship, happy story and closed with one touchy story about Martin who wanted so badly to go home to celebrate chrismast with his parents.
I read books about girl, specially those who also go to a boarding school (Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers or St Clare series). So this book really gives me boy's point of view.
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