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The Scarecrow And His Servant - 1st Edition/1st Printing

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First edition, first printing hardcover with unclipped dust jacket, in an unread condition. LW

240 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2004

59 people are currently reading
1298 people want to read

About the author

Philip Pullman

260 books25.7k followers
Sir Philip Nicholas Outram Pullman is an English writer. His books include the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials and The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, a fictionalised biography of Jesus. In 2008, The Times named Pullman one of the "50 greatest British writers since 1945". In a 2004 BBC poll, he was named the eleventh most influential person in British culture. He was knighted in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to literature.
Northern Lights, the first volume in His Dark Materials, won the 1995 Carnegie Medal of the Library Association as the year's outstanding English-language children's book. For the Carnegie's 70th anniversary, it was named in the top ten by a panel tasked with compiling a shortlist for a public vote for an all-time favourite. It won that public vote and was named all-time "Carnegie of Carnegies" in June 2007. It was filmed under the book's US title, The Golden Compass. In 2003, His Dark Materials trilogy ranked third in the BBC's The Big Read, a poll of 200 top novels voted by the British public.

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5 stars
573 (22%)
4 stars
904 (35%)
3 stars
801 (31%)
2 stars
235 (9%)
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59 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
Profile Image for Melki.
7,291 reviews2,612 followers
September 25, 2017
Ah, the humble scarecrow...

Iconic denizen of the farmer's field. A straw man, possessor of tattered clothing, infinite patience, and a deep knowledge of the psychology and behavioral habits of our feathered friends.

Imagine if suddenly, that scarecrow were to come to life. That's exactly what happens in this story. This is one fellow who already has a brain in his knobby turnip head, and he soon acquires a servant in the form of a young boy named Jack.

Together they set out to have adventures, and soon they're frightening brigands, fighting with soldiers, consorting with actors, and generally having the time of their lives.

The scarecrow is quite a charmer. Even when losing limbs, being nibbled by goats, or falling hard for a coquettish broom, he manages to stay optimistic and open to new experiences.

There's probably a lesson in there somewhere.

This sweet story deserves to be a children's classic.
Profile Image for Maciek.
573 reviews3,841 followers
August 28, 2015
This is a delightful little story, for children and adults alike. A scarecrow is struck by lightning, and comes to life; he recruits a young lad named Jack as his personal servant, and having nothing better to do the two embark on a grand adventure, complete with an army episode, entrangement on a solitary isle, and even a love affair. All complete with fun illustrations, bringing the story to life and pointing out its dramatic and hilarious moments just on time. Obviously inspired by Cervantes, this short tale should satisfy people of all ages, regardless if they've just learned to read, or have been reading all their lives. Please do yourself a favor, sit in your favorite chair, take a cup of tea with you and enjoy this little gem.
Profile Image for Allison Tebo.
Author 30 books468 followers
April 13, 2025
Beautifully and humorously written; this was such a romp! The Scarecrow’s antics are absolutely priceless. The author perfectly captured the “foreignness” of his thought process and the misunderstandings that were constantly popping up like flower bulbs throughout the story line. His servant, Jack, is far from the dull and witless sidekick that could have encumbered this story. Not a bit of it. Jack is a sly, charming survivor with a good heart who thinks on his feet, but he is still a young boy barely managing to keep his and the Scarecrow’s heads above water. The genuine affection between them is so sweet, and perfectly forms the core of the story – everything else is just icing on the cake. Even the Scarecrows little “romance” will make you laugh and smile over its zany appeal. This book perfectly captures that old 1940s comedy feel of miscommunication, with both MC’s thinking that the other one is slightly off their rocker – but hiding it for politeness sake. I was afraid at first that the ending would disappoint me. So many authors have charmed me at the outset, only to betray me at the end. But the author stayed faithful to the opening premise of a fairy tale and wraps up the adventure in a perfectly satisfying ending.
202 reviews2 followers
January 23, 2014
All I had previously read from Pullman was the His Dark Materials books. I picked this up purely on the strength of Pullman's name.

I asked myself lots of questions while reading this book. Questions like: Is this book supposed to be an allegory? Is it supposed to be coherent? Was that an attempt at humor? Where is this story going? Will it ever end? Why am I still reading this?

Take a pass on this one. There are so many other better books out there with similar feel and similar target audience.
Profile Image for SARAH.
245 reviews317 followers
November 24, 2020
داستان مترسک و خدمتکارش،ماجرای سر راستی، دارد.داستان پسر بی خانمانی به نام جک که همراه یک مترسک میشود و به پیشنهاد مترسک،میشود خدمتکارش!!! این دو با هم به دل جاده میزنند و ماجراپشت ماجرا،بر سرشان می آید که با هوش و درایت جک و بعضا مهر و عطوفت مترسک به حل مسائل پیش رویشان می پردازند.داستان لطیفی یه،داستان مترسکی که زنده شده...تنها مشکل من با واژه هاست،چرا پسر میگه باشه من خدمتکارت میشم و چرا مترسک میگه من ارباب تو هستم!!!چرا این رابطه فقط یک رابطه دوستانه و همراهی همدلانه تصویر نشده...این رابطه برده وار و برده دار!خیلی برام ازار دهنده بود،خط به خط کتاب حرص میخوردم،ایا نویسنده تحت تاثیر فرهنگ غالب زمانه خودش رابطه پسرک و مترسک رو؛ خدمتکار و ارباب توصیف کرده یا چیز دیگه ای؟؟؟هر چه هست برای من ناخوشایند بوده هر چند در روند قصه این دو ،مثل دو دوست کنار هم هستند،دلسوزانه و مشفقانه...بنظرم این کتاب در ژانر کودک طبقه بندی بشه، معقول تره،بعیده برای نوجوانان ما جذابیتی داشته باشه😁😁😁 این کارهای مترسک عجیب من رو میبرد به قصه مترسک در جادوگر شهر اُز....اخ چه قصه ای بود اون....مترسک این قصه هم شخصیت جالبی داره ،بخصوص عشق پرشورش....به شدت جذابه....فقط ایکاش این واژه خدمتکار که انقدر قضاوت و بار منفی در ذهنم ایجاد کرده بود وجود نداشت یا چیز دیگه ای می بود🙃 همین.....
Profile Image for Daniel.
2,781 reviews45 followers
November 30, 2007
This really is a wonderful fairy tale. It has all the good qualities of a classic fairy tale -- imaginative, journeys, adventures, colorful characters, and bad-guys who are obviously bad.

The young boy, Jack, has sense enough to know that everything is quite odd -- what with his master being a turnip-headed scarecrow -- but has the youthful imagination to go along with it.

If there is a down-side to this book, it's that it did get to be a little long. Perhaps one too many adventures for the scarecrow. Did he really need to become a Captain in an army? Did it serve any purpose to the rest of the story, or was it just a further adventure. If anything, I thought the army portion of the story was the least effective, particularly when both the scarecrow and the boy had had negative experiences with soldiers earlier in the book.

Still, not many authors are writing wonderful tales of this sort, and it definitely adds to my respect for Pullman, the author.

A fun romp, worth the read.

Profile Image for e.c.h.a.
509 reviews257 followers
December 23, 2009
Buku-bukunya Pullman selalu menawarkan cerita yang menarik serta lain dari pada yang lain, punya keunikan dan seperti membelot dari jalur. Seperti buku "Si Boneka Jerami dan Pelayannya" ini. Membayangkan sebuah boneka jerami hidup dan melakukan petualangan serta mempunyai seorang pelayan yang setia bernama Jack. Mereka berdua melakukan petualangan yang tidak pernah mereka bayangkan, yang sebenarnya tanpa disadari oleh mereka berdua memiliki tujuan akhir yang mempesona.

Saya sebagai pembaca dirudung rasa penasaran, pikiran saya dipenuhi dengan berbagai pertanyaan. Kenapa mereka berdua mengalami perjalan yang penuh dengan petualangan, yang akhirnya saya temukan jawabannya di akhir cerita.

Terenyuh melihat keteguhan hati Si Boneka Jerami, terharu melihat kesetian Jack, sang pelayan. Yah...keteguhan hati bisa menghasilkan hasil yang baik!
Profile Image for Ivana Đinđić.
39 reviews8 followers
October 1, 2022
Ne postoji dovoljno zvezdica za adekvatnu ocenu ove priče. Čitajući ovu knjigu želela sam da nikad ne odrastem. I neću!
Profile Image for ●tk●.
75 reviews73 followers
August 20, 2023
YES IM FINALLY FINISHED WITH THIS BOOK AFTER PROCASTINATING FOR SO LONG :D

rating: 4.9 ⭐
Profile Image for Cherie.
1,343 reviews141 followers
June 15, 2015
I felt a little disappointed at the beginning of this story. After that, I realized that I just needed to work my way through it and see where it was going to take me. After that, I found myself enjoying the occasional play on words and tongue in cheek phrases that the author introduced. I even found myself looking up a word that I don't think I have ever come across before. The word was scarper. I thought it was a typo but it was not. By the end of the story, all of the seemingly scattered stories all came together in a lovely ending. This was my first introduction to the author and I am looking forward to reading his Carnegie Medal winner, Northern Lights which is also The Golden Compas.

I had to come back to add another comment as I find myself still giggling over it.
During the story, Lord Scarecrow looses his arms and legs, his spine and even his head and has them replaced by Jack, his servant, with found materials . At a cross roads, they come to a sign post. It is old and weathered and there is no longer any writing visible. One of the arms is broken off and Jack uses it to replace the right arm of the scarecrow, which had broken. Towards the end of the story, the Scarecrow is sick and a doctor is called. He proceeds to take the patient's pulse: "The doctor took his road sign in one hand, and a large silver watch in the other. Jack watched the Scarcrow, and the Scarecrow watched the doctor, and the doctor watched the watch.
After a minute the doctor solemnly declared, 'This patient has no signs of life at all.'"

No? Well, I guess you had to be there.
Profile Image for Truly.
2,763 reviews12 followers
December 9, 2009
Walau terbuat dari jerami, berkepala labu lalu berkepala kelapa, memiliki hati berupa lipatan kertas, berotak kacang, namun apa yang dilakukan oleh Tuan Boneka Jerami sangat menyentuh.

" Sambil menyelipkan sarang ke dalam jaketnya, si boneka jerami bangkit. Dia hanya berhenti sejenak ketika peluru nyasar menembak kakinya hingga terlepas, dan dia harus bersandar di tangan Jack, tapi pelan-pelan mereka bisa melalui medan pertempuran....Gemuruh ledakan, rintihan dan teriakan, bunyi senapan, dan desingan peluru-peluru, percikan api yang mengerikan...." Semuanay dilalui hanya untuk meletakkan sarang burung yang jatuh dari atas pohon!

Ironi memang, Tuan Boneka Jerami dibuat untuk menakut burung malah berusaha menyelamatkan anak burung, menghias gua dengan permata yang malah digunakan oleh raja dan ratu burung. Belakangan, ia malah menerima penghargaan dari kerajaan burung.

Philip Pullman memang selalu menawarkan imajinasi yang luas. Hal-hal yang ada disekitar kita melalui tangan dingin Philip Pullman bisa menjadi sesuatu yang luar biasa

Profile Image for elise rose.
461 reviews1 follower
Want to read
August 6, 2021
Just thought of this book for the first time in like ten years. I must reread at once.
Profile Image for Michael Fitzgerald.
Author 1 book64 followers
June 15, 2017
OK, but kind of pointless. There were all sorts of Candide-like adventures where the pair stumble through, but the book lacked anything like Voltaire's underlying philosophical basis. Of course, I doubt that was the intention, but all the same, it felt empty.
Profile Image for Weni.
113 reviews40 followers
January 12, 2010
Lagi2 Om Pullman berhasil memikat saya.
Sebuah boneka jerami yang dibuat oleh Mr. Pandolfo dari lobak besar (sbg kepala), gagang sapu, kacang polong (sbg otaknya) dan jerami mendadak hidup setelah berpindah bbrp kali dari tanah pertanian Pandolfo. Tuan Boneka Jerami lalu bertemu dengan Jack yang bersedia menjadi pelayannya dan menemaninya berpetualang menuju Spring Valley.

Saya selalu tersenyum membaca sosok Tuan Boneka Jerami yang banyak maunya. Ingin menonton sandiwara, ngotot ingin menjadi aktor (dan akhirnya tampil sebagai perlengkapan pentas), keukeuh ingin jadi tentara (dan akhirnya jadi perwira krn ketika tes masuk jawabannya salah semua), gagah berani ikut pertempuran meski ditembaki musuh. Tuan Boneka Jerami mengalami banyak hal, bertemu perampok, jatuh cinta pada sapu (sayangnya si sapu sudah bertunangan dengan penggaru), dicuri otaknya krn terjatuh, terdampar di pulau, menghadiri Kongres Besar Semua Burung, menghadiri persidangan, bahkan mengalami percobaan pembunuhan. Semua tentu saja ia lewati bersama Jack yang sangat setia. Saya geli ketika Jack menjadi penerjemah antara Tuan Boneka Jerami dan Presiden Burung pada Kongres Besar, juga ketika persidangan (terutama geli dg istilah2 hukum yang dibuat Om Pullman). Tapi saya terharu ketika Jack kelaparan saat mereka terdampar di pulau dan tidak ada apa2 untuk dimakan, lalu sang majikan menawarkan kepalanya untuk dipotong dan dimakan oleh Jack.

Bagaimana akhirnya ?
Bahagia tentu saja. Bahkan Tuan Boneka Jerami bisa bersatu dengan sapu pujaan hatinya :)
14 reviews
September 22, 2013
i decided to read this book as i had ran out of good books and it was just sitting their on my one of my book selves. What also made me want to read it was the fact it was my Philip Pullman and i had enjoyed reading his other books.

The category that this book is in is a book that teaches you about a different time in history. It fits under this one as it is set back in the days of scarecrows, servants, castles and brigands. I love this book as it is a humored and witty read that I really enjoyed.

The book is written in third person and so it starts off with a scarecrow it the middle of a field in a storm. The scarecrow gets struck by lightning and comes alive. He meets a boy called Jack whom is his servant and they travel on all sorts of adventures together.

My favorite character is the scarecrow as he has a great view on life as he was only just brought into it. He thinks that almost anything is possible and this gives him a great happy and funny personality.


"But as it is, the rest of my head is at your disposal, my dear. Cut yourself a slice of my turnip, and feast to your hearts content." This is a good quote as it shows how kind and caring the scarecrow is and wiling to give big things up for his friend. The scarecrow is a gentle and kind person as it shows in this example and there are a lot more. This book really shows what true friendship is like and this is one of the things that I learnt and I think it is really important.
Profile Image for Aicha Jwz.
25 reviews7 followers
September 2, 2017
This book was weird. It wasn't bad or anything. I just couldn't find any moral in the story.

I found this book in a thrift shop. (4 books for 1 pound! Who would pass that out?) anyway, it was just, well--GAH! It's hard to understand!

It was a quick read, but considering I was also reading Hannibal Rising at the same time. It took me longer then it a average 3 grader to finish....

This isn't a book that changed a view in my life. It's about a scarecrow that came to life by lighting. (This makes me wanna read Frakenstein...) and how he, with the help from an orphan boy, receive what he was given.

The writing was simple, considering that this was for a younger audience. This book was a meh for me. But it might be more enjoyable for others. Or maybe for my future kids...Unless they think exactly like me...anyway, I should stop with my random ramblings.


(I just realised that you can't add emojis to your reviews. Why?)
Profile Image for Eugenia.
236 reviews5 followers
November 19, 2014
4/5 estrellas

Me ha encantado. Un libro divertido, pero con una linda moraleja. En algunas cosas me recordó a El Mago de Oz, pero es diferente. Sé lee rapidísimo y yo se lo regalaría a cualquier persona.
Además que cuando lo compré por sólo $40 en esta preciosa edición, tampoco esperaba mucho. Fue una gran sorpresa!! Es de esos libros que sin duda re-leería.
Profile Image for Phoebe Ledster.
59 reviews6 followers
October 19, 2017
I first read this book when I was in Year 6! I found it in our school library and was so excited to read it. It remains to be one of my favourite novels- the intriguing characters and exciting storyline supply an amazing read! Definitely give this a go- it’s a fun adventure ready to be delved into.
Profile Image for Malachi Cyr.
Author 4 books42 followers
July 11, 2019
I found this at a Little Free Library by my house. It was really pretty awesome, humorous, and light. I liked it a lot. Definitely a keeper.
Profile Image for itchy.
2,950 reviews33 followers
April 24, 2020
brief synopsis:
A stolen scarecrow becomes animated and sets out to do the final wishes of his creator.

setting:
Bella Fontana
Spring Valley
Coconut Island

named personalities:
Carlo Pandolfo - the legal owner of spring valley; an old man of sound mind but not very well in the legs
the Buffalonis - Mr Pandolfo's cousins; the biggest problem of all
the Scarecrow - an enterprising and talented scarecrow
Jack - an honest and willing youth; the Scarecrow's personal servant
Cercorelli - a lean and silky lawyer specializing in finding things for his employers
Luigi Buffaloni - Cercorelli's client; a trustee of the United Benevolent Improvement Society; a very warmhearted and family-minded man
Harlequin - a tragic characters
Dido - a queen
Rigatelli - a fat man
Captain Fanfarone - Dido's lover to abandoned her
Colonel Bambardo - an army commanding officer
Betsy - a docile old gray mare
Granny Raven - a talking raven
Carlo - Granny Raven's pet
King and Queen of All the Birds - childish-minded rulers of the birds
Dr and Mrs Owl - parents of a chick the Scarecrow rescued
Signora Robin - a robin rescued by the Scarecrow
Justice Buffaloni - the most learned judge in the whole of the kingdom
Mr and Mrs Piccolini - Carlo's neighbors; an elderly couple
Giovanni Stracciatelli - the Commissioner of Registered Charities
Piero Buffaloni - another trustee of the United Benevolent Improvement Society
Federico Buffaloni - ditto
Silvio Buffaloni - ditto
Giuseppe Buffaloni - ditto
Marcello Buffaloni - ditto
Bernard Blackbird - a blackbird scared of the Scarecrow
Rosina - Jack's wife
Giulietta, Roberto, and Maria - Jack and Rosina's children

This is way outside the box absurd, in a fun way.
Profile Image for Helen Mears.
147 reviews1 follower
September 29, 2018
What a delightful little book. Lord Scarecrow and his servant, Jack, go on a journey and encounter a range of strange characters and scenarios like a latter day Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Charming.
Profile Image for Masoome.
427 reviews51 followers
May 8, 2019
مترسکی بر اثر برخورد صاعقه جان می گیرد و در پی این است که ثابت کند مزرعه ای که در آن بوده، متعلق به خودش است.
Profile Image for Mariana Lima.
149 reviews1 follower
October 6, 2019
outro livro lindinho pra distrair e ajudar na ressaca literária
hihihi
amei s2
philip pullman meu escritor favorito !
Profile Image for Yusda Annie.
221 reviews32 followers
June 30, 2020
Terus kubaca walau beberapa kali merasa bosan.. 🙃🙃
paling seru bagian akhirnya.. 2 bab menuju ending.
Profile Image for Brittany Marlow.
8 reviews
June 19, 2025
An absolute childhood favourite, I shall refuse all judgement because I will re-read this time and time again.

I’ve been sucker for anything by this author practically since birth 🙂‍↕️
Profile Image for Hanieh Sadat Shobeiri .
210 reviews6 followers
January 22, 2023
قشنگ بود. بعضی وقتا یکم تو ذوق می‌زد، ولی در کل دوسش داشتم. به عشق فیلیپ پولمن خریدمش و پشیمون هم نیستم :))
Profile Image for Conejo Literario.
578 reviews229 followers
January 23, 2018
Reseña completa: http://conejoliterario.blogspot.mx/20...

Siempre, todos los años escojo con mucho cuidado mi primera lectura del año. Para mi es algo simbólico,tiene que ser especial, un texto que quede en mi memoria bien grabado un par de meses pero al mismo tiempo ligero ya que en esas épocas usualmente aun tengo resaca decembrina. Después de husmear bastante en mi estantería me decanté por un libro que compre hace más de 6 meses en un remate de Librerías Dante, un cuento infantil del que nunca habia oido hablar aunque viniendo de Philip Pullman prometía mucho . Ademas, siendo totalmente honestos, el que estuviera a tan irresistible precio para ser un ejemplar de tapa dura ilustrado ($60 MXN / $3USD) solo terminó de convencerme a comprarlo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews

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