Little Klein

by Anne Ylvisaker

A boy and his loyal dog roam freely and make mischief in a compelling portrait of a spirited family in bygone America.

Born Harold Sylvester George Klein, Little Klein can’t seem to measure up to the "Bigs." His older brothers are a boisterous gang held together by the bustling, bighearted Mother Klein. Try as he might to stand tall and be heard above the din, Harold often feels little and left out — until one day when a stray named LeRoy answers his whistle and the two become inseparable, with LeRoy’s nose leading them from one adventure to the next. Join a cast of colorful characters in a rural river town circa 1949 where boys wrestle and fish, swipe pies, brave perilous waters on homemade rafts — and sometimes quietly become heroes.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Animals, Dogs, Childrens

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2007

Reviews

[Kaylei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well it was a good book. There are five main characters Mrs.Klein,Matthew,Mark,Luke, John and Harold who is Little Klein

Mrs.Klein was very careful of little Klein, she called him leaf 🍁 since he was so fragile, but Harold got Sick,his mother told god that he wasn’t going to take him away from her,and he didn’t. On a Sunday afternoon Little Klein found a dog, 🐕, but… they weren’t allowed to have a dog 🐕, but it followed them home.when there mom saw it she told them they have to get rid of it.

In the middle of the book they go fishing,🎣 they call a fish catfish the minister because they almost caught it on a Sunday. A week after,p his dad Stanley 🙋🏼‍♂️ came home but the problem was he was allergic to dogs 🐕, But when Harold told him that they got a dog 🐕 Stanley got furious 😤 and started raising his voice but before Little Klein could say another word his mother told him to go outside.

Well I can’t tell how it end because that would be a spoiling the end but my favorite part of the book is when he was pulled into the lake.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Realistic fiction. Award winner.
The three older Klein boys are notorious hell raisers. The run wild, their mother manages the family, Dad is off for months at a time at some traveling kind of work. The youngest by a stretch of the 4 Klein boys, little Klein is considered the runt of the litter by his mother. She is overprotective of him, but he wants in on the fun. Most of all, he Wants a Dog! Enter Leroy, he has been a loner, but when he smells Little Klein, he knows he is home.
A nice little story of these boys, their antics and adventures.

[JK.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A laidback read. Would be a good book to read with a child. My dad initially bought it because of the fact that their last name is Klein and so is ours. So I thought I'd give it a read. It was a different read than what I would typically pick up. The characters did remind me a lot of my brothers. The book had a lot of cute moments, like the pickles situation in the beginning for example, and the chapters told from the dog's perspective. Some parts I felt jumped around and happened so suddenly and the way it's written was a little hard to follow along in a couple parts, but overall still an okay read.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book on the withdrawn shelf at my public library for 25 cents and how sad I am that people have been shut away from this wonderful little book. Little Klein is the youngest of the 4 Klein boys and from birth he is somewhat of a misfit. There's Matthew, Mark, Luke, and...Harold. While they are strapping boys full of typical boy's energy, Little Klein is often sick and so small that his mother won't allow him to spend too much time outside and with his older brothers, who are collectively referred to as The Bigs. Little Klein is so scrawny and frail his mother sometimes refers to him as Leaf and doesn't allow herself to get too attached to the boy because she is sure the Lord is going to take him; a belief she holds until he is about 9 years old. It isn't until Harold finds a dog, who is just as insecure as he is, that this boy starts to see himself as something other than the labels he has been given. And yes, there are chapters dedicated to the dog, whose name is LeRoy, and then given that name by the mom! The ending read like a feel-good, movie of the week, which disappointed me a bit, so that's why the 4 out of 5 stars. It is a delightful book, easy to read and just had me hooked from the first page.

[P.D.R. Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book which many children will enjoy. There is a youngest brother, Little Klein, who struggles to catch up with his three older brothers. There's a dog of character who adopts Little Klein, and a series of small town adventures, culminating in a whopping adventure child readers will envy. The writing is tight, the word choices stimulating and it reads as well aloud as silently.

As an adult reader I did find it a little 'soggy with nostalgia' and, for all the excellent writing, rather twee in places. The harking back to the 'Good Old Days' and the myth of the perfect paradise of a 1940-50s Small Town America is laid on with a hand that's just too heavy at times. And I found nothing 'Good Old Days' about young hoodlums shop lifting, joy riding and breaking into houses. Teenagers doing that were regarded as a darned nuisance then just as they are now. However, for American readers, this seems to be part of the Mark Twain, 'Tom Sawyer' myth/legend and therefore acceptable, in stories, as the roguish behaviour of boys.

A nice book to read to your children.

[Fee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost hated this book. The first few chapters did not impress me much and I somehow had this inexplicable annoyance towards the tone and style used to narrate the story.

The 67th page, the chapter where The Minister was introduced, changed my initial opinion about this book entirely.

"The boys called him The Minister because they'd first seen him on a Sunday morning and he'd slapped the water loud as the preacher'd pounded the pulpit on Easter."

I couldn't believe that happened to be the most memorable sentence I read from this book, but that just happened. The story went better after that. A lot more interesting things happened.

Each chapter is short and sweet, and the characters are well explained. I love Little Klein because I can absolutely relate to him, being the youngest with three older siblings. Getting to know LeRoy's thoughts is also something so enjoyable to read.

This is definitely such a sweet story of boys growing up in the 1940s. Recommended for children (or adults!) who love realistic old school adventures.

[Cinnamon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice family and coming of age story. Very easy for kids to relate to.
Harold is known by everyone as Little Klein because not only is he the youngest of four boys, but he is also definitely the runt of the litter. His mother doesn't want to let him go, so she babies him. His older brothers treat him more like a pet or a toy that they tote along with them.
Little Klein only wants to be treated his age and he hopes that maybe having a dog will make his family see him as older. In comes LeRoy, a stray that adopts the boy and his family.
It takes a freak accident for the world to see that Little Klein is big enough to be a hero.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harold, the youngest of four boys, is known as Little Klein. Coddled by his mother, tolerated by his brothers (known collectively as the Big Kleins) this is the story of a young boy wishing he were everything he isn't: bigger, stronger, older, and if that's not possible, it would be nice to at least be heard. Young Klein grows into his own after a dramatic incident involving his older brothers, a tornado and the local falls. The story of Little Klein is linked with his family being adopted by a stray dog.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone seems to love this book, judging from the other reviews. And Lisa loves it, so I think maybe I just don't understand boys! It was cute, but I kept feeling like something was missing. Maybe it was because there wasn';t a huge amount of dialogue, like I am used to... Hmm. I will put this book in my library though. I also loved the parts that were from the dog's perspective--that part was super cute.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely charming story of a boy, Little Klein, his brothers "The Bigs," and his dog, LeRoy. (Awesome names.) A normal, busy family of boys and their adventures—dogs, fishing, dog houses, pie—in small town America of 1949. And how Little Klein became "big." Fun dog-thoughs on life from LeRoy's point of view.

Charming, lovely book, and must read for those who like positive stories of boys and their dogs and joys of normal life.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read youth fiction in ages, so it took me a bit to get into this. But each night, I became more interested in seeing how the story would end. I was happily surprised by the twist at the end! Our book group is going to Skype the author this month, so we are reading different books by her. Of course, LeRoy was my favorite character.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good story with warm characters and a charming dog. Living with older siblings is not easy but when you are small and they are big, it can be even harder. Little Klein is set in the late 1930's, a time of innocence and sweetness in his small town.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Festival author. Chapter book. "A boy and his loyal dog roam freely and make mischief in a compelling portrait of a spirited family in bygone America."

"Compelling" is a bit overstated. Entertaining.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a vey sweet story -- and I don't mean that in a bad way. It spans all ages, a good read aloud for the younger set, but could even be appreciated by middle schoolers. Harold (aka Little Klein)is a character who is quirky and lovable.

[Jacklyn L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

1-17-11

I just finished! It was a touching book. I would recomend it to people who like books about people who overcome their nickname. One connection I made was when the main character didn't want to do something because he was scared and I have felt that way several times before.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

dusty smal town summers - tom sawyer isn't the only one who knew how to enjoy them.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of sweetest children's books I've ever read.

[Joann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too slow moving for me--not nostalgic, just not interesting. I wanted to like it.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little book. Refreshing story of a boy and his dog. The dog is still alive by the end of the book.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last two chapters make this book - A sweet read.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a school assignment. I recommend it to anybody who likes cliff hangers.