Clever-Lazy

by Joan Bodger

Far away, and on the other side of time, there lived Clever-Lazy, an explorer who loved to invent marvellous and useful things. She longed for a chance to do nothing but invent.

When that chance came, it was not quite what she expected. Not everyone understood her inventions. Sometimes they puzzled people, or frightened them. And the inventions that frightened even her, proved that invention for invention’s sake was not enough.

Clever-Lazy and her friend-husband Tinker move across a landscape that may or may not be ancient China. Certainly her inventions, including gunpowder, are all from that time and place. But whatever the setting, the truths of her story, and the magic and mystery of her fate exist everywhere and in all times.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Childrens

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a whole new appreciation for this book as an adult reading aloud to my 4-year old. Plus, I know a little bit more about Joan Bodger and her work establishing HeadStart-like programs in the 70s. You can see some of the Montessori and related philosophies leaking into the book.

As a kid, I mainly wanted to cheer on Clever-Lazy and her inventions and was rather confused by the ending, but as an adult, you can notice the post-partum depression and deeper themes while still cheering the inventions (and chemistry).

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fledgling inventor concentrates so hard on developing her genius, she almost forgets the teaching of the Goddess in the Dancing Mountains.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

My mom gave me this book when I was in grade four and I finally read it now (more than twenty years later!). This was such an imaginative story. I appreciate how resourceful and intelligent Clever-Lazy was. It was great to have a woman show how she can be confident and inventive. However, I found there was some jumping around in the plot and several parts were a bit hard to follow. There was also too much of a focus on feminism at the end in my opinion.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over and over again when I was a child. It still comes into my head as a 28 year old woman as one of my favourites that helped instill in me a love of reading.