Official Review: The Magic Clothesline by Scott W. Hume

[Kelyn]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Magic Clothesline" by Scott W. Hume.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Magic Clothesline by Scott Hume takes place in the mid-western section of America. It is a story about everyday items (i.e., clothes, towels, sheets, your typical family laundry) that come to life when they are hung up to dry. Together, they watch over their yard, their human family, and Roscoe, the new family puppy. In this story, they must band together to protect Roscoe from Tiny and Butch, the bull(y) dogs who patrol the neighborhood looking to start trouble. Curious about how this came to be? If you want to discover the ‘magic’ that allows the clothes to come alive, you’ll have to read the book!

“The Clothesline Gang,” which is what the children call the magical items, form a tightknit community that seems to reflect the working-class, mid-western nature of their family. Every member of the ‘gang’ cares about the others and will do anything necessary to help and protect them (in this case from the invading dogs). Each of these magical characters has been given a vivid, individual personality that suits their nature. For example, Big Mama is a warm, cuddly pink sweatshirt. Her personality is warm, kind, and protective. (She can get feisty when she needs to, though.) Harve, the light-blue mechanic’s jumpsuit, is the most expensive item on the clothesline, and he knows it. He comes across as smug, somewhat arrogant, and a bit prickly. However, he also works hard taking care of the others. Any child reading the book or having it read to them will most likely be able to relate the characters to someone in their life.

The Magic Clothesline seems to be structured for children who are phasing into chapter books but still find picture books interesting as well. Text and illustrations are alternated at a pace just right to hold a child’s attention and keep them engaged with the story. The wording is simple and appropriate for the suggested age range (9 to 12 years). The full-page illustrations are done in a manner reminiscent of the cartoons Arthur and Flat Stanley. However, they are not nearly as colorful. I believe the book would be more engaging if the colors were brighter and more eye-catching. There is one thing that stands out about the pictures. The expressions the illustrator has given each character excellently mirror whatever emotion is being portrayed at that point in the text. Before you ask, yes, the magical characters have faces that show emotion as clearly as the human characters do.

The author has intertwined several themes in The Magic Clothesline. Most prominent are the themes of bullying, friendship, and working together. Through the way the story unwinds, the author shows children that they can work together to overcome a bullying situation rather than leaving any one person to stand alone. Other themes seen in the microcosm of magical characters, echoing those in the real world, include the spirit of adventure, the bond between family members, kindness, and community.

Considering the story itself, the well-portrayed characters, and the valuable messages it contains, I would love to give the story a full four stars. Unfortunately, the book could use another round of editing. There were many errors in grammar and punctuation, and sentences that were phrased very awkwardly. For instance, the author tends to put the subject at the end of the sentence. “Landing on his feet with his trophy in his mouth and smiling proudly is Butch.” This might have been better phrased as “Smiling proudly, Butch lands on his feet with his trophy in his mouth.”

Given these errors, I must give The Magic Clothesline 3 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend it for children who are getting into longer books but still enjoy pictures as well. It would be especially appropriate for those who are experiencing bullying behavior. A copy of this, once re-edited, would be an excellent addition to elementary classrooms. Younger children with a long enough attention span may also enjoy being read the book by a parent or other adult.

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The Magic Clothesline
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[Ngozi Onyibor]

The book has a good plot and sound themes, it's unfortunate it lacks professional editing. I hope the author takes your review to heart and makes the necessary corrections. Thanks for sharing.

[Kristin Ransome]

This book seems like it would make a great additions to any young reader's book self. I like how the variety of characters ensures that every reader should be able to connect with at least one clothing item while they're reading! Thanks for your review

[Erin Dydek]

This is such a cute idea! There are some great themes included that would be great for the target audience.

[Prisallen]

I like the themes of "bullying, friendship, and working together." This sounds like it would have been a wonderful book if not for the errors. Great review!

[rumik]

So it's like Toy Story but with clothes instead of toys, lol. Jokes aside, this sounds like a really sweet story that any child would enjoy. Thanks for the review!

[Kelyn]

The book has a good plot and sound themes, it's unfortunate it lacks professional editing. I hope the author takes your review to heart and makes the necessary corrections. Thanks for sharing.

As do I! The awkward sentences, in particular, were difficult to ignore. Thanks for stopping in and commenting!

[Kelyn]

This book seems like it would make a great additions to any young reader's book self. I like how the variety of characters ensures that every reader should be able to connect with at least one clothing item while they're reading! Thanks for your review

That was one of my favorite aspects of this book. And the personalities were adorable as well. Thanks for stopping in and commenting!

[Kelyn]

This is such a cute idea! There are some great themes included that would be great for the target audience.

I like the themes of "bullying, friendship, and working together." This sounds like it would have been a wonderful book if not for the errors. Great review!

I agree! If it weren't for the errors, it would be a very applicable book for elementary classrooms. I can only hope the author will correct them. I appreciate both of you stopping by and commenting!

[Kelyn]

So it's like Toy Story but with clothes instead of toys, lol. Jokes aside, this sounds like a really sweet story that any child would enjoy. Thanks for the review!

I guess so! There's even a bit where they have to remain very still, so their humans won't see them moving or talking!! Thanks for dropping in and commenting!

[Agnes Masobeng]

Oh what a wonderful, honest review. Clothes coming to live and taking care of others is a magic that I'd like to witness. With such an amazing book, I hope the author rectifies the errors pointed out.

[Nisha Ward]

Editing errors aside, I'm reminded of Enid Blyton and her penchant for creating characters out of everyday objects. It's curious that the clothes' personality and roles are reminiscent of the way outsiders think of the American midwest, but I guess it makes sense when the aim is for children to relate to it.

[Kelyn]

Oh what a wonderful, honest review. Clothes coming to live and taking care of others is a magic that I'd like to witness. With such an amazing book, I hope the author rectifies the errors pointed out.

Thank you for the compliment! It is a rather fun book. With the errors corrected, it would be even better. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

[Kelyn]

Editing errors aside, I'm reminded of Enid Blyton and her penchant for creating characters out of everyday objects. It's curious that the clothes' personality and roles are reminiscent of the way outsiders think of the American midwest, but I guess it makes sense when the aim is for children to relate to it.

I'm not sure if I recognize that name? Do you remember the names of any of her books? // I thought it was interesting that the clothes and family were identified specifically as mid-western. It seems like a book that could apply anywhere! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

[Nisha Ward]

Editing errors aside, I'm reminded of Enid Blyton and her penchant for creating characters out of everyday objects. It's curious that the clothes' personality and roles are reminiscent of the way outsiders think of the American midwest, but I guess it makes sense when the aim is for children to relate to it.

I'm not sure if I recognize that name? Do you remember the names of any of her books? // I thought it was interesting that the clothes and family were identified specifically as mid-western. It seems like a book that could apply anywhere! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

The author of the Famous Five, I think?