Popcorn Days and Buttermilk Nights

By Gary Paulsen

Book Overview

"Paulsen (a Newbery Honor author) adds another affecting and realistic title to his pantheon of stories about outsiders learning how to become more positive forces in the world."--SLJ

From the city Carley learned rage--can the country bring him peace?

Carley would rather be anywhere but here: a town deep in Minnesota's farm country, with nothing plentiful except poverty. Still, staying with his uncle David and his family is better than reform school--which was where Carley was heading. Something was eating away at him, making him do crazy, violent things. No one could understand why--least of all Carley himself. But then David takes Carley to his blacksmith forge. And under the grim nights and days of the Minnesota fall, under the glow of hot steel, and the most exhausting work he has ever known, Carley begins to see a way to shape his life.

"A beautiful written message of hope."--International Checkpoint

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140342044
• ISBN13: 9780140342048
• Release Date: September 1989
• Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 4.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Paulsen Plus

I love almost anything that Gary Paulsen writes, but in my estimation this book is one of the best. I was deeply moved by the little man who accomplished so much for the love of his family. The protagonist is a juvenile, in legal trouble, who is sent to live with his uncle, a blacksmith in rural Minnesota. The boy learns the value of work from his hardworking uncle, but he learns more when the uncle spends his little spare-time to create a carnival for his children because he wasn't able to take them to one. I have owned this book for a long time but recently bought a second copy to lend to other admirers of Paulsen. I am a librarian in off-road Alaska. This book is so different from his better know and loved survival tales, that I wanted others to see the more tender side of Paulsen.

Popcorn Days and Buttermilk Nights

The book started off boring then it got more interesting. Carley goes from a bad kid to a respectful hardworking kid. This book is the most interesting book I have read this year I didn't want to put it down. I started the book and didn't put it down until I was down. I think this is a good book or anyone to read. To find out why I gave it a five you'll have to read the book.

The popcorn boy was funny

The setting of story was Norsten Minnesota in the year 1989. The main characters in the book are a boy name Carley,David and Emily.My favorite character was the boy Carley Silly because he was funny when he fell down.My favorite part was when they ate the popcorn.I recommend this book to people 7 to ten years old because it is an interesting story about a boy who moves to a new city.

One of Paulsen's good ones

In my opinion Paulsen writes some great books and some so-so ones. This is one of the great ones for the description it gives of rural life and values and is tremendously evocative of a sense of place and time. I don't know if young people will have the same reaction but I'm going to give it to my eleven year old son and find out.

Brevity of text inviting, insights on behavior valuable.

This "easy read" about a young man stuggling to change his behavior may offer other preadolescents/adolescents a character with whom they can identify. The story line is somewhat trite and not very exciting. However, to a young person searching for some possible reasons for "why s/he does the things s/he does" and coupled with the need for a quick book report may be able to accomplish both with this "one night" read.