I hadn't read this since high school, but had wanted to pick it up again ever since last summer when I read the Chris Bohjahlian book that borrows so heavily from it. Really, it's a shame that this is part of the 9th grade curriculum – I certainly didn't appreciate the beauty of Fitzgerald's language or his keen social wit at 14. I highly recommend a reread to anyone for whom it's been a while.

This was my absolute favorite book as a child. I can still remember most of it verbatim. The meter is delightful and the story is charming (who didn't prefer books about poorly behaved creatures?) It's been out of print for years, so I can't wait until I can afford to order a fancy vintage copy of it.