Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Reviewed by Lori
Tuck Everlasting
Title: Tuck Everlasting

Author: Natalie Babbit

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 307191

Description: The Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation when they discover that a ten-year-old girl and a malicious stranger now share their secret about a spring whose water prevents one from ever growing any older.

Rubric Rating: Level 4: Love It!  This is one of my all-time favourite books.

Why I Read It: I first read this book when I was about 10 or 11 years old and I loved it.  I re-read it every now and again.

Lori's Notes: I really enjoy this book and it's one of those stories that I can read again and again.  I am fascinated by the Tuck family and the idea of immortality.  Who hasn't wanted to live forever?  Not only are the Tuck's immortal but they are also ever youthful, never growing older and never changing. Jesse Tuck is stuck at 17 wandering the world with his parents and brother.  That is until he meets lonely Winnie Foster.  An only child, Winnie becomes fascinated by this loving family and with Jesse in particular.  Jesse Tuck wants Winnie to drink from the Spring of Immortality when she turns 17 so they can spend their lives together.  Winnie must decide whether to drink and become immortal or just live her life and grow old.  Her decision is not easy and it's this discussion that makes this book such a fabulous read.  By drinking the water she will eventually pull herself "out of time." Events and people will come and go but she will remain forever unchanged; she won't be able to participate in the world around her.  This is also a dangerous situation, as the Tuck family illustrates, when Ma Tuck is arrested.  If their secret is found out it puts not only them in danger but anyone who knows about the spring.  If everyone drank from the spring the world would eventually become overpopulated.  This book illustrates why death is a natural and important part of life.

Recommended Readers: Grade 4 and up.  Anyone.  It's a great read.

Themes: Mortality and Immortality, Coming of Age, Friendship, Family, Decisions, Secrets.

Cross-Genre Links: 
Movie: Tuck Everlasting (2002)
Music: Who Wants to Live Forever performed by Queen
Google Search: Fountain of Youth

Post Reading Discussion Questions and Activities:
  • How have the Tuck Family become immortal and why don't they tell anyone about it?
  • Do we ever find out who the Man in the Yellow Suit is?  Who could he be an archetype of?
  • There are some definite similarities between the characters and situations in Tuck Everlasting and Twilight by Stephanie Meyers.  Write a comparison essay of these novels.  (Edward vs. Jessie, Winnie Vs. Bella, Who wants immortality and who doesn't etc, consequences of final decisions etc).
  • What does Winnie finally decide?  
  • Would you want to live forever like the Tucks?  Create a T chart with both positive and negative aspects of immortality.

Other Support Materials:

Other Titles by Natalie Babbitt:


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