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Tuck Everlasting

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1975

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Book Brief

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Natalie Babbitt

Tuck Everlasting

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1975
Book Details
Pages

160

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Treegap • 1880s

Publication Year

1975

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Lexile Level

770L

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Super Short Summary

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt follows young Winnie Foster as she discovers a family, the Tucks, who have gained immortality from a mystical spring. In deciding whether to drink from the spring herself, Winnie grapples with themes of life, death, and the passage of time, while also confronting a manipulative stranger seeking the spring's power for personal gain. The story touches on the challenging topic of death.

Mysterious

Contemplative

Bittersweet

Melancholic

Fantastical

Reviews & Readership

4.3

288,756 ratings

69%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting captivates with its exploration of immortality and the beauty of life's natural cycle. Reviewers appreciate its lyrical prose and profound themes suitable for young readers and adults alike. However, some find the pacing slow and character development lacking in depth. Overall, it remains a beloved, thought-provoking classic.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Tuck Everlasting?

Ideal for middle-grade readers aged 9-12, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt appeals to those who enjoy pondering philosophical questions about life and mortality. Fans of Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle will appreciate its blend of fantasy and deep themes.

4.3

288,756 ratings

69%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

Character List

Winnie (Winifred) Foster

Winnie is the protagonist of *Tuck Everlasting*. She is a young girl who matures throughout the story, experiencing both frustration and excitement as she learns about different ways of living and grows to understand her own desires.

Angus, known as Tuck, is one of the main figures in *Tuck Everlasting*. He is deeply affected by his immortal life and is drawn to Winnie because she symbolizes the change he can no longer experience.

Mae is a pragmatic and protective figure in *Tuck Everlasting*. She is described as both calm and fierce, willing to do whatever is necessary to protect her family and Winnie.

Jesse is the younger Tuck son in *Tuck Everlasting*. He enjoys his eternal life with a sense of wonder and offers Winnie a chance at immortality, intrigued by the qualities he sees in her.

Miles, the older Tuck son, appears in *Tuck Everlasting* as a figure carrying the burden of unchanged life. He has experienced personal loss due to his immortality, missing out on life changes his family underwent.

This character in *Tuck Everlasting* is an antagonist driven by a lifelong desire for immortality, representing the danger of obsession.

Winnie’s family, appearing in *Tuck Everlasting*, influences her perspective on life, representing the predictable world she knows before encountering the Tucks.

Book Details
Pages

160

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Treegap • 1880s

Publication Year

1975

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Lexile Level

770L

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