A little slow in parts, along with some language, but very funny.
Plot
(This book was co-authored by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr., and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.)
Frank Gilbreth, a motion study expert, and his wife, Lillie, raise twelve children in this hilarious true story set in the early 1900's. In the words of Mr. Gilbreth, "Well, they come cheaper by the dozen, you know."
Morality
Mr. Gilbreth is sometimes temperamental or rude, although is a good father and a jolly person. He also plays jokes on the children and sometimes stretches the truth in order for a good joke to be made. In order to get discounts, Mr. Gilbreth lies about his nationality. For example, when he thinks the man at a toll bridge is Irish, he asks, "Do my Irishmen come cheaper by the dozen?"
Spiritual Content
A character refers to "the Lord Jesus", but means it sincerely. On the other hand, there are 19 nonchalant uses of the Lord's name. Other phrases include "holy Moses," "God help us all," "...I hope to heaven..." "thank God" (which doesn't appear to be used sincerely), "hell," "hell on earth," and "I'll swear."
A simple reference is made to the Koran.
Although the Gilbreths are Christians and Mrs. Gilbreth takes the children to Sunday school, Mr. Gilbreth has an offensively low view of pastors, which is only expressed in one chapter.
Violence
Some of the Gilbreth children are spanked. Mr. Gilbreth tells a Greek myth of a Spartan boy whose organs are chewed upon by a fox.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Someone drinks a "highball." The children have camphor filled bags to keep from getting sick. They are also given ether when they have their tonsils out. Someone thinks Mr. Gilbreth to be drunk when he isn't. Mr. Gilbreth and the children act like pirates on a boat and the book calls them "rum-palsied."
Sexual Content
The children's Aunt Anne is described as "big bosomed." Their Grandma uses her bosom to carry things such as camphor and eyeglasses; it is said that she "fumbled down her dress" to get her eyeglasses. "A New York woman connected with some sort of national birth control organization" comes to Montclair where the Gilbreths live.
A lady, said to be "looking for business" asks Mr. Gilbreth if he's looking for a "naughty little girl." When Mr. Gilbreth's first four children are girls, he jokes about his "harem."
Near the end of the book, Anne, Ernestine, and Martha start to be interested in boys and have beaus. One of Ernestine's beaus watches her through a window without her knowing, and Ernestine is distraught because she says she was about to undress.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
The words d**n, d**ned, and God-d**ned are each used once, and jack*** is used twice. The phrases "unprintable son of a ruptured deleted" and "son of an unprintable word" are used. Someone is called a "boob." Mr. Gilbreth writes some puns, one of which is "When igorots is bliss, 'tis folly to be white."
Conclusion
I enjoyed the writing style of this book because it is written by two of the Gilbreth children, so when the children are talked about they are referred to as "us" or "we."
This books is hard to find an ideal age for, because although I think it would be enjoyable to a younger audience, it has a lot of language and some sexual content. Besides that, this was overall a very enjoyable book. I laughed aloud many times and cried at the end. The book is written for 10+ year olds, but parents and readers may consider it better suited for 11-12 year olds.
Note: One of the Gilbreth's children, Mary, is only mentioned in one chapter of the book because she died when she was six (but her death is not mentioned). So there really are only eleven children.
