Saturday, February 26, 2011

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley

....a cup of ale without a wench, why alas,
'tis like an egg without salt or a red herring
without mustard.
Thomas Lodge and Robert Greene
A Looking Glasse for London and Englande (1592)

About the book: Award-winning author Alan Bradley returns with another beguiling novel starring the insidiously clever and unflappable eleven-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce. The precocious chemist with a passion for poisons uncovers a fresh slew of misdeeds in the hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey—mysteries involving a missing tot, a fortune-teller, and a corpse in Flavia’s own backyard.
Flavia had asked the old Gypsy woman to tell her fortune, but never expected to stumble across the poor soul, bludgeoned in the wee hours in her own caravan. Was this an act of retribution by those convinced that the soothsayer had abducted a local child years ago? Certainly Flavia understands the bliss of settling scores; revenge is a delightful pastime when one has two odious older sisters. But how could this crime be connected to the missing baby? Had it something to do with the weird sect who met at the river to practice their secret rites? While still pondering the possibilities, Flavia stumbles upon another corpse—that of a notorious layabout who had been caught prowling about the de Luce’s drawing room.
Pedaling Gladys, her faithful bicycle, across the countryside in search of clues to both crimes, Flavia uncovers some odd new twists. Most intriguing is her introduction to an elegant artist with a very special object in her possession—a portrait that sheds light on the biggest mystery of all: Who is Flavia?
As the red herrings pile up, Flavia must sort through clues fishy and foul to untangle dark deeds and dangerous secrets.

First Line: "You frighten me," the Gypsy said. "Never have I seen my crystal ball so filled with darkness."

My Thoughts: I love the imaginative titles Alan Bradley comes up with for this series. Ever since I read the first one, Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, I've been hooked on these stories. This was another fun romp around the 1950s English country side with Flavia and her faithful bike Gladys (an adventurous female with Dunlop tires, three speeds and a forgiving disposition) as she seeks clues, gets into trouble and "helps" the local police. As the title suggests there are indeed red herrings, many of them, to be found.

Flavia is a precocious, self aware eleven year old who has a GREAT interest in all things chemical. It helps that the family home is equipped with a chemical laboratory that a great uncle established. She has claimed it as her own. For all her intelligence and talent, Flavia is still a typical eleven year old when it comes to dealing with family problems, sibling rivalry and other mundane bits of life. I think you'll like this charming book! Get it and read it.





CymLowell

The Fourth Man by K.O. Dahl

About the book: In the course of a routine police raid, Detective Inspector Frank Frølich saves Elizabeth Faremo from getting caught in the crossfire. Some weeks later, Frølich coincidentally sees her again—but their ensuing affair is no accident. By the time he learns that she is no stranger—but rather the sister of a wanted member of a larceny gang—it is already too late.
In the middle of one night, Frølich receives a call that a young guard has been killed in the course of a robbery. Scrambling to respond, he realizes that Elizabeth is no longer in his bed. In a turn of events cryptic, erotic, and complex, he finds himself a prime murder suspect and under the watch of his doubting colleagues. Led through the dark underworld of Oslo, Frølich must find out if he is being used . . . before his life unravels beyond repair.
The Fourth Man is a sexy, fast-paced psychological thriller that puts a modern twist on the classic noir story of the femme fatale. K.O. Dahl has crafted a dark, poetic, and incredibly complex crime novel for his US debut—the first in a series of detective novels from this rising international mystery star.


First line: Two men had stopped outside the gate.

My thoughts: This Norwegian novel was translated by Don Bartlett and has won the Riverton prize for Norway’s best crime novel. The blurb indicates that this is a dark, noir-ish story and I found it to be a fairly dark police procedural/psychological thriller. The plot is twisty and it held my interest, especially in the second half of the book. I enjoyed the sense of place I felt (snowy and cold,) so different from here in Texas. The translation was good, easy to understand with only a few moments of distracting awkwardness. For example: Frank Frolich took a decision: he put the car into gear and drove off. I didn't feel like I got to know Frank very well, he was hurt and dysfunctional going from one bit of bad news to the next. The end surprised me! I enjoyed reading this book and would like to read more from this author.


Rating:


Quote: She was the crowning glory of a total work of art: the materialized essence of litter, blaring radio, mess and an aura of liberated indifference.

New Word: millefeuilles - French Vanilla Slices are called 'Mille-feuilles' and are made with puff pastry sandwiched together with jam, cream, or confectioners' custard.

Friday, February 25, 2011

A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

About the book: If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson the day before, or the day after, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. And when the four prosecution witnesses are a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat and the youngest partner in an established firm's history, who is going to believe his side of the story?
Danny is sentenced to 22 years and sent to Belmarsh prison, the highest security jail in the land, from where no inmate has ever escaped. But Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny's determination to seek revenge and Beth's relentless quest to win justice, which forces all four protagonists to fight for their lives.

First line: "Yes'" said Beth. She tried to look surprised, but wasn't all that convincing as she had already decided that they were going to be married in secondary school.

My Thoughts: There is a possibility that this book will end up on my favorites list for the year. I was quite interested when I learned that this novel was a modernised version of Alexander Dumas' book The Count of Monte Cristo. I liked the way this book flowed, it was straight forward starting at the beginning and going on from there with a couple of twists especially at the end. The courtroom scenes were long but intense, there was a little sweet romance (not graphic,) switched identities, financial intrigue, forging, stamp collecting, and..... well more. Had I been reading this I might have found it to drag in the middle, however I listened to the unabridged version and thought that the person who read it, Roger Allam, did a fantastic job. I'm going to recommend this book to you, I think you'll enjoy it.

Rating:

Quote: "No, Mr Redmayne, not my tears. Although I've read that letter every day for the past eight months, those tears were not shed by me, but by the man who wrote them. He knew how much I loved him. We would have made a life together even if we could only spend one day a month with each other. I'd have been happy to wait twenty years, more, in the hope that I would eventually be allowed to spend the rest of my life with the only man I'll ever love. I adored Danny from the day I met him, and no one will ever take his place."


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Ibis: A True Whale Story by John Himmelman

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic (January 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 059042849

From Publishers Weekly: Ibis is a young humpback whale, "curious about everything in the ocean." She and her friend Blizzard grow up together, looking at starfish and making friends with people and boats. One day Ibis gets caught in a fishing net; after extended struggling, she breaks loose, but part of the net is caught in her mouth and wrapped around her tail. She suffers for weeks, unable to surface or to eat without difficulty and pain. Finally, Blizzard finds Ibis and pushes her to the surface, where two rafts full of people help keep her afloat and untangle the nets to set her free. Based on the true story of the first successful whale-entanglement rescue, which took place near Provincetown, Mass., in 1984, Himmelman's ( Amanda and the Witch Switch ) soft, lively watercolors are very nicely composed. Although textual and illustrative personification throughout most of the book is strained, Himmelman's account of the rescue itself--in both words and pictures--is completely engrossing.


My Thoughts: This is an interesting, fun read. The second grade kids never fail to be captured by the pictures and the imaginative story. I like that it is based on a true event, what a great way to start discussions.

Monday, February 21, 2011

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan


Synopsis:In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

First line: My mother used to tell me about the ocean.

My Thoughts: I truly enjoyed this YA dystopian novel. I thought it verged on horror with the gruesome deaths and descriptions of the Unconsecrated (zombies.) I found the Unconsecrated to be creepy and the romance to be as painful as I've come to expect from YA romance. The setting reminded me of the movie The Village mixed with your choice of a zombie movie. Interesting. This page turner kept me reading until well past my bed time, and I'm too old to stay up too late.Ryan's world building here was quite good, I was surprised to find that I wasn't reading about happenings on an alternate world, but right here on our earth. That made it that much more scary. I had a couple of issues with this story. One was I didn't find out how the how it all began, what caused The Return. Another was with Mary. As much as I liked her character in this book I wish she could have found happiness. I hope these things are covered in the sequels. I'll be reading them. If you like YA, dystopian or horror novels I think you'll like this one.

Quote: I try to get a feel for the blade in my hand, for my only weapon. From a young age everyone in my village is taught how to fight for a day such as this. The wood on the handle is smooth and slippery from the dampness of my palm. It feels awkward and unwieldy, and the bag of food throws me off balance.

Links:
Carrie Ryan

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The End of the Road by Sue Henry

About the book: Maxie McNabb and her mini-dachshund, Stretch, meet a drifter who is ready to settle down in Homer, Alaska...in a most unexpected way.
Drifter John Walker has no friends in the area and no particular plans, but he's so engaging that Maxie invites the wayward soul over for dinner. The next day Walker moves on -- but a phone call informs Maxie that Walker never made it out of his motel room, where he's been found dead....
What looks like a simple suicide quickly grows complicated when the police discover that Walker never existed. His name is false. His fingerprints are not on file anywhere, and he matches no missing-person report. Caught up in the case, Maxie tries to fathom why Walker chose to end his life where the U.S. highway system ends in the waters of Kachemak Bay -- and where Maxie just might meet a dead end of her own....

First line: I woke late on Friday, the first of November, having stayed up late with a favorite book that I was reading between trips to the door in answer to the intermittent summons of several pirates, a robot costumed in cardboard boxes, a couple of skeletons, and a steady stream or other trick-or-treaters whose attire defied analysis in combination with their winter boots, coats, hats, and gloves.

My thoughts: I have been a fan of Sue Henry since I started reading her Jesse Arnold novels. These Maxie and Stretch books are an off shoot of those. I enjoyed this visit with Maxie and as usual loved Stretch. This was a nice cozy read, like visiting with an old friend. I liked the descriptions of Homer, Alaska. There wasn't much mystery and Maxie didn't actually do any poking around, everything happened around her. The ending felt rushed, it was just kind of rolled out there to bring the conclusion. It just wasn't on Sue Henry's best.
The End of the Road is the fourth book in this series. This would work as a stand alone, you wouldn't have to read the first three to be able to enjoy this one but I have to say that I liked the other books in this series better. My favorite was The Serpents Tail, so I would suggest that one to you first.

Rating:



Quote: She was not kidding about the bell. Above the counter between the kitchen and dining area is a ship's bell that I hung up back in the day when I grew weary of calling my always scattered family to dinner. it still gets regular use, even to summon Stretch, who has learned it often means food and is no dummy when it cimes to mealtimes.
Links:

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayer (1923)

Product Description:The stark naked body was lying in the tub.Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder -- especially with a pair of gold pince-nez deliberately perched before the sightless eyes. What's more, the face appeared to have been shaved after death. The police assumed that the victim was a prominent financier, but Lord Peter Wimsey, who dabbled in mystery detection as a hobby, knew better. In this, his first murder case, Lord Peter untangles the ghastly mystery of the corpse in the bath.

First line: "Oh damn!" said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus. "Hi, Driver!"
My thoughts: I would have never discovered Lord Peter Wimsey is it were not for the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge at My Readers Block. I found Lord Peter to be somewhat frivolous (nicer than silly) and eccentric. However there was one look into his past where I saw a very serious side to him and caused me to appreciate him more. This was a fun, quick read introducing clues throughout. The solution came in the form of a letter where the murderer confessed all in detail. In the letter we see that Lord Peter's findings and assumptions were correct. I thought his mother was delightful. I've seen several reviews that say Sayers book "Nine Tailors" is a better Lord Peter novel. I think I'll try that one.

Quote: At Denver things moved in an orderly way; no one died sudden and violent deaths except aged setters - and partridges, to be sure.

New word: vermiform - resembling a worm in shape

Links:
Wikipedia
Free ebook
Dorothy L. Sayers

Friday, February 18, 2011

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Product Description: When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?
To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs. Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?


First lines: No one is staring at you, I promised myself. No one is staring at you. No one is staring at you. But, because I couldn't lie convincingly even to myself, I had to check


My thoughts: I liked this one much more than I liked Eclipse. I liked that Bella grew up and the teenage whining stopped, at least after the wedding. I found it irritating when Bella kept whining about the great car Edward got for her. It was also irritating for her to keep whining about having to marry the love of her life. I just couldn't understand that. Generally I am a fan of the Happy Ending. I got that here. But it was not without disappointment along the way. The book could have been tightened up, it was way too long, made that with stuff that added nothing to the plot. Some of the character's personalities changed in mid-stride and became people I barely recognized. Well, enough. I'm glad I read this series after all the talk about it. It was fun escapism.

Quote: "It was not going to be the end of the world. Just the end of the Cullens. The end of Edward, the end of me. I preferred it that way – the last part anyway. I would not live without Edward again; if he was leaving this world, then I would be right behind him."

Monday, February 14, 2011

Luke Goes to Bat by Rachel Isadora

Synopsis: Whenever the Dodgers play in Brooklyn, Luke goes up to his roof where he can see the lights of Ebbets Field and imagine each play in the game. Someday he wants to hit a homerun like his hero, Jackie Robinson. But the kids on Bedford Avenue won't let him play. "You're just a squirt," they tell him.
When he finally does get to play stickball with the others, he does so badly that he thinks they'll never let him play again. But then his grandma takes him to see Jackie in a real game, and Luke discovers that part of being a hero is never giving up, even when there are two strikes against you and the game seems out of reach.
Rachel Isadora offers up a touching salute to 1950s Brooklyn, baseball, and one of the most inspiring players ever to take the field.

First lines: It was Brooklyn. It was summer. It was baseball.

My thoughts: I liked this story of a 1950's boy desiring to play ball with his friends. It was a look into the past with a little history about the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson. With Jackie Robinson as one of the main characters, it was great for Black History month as well. The lesson taught here, never give up, was written and illustrated well. The kids in class enjoyed this book. You may need to explain the parts of the book where his imagination is working. These are set apart by being painted in shades of gray and white. The paintings for the rest of the story are colorful and realistic.

Quote:"Not everyone plays like Jackie Robinson all the time. Not even Jackie Robinson."

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile


Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Regulators by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

About the book: By nightfall, almost everyone in the quiet town of Wentworth, Ohio will be dead, and the survivors will be whisked away to the world of regulators--where terrifying nightmares come true. The impending carnage seems to revolve around an autistic 8-year-old; but until he speaks, the residents of Wentworth will never know why the regulators have come, what powers they possess, how far they will go, and how they can be stopped.

First line: Summer's here. Not just summer, either, not this year, but the apotheosis of summer, the avatar of summer, high green perfect central Ohio summer dead-smash in the middle of July, white sun glaring out of that fabled faded Levi's sky, the sound of kids hollering back and forth through the Bear Street Woods at the top of the hill, the tink! of Little League bats from the ballfield on the other side of the woods, the sound of power-mowers, the sound of muscle-cars out on Highway 19, the sound of Rollerblades on the cement sidewalks and smooth macadam of Poplar Street, the sound of radios - Cleveland Indian baseball (the rare day game) competing with Tina Turner belting out "Nutbush City Limits," the one that goes "Twenty-five is the speed limit, motorcycles not allowed in it" - and surrounding everything like an auditory edging of lace, the soothing, silky hiss of lawn sprinklers. (That's one long sentence.)

My thoughts: I found this to be a scary fun read. It took a little to get going but when it did it didn't let up till the end. What amazed me was that this chunkster took place over the course of 2 or 3 hours one afternoon. King did his thing here placing normal, everyday people in a horrific situation. There were a lot of characters but I found them surprisingly easy to keep straight. Maybe it was that they kept getting killed off. The evil force known as "Tak" that takes over Seth is well written and I found it interesting and disconcerting that it was so evil yet loved such childish things: chocolate milk, a certain cartoon, old cowboy movies and shows etc. It (Tak) used these things it loved to decimate the neighborhood. What could be scarier than knowing you were being attacked by a cartoon character with Hoss Cartwright riding shotgun? It was rather gory in places but that is to be expected. If you are a fan of King or horror fiction you'll like this book.

Rating:
Quote: And, far back in the network of caves and tunnels and boltholes the boy had constructed 9the part of him that did not want Tak, the part that was horrified of the stranger now living in his head,) Tak caught a glimmer, a faint pulse, that it recognized.
Links:

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

From the back: At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance: a former student who has lost the will to live: Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.

First Line: For many years Henry Kitteridge was a pharmacist in the next town over, driving every morning on snowy roads. or rainy roads, or summer-time roads, when the wild raspberries shot their new growth in brambles along the last section of town before he turned off th where the wider road led to the pharmacy.

My Thoughts: This was an unusual novel for me. The fact that is was a series of short stories linked together and revolving around a central character (Olive Kitteridge) was a interesting way to create a novel. In some of the stories Olive just had a bit part, in others she was the story. In each one you learn a little more about Olive, see different sides of her. I found her to be noble, vicious, pitiable, smart, self centered, unaware and even likable depending on which side you were seeing. For the most part I could not understand Olive, she had a husband who loved her and a son who wanted her love and she gave them nothing. I found this book terribly depressing from the first story (which broke my heart) to the last. There were no bright spots as I read stories of accidents, deaths, murders, near-drownings, suicides, eating disorders, divorces, affairs, and cruel acts and thoughts. I felt for the characters, which shows how well written they were. Elizabeth Strout's insights into the working of the human mind made me want to examine my own life. Am I as oblivious to my loved ones as Olive? Even a little? I hope not. Since this was essentially a book of short stories, there were many characters and few were reoccurring. I would like to know what happened to some of them.
This was a well written book, beautiful prose in places, but totally depressing.

Rating:



Quote: "There were days - she could remember this - when Henry would hold her hand as they walked home, middle-aged people, in their prime. Had they known at these moments to be quietly joyful? Most likely not. People mostly did not know enough when they were living life that they were living it. But she had that memory now, of something healthy and pure."

Links:
Elizabeth Strout
Pulitzer Prize
Wikipedia article

Monday, February 7, 2011

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

About the book: Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour Eclipse, the much anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob --- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

First line: I ran my fingers across the page, feeling the dents where he had pressed the pen to the paper so hard that it had nearly broken through.


My thoughts: I'll have to say that Bella is even more annoying in this book, if that is possible. Edward comes off as a conrol freak and Jacob has a moment as a sexual predator. I didn't even like Charlie in this one much. At 600+ pages there was plenty of time for Bella to whine about stuff, demand her way then change her mind. The danger to everyone was just a short aside to all the posturing. I know this seems very negative and most of you who read will have loved this book. Sorry. I listened to this and if I had been reading it I would have done a LOT of skimming. I would have enjoyed it a lot more is it had been tightened up and some of the angst taken out. With that said, I have to see what happens so I'll be listening to Breaking Dawn next.

Rating:


Quote: "The worst part is that I saw the whole thing -- our whole life. And I want it bad, Jake, I want it all. I want to stay right here and never move. I want to love you and make you happy. And I can't, and it's killing me." (This is Bella talking to Jacob.)

Saturday, February 5, 2011

I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter

Synopsis: It takes a seasoned killer. . .Four famed ’60s radicals are gunned down at long range by a sniper. All the evidence—timeline, ballistics, forensics, motive, means, and opportunity—points to Marine war hero Carl Hitchcock. Even his suicide. The case is almost too perfect.. . . to hunt one.Recruited by the FBI to examine the data, retired Marine sharpshooter Bob Lee Swagger penetrates the new technology of the secretive sniper world to unravel a sophisticated conspiracy run by his most ruthless adversary yet—a marksman whose keen intellect and pinpoint accuracy rival his own. But when the enemy and his deadly henchmen mistake Bob for the hunted, it’s clear that some situations call for a good man with a gun . . . and the guts to use it.

First line: The time has long passed in America when one can say of a sixty-eight-year-old woman that she is "still" beautiful, the snarky little modifier, all buzzy with irony, signifying some kind of miracle that one so elderly could be so attractive.

My thoughts: This is the newest book in the Bob Lee "Bob the Nailer" Swagger series by Stephen Hunter. There are others in this series that I enjoyed more but this was still a page turner, a thriller. There was a lot of technical gun stuff here, just right for people who know anything about guns. I don't so just trusted that the author did his research. I may have skimmed some of the technical sections....I have enjoyed getting to know Bob over the years, he is a good guy who stands up for what is right, a guy in his sixties with the aches and pains to prove it. He is a rough and tumble hero who has been known to bend the rules. Over the course of the series he has demonstrated the ability to out-think and out-shoot the bad guys. A great read for those who like thrillers and shut-em-ups.

Personal note: I had a cat some years back named Bob and later dubbed Bob the Nailer. He could get you every time! And his claws were sharp!

Rating:
Quote:

Friday, February 4, 2011

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann

About the book: Officer Buckle knows more about safety than anyone in the town of Napville. But whenever he tries to share his safety tips, nobody listens.Until, that is, the Napville Police Department buys a police dog named Gloria.
Unbeknownst to Officer Buckle, Gloria has her own way of demonstrating safety tips–one that makes Napville sit up and take notice! Suddenly, everybody wants to hear Officer Buckle's safety speech. "And please" people say, "bring along that police dog."
When Officer Buckle discovers he's been upstaged, he vows to give up safety tips once and for all. Can Gloria convince her friend to return to the job he loves, or is Napville about to have its worst accident ever?

First Line: Officer Buckle knew more safety tips than anyone else in Napville

My Thoughts: First off I'd like to point out that this book won the 1996 Caldecott Medal. The illustrations are playful, colorful, and laugh out loud funny. The kids loved going through them and discussing the details, and there are a lot of things to find there. What a great jumping point to discuss the importance of rules at school and at home. There is a great lesson on team work and friendship as well. Even without the teachable moments afforded here it is just great fun to read. I love this book, you will too.

Rating:


Links:
Peggy Rathmann