Book review of "Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley"

Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley, by Marguerite Henry

4 stars

Description: It's not fair. The neighbors' only child has TWO horses. Molly is an only child who doesn't have any. She doesn't even have a dog, for Pete's sake. But on her tenth birthday, her parents spring a surprise -- they're taking her to an auction! Excited, overjoyed, thrilled that her dearest wish has come true, Molly heads the the auction with her head in the clouds, dreaming of the perfect little colt or filly she will be bringing home to dazzle her school friends. After years of hoping and waiting, Molly is finally going to get a horse of her own... or is she?

Concerns: None.

Summary: A well-told tale from the reigning queen-authoress of all horse stories, Sunshine is a fun story that will satisfy young horse-lovers (and especially the mournfully horseless horse-lovers) who dream of silky manes, oats, and the smell of freshly-mown hay in their own barn. Molly puts in a lot of hard work before her dream is fully accomplished, but it's the kind of work that is a reward in itself, aside from being a rewarding read!

Book Review of "Little House in the Big Woods"

Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

4.5 stars

Description: The Big Woods might be lonely, but it's never boring for young Laura and Mary Ingalls. There's housework to do, cheese-making, churning the butter, smoking the meat, and a thousand other chores to keep their house snug with food on the table. Unfortunately for Laura, she seems to hit a snag around every turn; it's so hard to be good, and Mary makes it look so easy! But despite the pretty pebbles that ruin her best dress and the disastrous argument over curls, Laura muddles through -- and in this tale, we follow the her family through fall harvesting, maple-sugaring, trips to town, and even as Ma slaps a bear (eeeek!). 

Concerns: One song lyric struck me as racially inappropriate.

Summary: Everybody has heard of the little Ingalls girls growing up in their log cabin, but how many know what a spunky character Laura really was? Aside from the fascinating anecdotes about life with no electricity, her story is hilarious to anybody familiar with cranky kids. Young Laura is no angel, and her memoirs don't sugarcoat her attitude or the spankings she so richly deserved! This isn't a suspenseful or action-packed read, but it is a lovely story and very engaging.

Book Review of "Basil and the Lost Colony"

Basil and the Lost Colony, by Eve Titus

4 stars

Description: Basil of Baker Street, that quick-witted sleuth of the world's mouseholes, is at it again! This time, he is off on a globe-trotting adventure to Switzerland to uncover the secrets of an lost colony of mice -- but he soon finds he is not the only one chasing those ancient secrets. His arch-nemesis, Professor Ratigan, has concocted another scheme for seizing brutal control of the world of mice, and will stop at nothing to beat Basil to the scene! Can the great sleuth defeat ambushes, avalanches, and even kidnapping to win the day?

Concerns: A superstition (found to be false) that the mountain-top hosts evil spirits; talk that mice may someday evolve thumbs.

Summary: The Basil of Baker Street stories are short but action-packed, and this one is no exception. There's enough of danger and mystery to capture the attention of younger kids, while older readers will have fun catching the similarities to the Sherlock Holmes stories, including the climactic waterfall duel between Ratigan and Basil himself. A easy read with plenty of twists along the way.

Book Review of "The Rebel"

The Williamsburg Years #1: The Rebel, by Nancy Rue

4 stars

Description: The American Revolution has been dragging on for years, but for young Thomas, the war seems far away. As the spoiled son of a Virginia plantation owner, Thomas does whatever he pleases -- but suddenly discovers that even a remote war can change his life! Transplanted from his posh surroundings to the mundane town of Williamsburg where he has to do horrible things called chores and schoolwork, Thomas must face his own faults if he wants to do more than just survive. In a young country still in turmoil over Loyalists versus Patriots, he has run out of time to decide who he wants to be.

Concerns: None.

Summary: Thomas has more than his share of character flaws, and this book chronicles his struggle to find his place in a world gone topsy-turvy. The historical snippets are intriguing (I liked the mysterious bottles in the apothecary shop!), the characters are great fun, and the story has a liberal sprinkling of adventure and suspense. This book is a great start to a well-written series about colonial life during the war. (The series is currently out-of-print, but discounted copies still float around online.)

Book Review of "The Champion of Merrimack County"

The Champion of Merrimack County, by Roger Drury

4 stars

Description: Whoever heard of a mouse that could ride a bicycle? Certainly not the bicycle repairman. Or the blacksmith. Or the watchmaker. Or the doctor. Or the dentist! But all of these folks are roped into helping fix the damage when an extraordinary mouse who CAN ride a bicycle takes a spectacular crash in young Janet Berryfield's bathtub! Will this unlikely collection of fix-its be able to repair the embarrassed mouse's bicycle and dislocated tail before the championship race? And what will happen when professional mice exterminators are called in by Janet's unsuspecting father?

Concerns: The Dad is the grouchy "villain" of the story, which is annoying.

Summary: An un-apologetically silly romp through the shops, medical offices, and bathtubs (!) of Merrimack county, this little tale is both amusing and intriguing -- and it must be admitted, the death-defying bicycle rides around the rim of the bathtub sound wonderfully exciting! If you've read and enjoyed anything by Dick King-Smith (Babe, Smasher, A Mouse called Wolf, etc.), you'll love this one. So fly me to Jupiter on a bumblebee, let's go!

Book review of "In Grandma's Attic"

In Grandma's Attic, by Arleta Richardson

4.5 stars

Description: Growing up in the early days of America -- complete with horse and buggy, one-room schoolhouses, and a barn full of cows -- sounds idyllic. Not so for young Mabel. Unhappily for her but luckily for us readers, her growing up years were chock-full of mistakes, mishaps, and just plain embarrassing moments. As the grown Mabel recounts tales of her growing-up years, she treats her readers to a riotous romp through the fields, forests, and schoolhouses of yore in this series of short stories. Who knew hoop skirts could cause such horrors in church, of all places???

Concerns: None.

Summary: If you set down the irrepressible Anne from Green Gables into the setting of Little House in the Big Woods, you would be rewarded with something like this book. The series is wonderfully funny, none the less so because our hapless heroine just never quite seems to come out on top. But although the stories usually feature the embarrassing consequences of her own silly choice, "Grandma" takes the lesson  in stride, and can even laugh at her old mistakes. If you've ever wondered how to lose a buggy, bake a cake, or even bake your clothes (yup!) don't miss these humorous but sweet tales from yesteryear.

Book Review of "Escape to Murray River"

Escape to Murray River, by Robert Elmer

4 stars

Description: Patrick McWaid isn't looking for trouble. Neither is his family. But when Patrick's father is accused of a crime he didn't commit, the entire family is thrown into an adventure that will take them half-way around the world to the prison colony in Australia! From desperate attempts to communicate with his jailed father to a lost-at-sea brush with sharks, Patrick's escape to Murray River is an adventure he never could have imagined ... and it only gets worse when he realizes he is being followed by his family's worst enemy.

Concerns: None.

Summary: The first in an eight-book series, Escape to Murray River is a enthralling journey. The time and place aren't familiar topics in children's literature, and the snippets of Australian life can catch you off guard (um, no, those tasty things aren't almond sausages!). It was a favorite when I was younger, and I remember being sad to see it end. It takes the author some time to hit his stride in this book, but once he does it is high adventure all the way.