Posted by Becca
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Dogs, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Monkeys, Wilson Rawls
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Jay Berry Lee loves to explore the river bottoms near his home in Oklahoma. One day, his dog, Rowdy, finds a strange creature in a tree. Jay Berry finds out from his grandpa that the creature is an escaped circus monkey and that there are about twenty-nine more. The circus is offering two dollars for each monkey, except for one. This one monkey is the leader of the other monkeys and the reward for it is a hundred dollars. Having the opportunity of making so much money, Jay Berry sets out to capture all thirty monkeys, but the task proves to be harder than he had expected.
Summer of the Monkeys is filled with Jay Berry’s humorous adventures. Every time the boy thinks he’s outsmarted the monkeys, the monkeys outsmart Jay Berry. Though there is some questionable theology about the Old Man of the Mountains, but the rest of the book is great. Be sure to have a tissue handy at the end because it’s very touching.
Posted by Becca
Categories: Non Fiction, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:American Cocker Spaniels, Animals, Dogs, Good Read Aloud, Jean Fritz, Out of Print, Tom Clute
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From the beginning, Prince Tom stood out from other dogs. He was a runt and the only blond puppy in a litter of black cocker spaniels. Thanks to his happy-go-lucky personality, Prince Tom was picked out as the perfect birthday gift for Tom Clute. From then on, Prince showed what he could do in the manner of tricks, obedience trials, and field trials.
Champion Dog Prince Tom is a must-read for dog lovers. It is the true story of a small cocker spaniel that set record after record, including the honor of being the first American cocker to win the national field trials and the only one to do so while holding obedience titles. The simple style of the book is perfect for younger readers, though older readers may still enjoy the story.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Mysteries, Review
Tags:Animals, Cats, dictator, Dogs, Freddy the Pig, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Horses, Poetry, politics, Walter R. Brooks
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When a young rabbit talks back to Mr. Bean, Freddy and Jinx know something’s up. When they follow the clues to a rebellious meeting of animals bent on taking over New York, they realize something is terribly wrong. But Freddy is unable to do anything right away, since his old friend Mr. Camphor needs help getting out of a nomination for governor. Then when he gets back, Jinx has turned traitor! Freddy has his hands full as the revolution begins…
Freddy and Simon the Dictator could possibly be one of the funniest Freddy books ever written! In this day and age, the political satire is welcome and hilarious. As the comedy continues, the story warps into perhaps the most sinister plot Walter Brooks ever wrote for Freddy, but the light-hearted humor is still around. As is always the case with these books, the person reading aloud will have more fun than the child being read to.
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Dogs, Johann Wyss, Seafaring
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On their way to a new life in a young colony, this family of six is shipwrecked off the coast of an unknown island. Of the entire ship’s crew and company, they are the only ones to make it to the safety of the island. There they find themselves confronted with a thousand problems, and, taking them on one by one, use ingenuity and common sense to conquer. From their lofty tree-dwelling of Falconhurst, to their impregnable fortress of Rockburg, Father, Mother, Fritz, Jack, Ernest, and Franz carve out a life for themselves.
I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book. The Father has a very strong faith in God and is the leader of his family. The four boys get along well and respect their parents. Not to mention they break the mold of “typical teens.” The eldest, Fritz, is fifteen years old, but he is completely capable of handling a gun to defend the family, keep a clear head in sudden danger, and look after the younger ones. You might expect this book to be dreary, as there are so many building projects described, but there are several funny parts, and lots of adventure. Not the swinging from a rope with a knife between your teeth kind of adventure, but the nice, steady kind. I put it under older readers because it is written in the older style, but I remember having it read to me when I was much younger.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Fiction, Picture Books, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Animals, Beethoven, Cats, Daniel Manus Pinkwater, Dogs, Funny, Good Read Aloud, Horses, Marines, Out of Print, rain
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One dreary morning, Mrs. Submarine lets the cat in because it looks miserable out in the rain. This begins a hilarious series of visitors taking shelter from the rain, including a wildebeest, the Submarines’ car, and Beethoven.
Here’s a great book that is just a lot fun. That’s it. Nothing profound, no “lesson” at the end. And not just for the kids. Daniel Pinkwater also embeds wholesome humor that will go over the head of the child and be caught by the owner of the lap they are sitting on. Definitely worthwhile for a good laugh.
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