Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Chickens, Funny, Good Read Aloud, L. Frank Baum, Oz
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Our rating: 
A storm at sea blows Dorothy Gale and a hen named Bill off into another magical adventure in the lands surrounding Oz. After changing the hen’s name to Billina, Dorothy and Billina set off into the unknown. They’re chased by Wheelers and rescued by Tik-Tok the Clock-work man, they meet Princess Langwidere, who is very conceited, and finally meet up with Ozma and many of Dorothy’s old friends. Ozma is on a mission of rescue, with the intent to free the ten children of the former King of Ev, and their mother, the Queen. The Nome King has the children and their mother and is holding them captive. As Ozma and her friends march against the Nome King, they meet many dangers, including an iron giant with a hammer! In the final encounter, the Nome King reveals that he has transformed the royal family of Ev into pieces of bric-a-brac and ornaments. He gives each person eleven guesses, and if they guess them wrong they will become ornaments themselves. Can Ozma and her friends defeat the Nome King?
Of course they can. But there are some interesting twists to the plot along the way, so be forewarned! This is one of the funnest Oz books. Almost everybody’s in it! The Lunch-box and Dinner-pail trees are fun to think about. Have fun!
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Crickets, Easy Read, Funny, George Selden, Quick Read
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While staying in Times Square, Chester visits many different places with his human friend Mario. Unfortunately, Chester becomes victim to an acute attack of homesickness and decides to take a short hop as far as Tucker’s home, but loses his way and has several interesting adventures. From crossing Broadway to falling off the Empire State Building, Chester Cricket has the ride of his life.
A fun book. It’s a little distressing when he’s smashed flat . . . Just kidding! I only gave it one star because it’s okay if you’re looking for a quick, easy read. This is the sort of book that you read when you have a little snack to eat and you wanted to eat it while reading something mildly interesting. It’s also light enough to enable you to look and see where you’re putting your food, instead of being visually glued to the page. Enjoy, and munch in relative safety.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: All Ages, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Cats, Dogs, Funny, George Selden, Good Read Aloud, Mice
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When Harry Cat shows up at the drainpipe with a forlorn and bedraggled little puppy, Tucker Mouse flatly refuses to let him stay. But, of course, the puppy (“Huppy”) soon joins them as part of the family. Keeping him presents many challenges, such as feeding him, bathing him, and training him. And when Huppy grows so big that he can no longer fit in the drainpipe serving as their home, they decide that it’s time to find Huppy a home with humans, becoming their greatest challenge yet.
I enjoy the Cricket in Times Square books very much, and I think this is one of my favorites. Tucker is his funny, grumbling self, while Harry patiently deals with situations while trying to calm Tucker down. This is a book that children of all ages can enjoy.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Fiction, Review, Younger Readers
Tags:Award Winner, Cats, Crickets, Funny, George Selden, Mice
1 Comment »
Our rating:
Chester Cricket finds himself stranded in New York, after falling asleep in someone’s picnic basket out in the Old Meadow. Lost and alone, he stays hidden under a newspaper near the station until a boy named Mario finds him and promptly adopts him as a pet. Mario’s family owns a newspaper stand, and the business is poor, but maybe Chester’s musical talent can help bring in more customers. As well as helping Mario’s family, the cricket has time for being with his new friends in New York: Harry Cat and Tucker Mouse, who live in the nearby drainpipe.
Though not one of my all-time favorites, this book is good now and then for a quick, fun read. Harry and Tucker add a lot to the story, with their personalities.
Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Animals, Cats, Dogs, Funny, Horses, Rudyard Kipling
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Fairly short fantasy stories with animals by Rudyard Kipling.
I like this book. I enjoyed listening to Just So Stories on tape, narrated by Flo Gibson. However, I don’t think Amazon has the recording, but maybe you can get it at your library. Or you could just read the book and then you could see the illustrations!
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