A charming fantasy that's easy to read, about a third-grade boy—Charlie—whose passion for insects has earned him the nickname ``Bug Boy.'' Charlie discovers that the Bug-a-View magnifier he's been given will turn him into any insect he places in the viewer. After turning into a spider and grasshopper, and nearly getting stuck as a fly permanently, he decides it is too dangerous to use. But when he loses a friend's valuable bombardier beetle at school, he turns himself into a spider to find it. Turning into an insect is a fantasy that children will find unusual and thrilling, and this one has a plot that fairly rockets along. Laced with humor and entomological details, this is perfect for reluctant readers, and for reading aloud. Lewin's black-and-white illustrations fit the story nicely, although Charlie's appearance fluctuates and he sometimes looks too young. Funny, buggy, fact- filled—readers will be clamoring for more. (Fiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: April 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-8050-4794-8
Page Count: 100
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1997
"The short, sad life of Tooley Graham was over," doesn't sound like a happy conclusion but is pitch perfect in this short, simple and endearing middle-grade novel that follows on the heels of The Small Adeventure of Popeye and Elvis (2009). Owen Jester is focused on several things during his summer vacation: finding a way to keep his trapped "pet" bullfrog alive and happy, locating what fell off a train with a loud crash! one night and keeping annoying next-door neighbor Viola—who knows everything—out of their business as he schemes with his two best friends, Stumpy and Travis. The discovery of a sleek, red two-person submarine in the brush alongside the tracks changes everything. Can three young, girl-hating boys and a willing and very able—and tolerant—girl move a submarine to Graham Pond? If they manage that, will they ever be able to pilot it? In the heat of a languid Georgia summer vacation, in the dreams of irrepressible youth, anything is possible. O'Connor has spun a lovely read that perfectly captures the schemes and plans of school-age kids in the long days of summer. (Fiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: Aug. 31, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-374-36850-0
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Searching for treasure washed up by a fierce coastal storm, eight-year-old Kirstie discovers a strange looking package-shaped object with long tendrils poking out from each of its four corners. When it hatches overnight, she finds herself the proud but puzzled keeper of what her grandfather identifies as a water horse—a sea creature of mythic stature, with a gentle nature but a ravenous appetite. What can the family do with a pet that grows rapidly from a scant six inches to more than fifteen feet? It may not be possible to find a permanent home for Crusoe—as he is named—where he is safe as well as happy. King-Smith’s obvious belief in the power of care and compassion informs this genial tale told from both the human and sea monster’s perspectives; it’s not one of his strongest stories, but will capture the fancies of his many fans. (Fiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-517-80026-8
Page Count: 100
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1998
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