Mr. Choli’s River Trip by Chris Wardle

(Suggested reading level: Grades 3-6)

This is the second in the series, and I really do think it’s a series that should be read in order. The events of the first book, The Lighthouse of Mr. Tinfish, are re-capped, but we really got to know the various animals and their personalities.

The colony of animals has settled into their new home, Daphne Wood, and ridden out the winter. A new problem has arisen with the summer, though. The dry, hot winds are killing the plants and vegetables a lot of the animals eat. Looks like it’s time for another expedition, this time to find new plants that will withstand the weather. Mr. Choli, the famous cat detective, leads the trip, following the shoreline and eventually heading up a river. Meanwhile, Mr. Denzel the mole, an intelligent, practical critter, stays behind and works on ways to protect the crops that are already growing.

This story moves a little quicker than the first, but once again the creatures all work together, doing what they do best. Of course the expedition is a success, and the group meet some critters along the way who teach them how to grow the new plants.I have to say that I find the meeting with hamsters especially amusing, as Mr. Choli and the other cat, Mr. Ginger, had to restrain their urges to chase the small, easily-excited  animals.

Two  of the animals really stood out for me this time around. Mr. Denzel who for a mole is really brilliant and keeps his head even in an emergency. The other was Mr. Tavarre, a parrot we met in the first book, who has become a little pirate crazy. His antics are amusing, but I also liked how kind Mr. Choli and the other creatures are to him, even if they think he’s a little nuts.

Amber (10) doesn’t tend to read books in a series one after another, but I’m sure she’ll like this one when she gets around to it. It’s an exciting adventure that kids will enjoy.

Mr. Tinfish #2
89 pages

Challenge: 100+

I received my copy from the author/publicist for review and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon associate.

6 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.