Category: childrens

Viva Cisco by Patrick Shannon "Viva Cisco" is a trilogy of funny stories for kids at the Age 10-13 reading level. All three tales unfold in a land called Topopootl, which lies in a hidden valley deep in the heart of Mexico. Because of its seclusion, the inhabitants have created a society without the benefit of human contact, and they don't seem to have missed out on anything important in the absence of that dubious blessing. In fact, they probably have more pure merriment and boisterous excitement than any human community could ever conceive. Much of the credit for that, though, must be laid at the feet of Topopootl's most..uh.. stimulating citizen, one Cisco las Verde Arara del Gucigalpa. Aka, Cisco the Parrot. My thoughts: Amber, 9, loved this book. Cicso's antics and adventures made her laugh and each time we stopped for the day, she would beg to read more. She wanted to know what was going to happen next. Of course, the...

The Case of the Night-Stalking Bone Monster (Hank the Cowdog #27) by John R. Erickson From the back: Join the Head of Ranch Security, his sidekick Drover, and an old pal Dogpound Ralph as they track down the elusive monster who strikes the ranch and makes off with a fortune in buried T-bones. Fearless Hank battles with Pete the barncat, woos Miss Scamper the Beagle, helps Ralph recover from a serious case of Milk of Amnesia, and risks his life to solve the mystery of the Night-Stalking Bone Monster. My thoughts: Once again, this is one of Amber's picks. It's not my favorite kids series, but it's okay. There are a lot of funny spots and plays on words.  I'm not sure if Amber caught all of the jokes, but she caught enough to think it's hilarious. I think my favorite part had to be the buzzard "Emergency Airborne Medical Services." I liked how the dogs made up the monster themselves, and then scare themselves silly worrying and barking at...

The Celery Stalks at Midnight by James Howe From the cover: Where is Bunnicula? That's what Chester the cat, Harold the dog, and Howie the dachshund puppy would like to know. When Chester makes the chilling discovery that Bunnicula the vampire bunny has vanished from his cage in the Monroe household, his head is filled with visions of killer parsnips, bloodthirsty string beans, and homicidal heads of lettuce! Everyone knows that vampire victims become vampires themselves—and the neighborhood gardens reveal the ultimate horror: bloodless zombie vegetables! Determined to save Bunnicula's victims and the unsuspecting Monroes, Chester leads the valiant friends on a wild bunny chase involving a hazardous garbage truck ride, a hair-raising encounter with an irate tomcat...and that's just the beginning! My thoughts: This was a fun read. I'm so glad Amber likes this series, since it's one of the few I remember from when I was her age. The title just stuck in my head. There are parts of it that are laugh out loud...