Spy School Secret Service by Stuart Gibbs and Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

I don't know the order of the Spy School books by Stuart Gibbs but Spy School Secret Service is my 4th read and maybe the 5th or 6th book? Each of the books refers back to the others, on occasion, but I've found that skipping a title here or there is no big deal. 

In Spy School Secret Service, 13-year-old Ben Ripley is sent on an undercover mission to the White House. Chatter about a possible attempt on the president's life has been overheard and even the Secret Service is suspect. SPYDER, the evil spy agency whose plans Ben has thwarted in the past, is involved and they are very good at infiltrating government agencies. 

Ben's cover doesn't work out well, at first, so he has to be careful and clever to find a way to uncover the plot. But, when an actual attempt is made on the president's life, Ben is accused of the crime. Will Ben be able to find a way to stop SPYDER and get himself out of trouble? 

Highly recommended - I absolutely love this series. Every book is equally funny and there are always plenty of exciting action scenes. I think I only have one Spy School book left on my TBR pile and I'm going to read it soon. This is a series I'll hang onto to reread. They're so entertaining that it doesn't matter one bit what age range they're meant for. They're absolutely delightful. 

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce is a British children's classic (you can probably see that it says "Sixtieth Anniversary Edition" on the cover, although it's a bit small). I'd never heard of it till I read a review of it but I immediately put it on my wish list and it's one that I bought during my break from what seems to be becoming my permanent book-buying ban. 

Tom's brother has the measles and to try to prevent Tom from getting them as well, he's hustled off to his childless aunt and uncle's home, a flat in a large house that's been divided. Tom is disappointed because he was looking forward to spending the school holidays playing in the garden with his brother. But, when the grandfather clock downstairs strikes 13, Tom is curious and he can't sleep, anyway, so he goes to peer out the back door, where he's been told there's a small parking area and a garbage bin but little else. 

When Tom opens the door, instead he finds a large walled garden with plenty of room to explore and trees to climb. He finds that he's invisible to most of the people in the garden but there's a little girl who can see and speak to him. She thinks he's a ghost but that doesn't faze her; they become playmates. Each night, Tom sneaks out the door to the garden and plays in another time. Where and when does this garden exist? Is Tom's playmate the ghost of someone who used to live in the house? 

Highly recommended - I can see why this book is a classic. It's beautifully written, mysterious, and absolutely sweeps you away to a magical time when nature was an endless playground. I loved every minute and was happy that the book ended exactly as I hoped it would. 

I also found it quite interesting how a child's dangerous illness was handled in an earlier time (guessing his aunt and uncle had already had the illness?). Tom's Midnight Garden was published in 1958, undoubtedly pre-vaccine. His brother is ill for weeks, which fits my own experience as my vaccination didn't "take" and I was one of the rare children of my era who had the measles after being vaccinated. 

Another book I'll hang onto for a potential reread and hopefully one that I can share with my grandchildren, someday. 

©2022 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Gobbolino the Witch's Cat by Ursula Moray Williams

I bought Gobbolino the Witch's Cat by Ursula Moray Williams when someone I follow on Instagram gushed about it. Gobbolino the Witch's Cat is about a kitten with just a touch of magical ability, thanks to the fact that he was born to the cat of a witch who lives in a mountain cave. But, he has no interest in growing up to be a witch's cat. His heart's desire is to be a beloved house cat with a family, a nice bowl of cream, and a place to nap by the fire. 

I can't actually remember if Gobbolino sets out on his own or not. However it happens, he ends up in a creek, swimming toward a dangerous water wheel and barely saved by some children. The children take him home and it appears that he's found the place he dreamed of until sparks come from his whiskers and the adults realize he's a witch's cat. Nobody wants a witch's cat, so he's kicked out. 

This pattern repeats with Gobbolino finding a home in an orphanage, with a troupe of puppeteers, and various other places. But, each time someone figures out that he's a witch's cat and he's turned out over and over again until, finally, he ends up finding his sister — a cat who never had any doubts at all that she would find a witch of her own. The witch threatens to throw him down the mountain because he's useless as a witch's cat, but Gobbolino is able to get away. Unfortunately, he ends up right back in the creek and now, thanks to the witch, he can no longer swim. Will Gobbolino ever find a home with people who love him and a place by the fire?

Recommended but not a favorite - As evidenced by the fact that my copy is an anniversary edition, Gobbolino the Witch's Cat, published in 1942, is apparently a classic . . . presumably in the UK. I'm pretty sure I bought it from Book Depository, although it was last year so I'm not positive about that. And, I can see why it's a classic. I would have loved it as a child. As an adult, though, it fell a little flat for me. I found the "found a home, kicked out, found a home, kicked out" repetition a bit exhausting. As a youngster, though, I probably would have enjoyed it for the way Gobbolino's story comes full circle and he does, indeed, find a happy home. It's a lovely story and one I'll save for my grandchildren to read. It's just a little too simplistic, even for this middle grade-book-loving reader. 

©2021 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle

My reading has slowed down significantly, this week, thanks to the insomnia I mentioned earlier in the week, so I was very pleased when I started reading Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye and realized that I'd opened a book that was impossible to put down, even given how difficult it has been to focus.

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye is about a little boy who faces a number of challenges and must solve a mystery to save his family's hotel. Warren is the 13th in a long line of Warrens and the eventual heir to his family's hotel since his father, Warren the 12th, died. However, he won't officially inherit the hotel till he turns 18 and Warren is still young, so it has been run by his uncle Rupert for about 6 years. Rupert is incredibly lazy and he's been letting the hotel deteriorate, unwilling to put out the effort of upkeep. It's gotten so bad that they no longer have guests. In the past 4 months, things have become even worse since Rupert married Annaconda.

Auntie Annaconda is a witch who has heard the story of the All-Seeing Eye. Nobody knows what the All-Seeing Eye is (and most don't believe it even exists) but Annaconda assumes it must be something valuable or powerful and she has been slowly tearing up floors and bedding, ripping into walls, and generally creating havoc in the hotel as she searches for clues. Warren is a hard-working boy; he does his best to maintain the hotel and repair the damage done by Auntie Annaconda. The chef and Warren's elderly teacher are his only friends.

Suddenly, a mysterious guest appears at the hotel and then Annaconda's two sisters show up. That's when things begin to get crazy. Will Warren figure out the mystery of the All-Seeing Eye before Annaconda and her sisters completely destroy the hotel? Who is the strange creature in the boiler room and who can be trusted? And, what is the meaning of the strange poem about the All-Seeing Eye?

Where the author and artist take this story is a total delight. And, you must see inside the book to appreciate it. The illustrations are absolutely marvelous:

Highly recommended - You know those rare books that keep you guessing all the way through? Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye is exactly that: surprising, delightful, upbeat, with a terrific young hero. Good, clean, mysterious fun.

I received a copy of Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye from Quirk Books in return for an unbiased review and I'm all full of gushy love. I cannot imagine a child not enjoying it. It's tense but not so scary as to induce nightmares, creative, and seriously . . . those illustrations. I wish I could hold the book up and show the entire thing to you. It would make a whopping fine gift for a youngster (or, just gift yourself - it's got witches; that seems like a decent excuse to buy a copy for the R.I.P. Challenge, if you're participating). The publicity info says it's for ages 8-12. I think you could safely read it to a younger child, no problem.

More good news: In the back of the book, it says Warren and the staff of the Warren Hotel will be returning. Sign me up! I cannot wait to read more. Last night was the best night's insomnia I've had in a long time.


©2016 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Michael Sieben

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Illustrated by Michael Sieben
Harper Design edition published 2013 - Originally published 1900
Fiction - Fantasy/Children
222 pp.

Source:  HarperCollins

What's it about?

Dorothy and her dog Toto are carried to a foreign land known as Oz by a powerful tornado. In Oz, the house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East and Dorothy acquires the witch's charmed silver shoes but she doesn't know how how to use them or whether she will ever manage to return to Kansas.  She's told to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to ask The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz to help her return.  Along the way, she makes new friends, meets some very interesting people and faces many challenges.  Oz insists that he will only help Dorothy and her friends with their needs if they kill the Wicked Witch of the West. When she finds out the wizard is nothing but a "humbug", will Dorothy be stuck in Oz, forever?

Why I read it:

I read a condensed version of The Wizard of Oz [sic] in 2009 and thought it a delightful story.  Since then, I've wanted to read the original in its full glory, but I obviously didn't rush out to find a copy.  When I was contacted about reviewing a new edition, I jumped at the opportunity.  I don't participate in reading challenges (although I occasionally will follow along in spirit by reading a book or two fitting the theme) but I had the Once Upon a Time Challenge in my head.  Spring feels destined for fantasies and fables, thanks to the annual challenge.

What I liked about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:

There is much to love about L. Frank Baum's response to the older and very dark fairy tales by Grimm and Anderson. Baum thought they were too horrifying; and, it was time for a new kind of "wonder" story.  Because he deliberately set out to avoid the gore and horror of older stories, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is surprisingly innocuous, which pleased me because I'm none too fond of the scary bits in the old movie.  Bad things happen, but they're invariably followed by good.  Even the notorious flying monkeys are not all that evil.  They've been enslaved for being naughty and have to do what they're told, but they're not malicious.

Typically, for a story that has been altered when made into a movie (quite a few times, although I admit to ignoring all but the Judy Garland version made in the 30s) there is a great deal more to the book than the trimmed-down movie version. Munchkins are only one of the different peoples Dorothy meets.  I was particularly surprised by the village made entirely of china and the Winkies, who were held captive by the Wicked Witch of the West.

What is special about this particular edition?

The Harper Design edition has nice, large print (but not huge) and it's very high quality -- the kind of book with an upscale scent that makes you want to stick your nose between the pages and inhale deeply.  The edges of the pages are colored so that, when closed, there is a rainbow of colored strips.

And, the illustrations are unique to the edition, of course.  Beneath the jacket (shown open at the top of this page), the cover is orange cloth with a small black line illustration of two jars, one that says "brains" and the other "courage", along with a heart.

What I disliked about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:

I confess that I don't love the illustrations.  Some of them are cute (like the mouse queen, below), but for the most part they're not to my taste.

Toto doesn't even look like a dog, to me.  He looks like a stuffed bear with an awkward tail.  But, I was all about the story, in this case, and I know of at least two people who will probably love the illustrations.  I do like some.  I love the slipcover illustration and the illustration beneath.  The illustrations have what I think of as the "new graphic look" (my wording) - simple but just a little on the weird side.  I love the fact that the book is packed with illustrations, including a lot of two-page spreads.  And, I'm stupidly fond of the chapter headings.

I still don't love the flying monkeys, innocuous though they may be.

The bottom line:

Recommended - A fun, escapist read that is nowhere near as sinister as the movie.  I absolutely loved the unabridged storyline in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, especially the part where the wizard confesses that he's not at all "great and terrible"; he's just a "humbug" (a fraud).  Whether or not you're interested in this particular edition probably will have to do with the illustrations and quality, more than anything.  I'm impressed with the quality but am not a big fan of the illustrations, although I had my favorites.

It's always tremendous fun reading the original classic and finding out what was cut from the book or changed when the book was made into a movie.  Silver slippers rather than ruby red!  Winkies trapped in slavery!  Likable flying monkeys! Very cool.

©2013 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.