The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling (audio)

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood. Listening Library, 2010. (Narrated by Katherine Kellgren)

Audience: Grades 5 and up

My Rating: 5* of 5

Summary: Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary trio of children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position, but finds that mysteries abound at Ashton Place.
Comments: "All books are judged by their cover until they are read," according to Agatha Swanburne, headmistress of Penelope Lumley's former boarding school. This, along with many more pithy sayings by Swanburne, are the heart of what makes The Mysterious Howling a delightfully charming read (perfectly voiced by Kellgren). Part Lemony Snicket and part Mary Poppins, Wood has created a darling backdrop (though not saccharine) for her vivid characters to play out their often surprising parts. As this first installment in the series winds down, the mystery is just beginning to surface, making the wait for another trip to Ashton Place seem like an eternity. But as Agatha Swanburne says, "One can board one's train only after it arrives at the station; until then, enjoy your newspaper."

Awards:

Read-alikes: Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

If the Witness Lied by Caroline B. Cooney

(This book has been nominated for Tayshas. I wrote something about it for a book discussion we had this morning, and thought I'd repost it on the web, per the suggestion from my coworker Larissa.)

Jack, Smithy, and Madison once had two parents. Then their mom became pregnant and was diagnosed with cancer. She chose to have the baby and forego chemo, which ultimately brought about her death (after she gave birth to the healthy baby, Tris). The father struggles to take care of the four kids alone, and is initially grateful when his sister-in-law offers to move in with them and help take care of the family. Then a freak accident happens – toddler Tris manages to shift the family’s car out of park and run over the dad, killing him. With the dad gone, the aunt takes over running the family, and creates changes in the house, slowly getting rid of any evidence of life before her arrival. After the dad's death, Madison moves in with her godparents and Smithy goes away to boarding school. Jack is left at home, needing to protect his brother Tris. When the aunt decides to bring the media into their home to broadcast the life of Tris, Jack knows that he must keep his brother out of the spotlight and away from the scheming aunt. Smithy becomes suspicious of the details of her dad’s death, because the only witness to the accident was her aunt, who seems to be intent on breaking the family apart.


Thoughts (may contain spoilers!):
Another good book by Caroline Cooney, a mystery/suspense master. What's up with the cover that has nothing to do with the storyline? Once I got started reading, I didn't want to put it down. The teens are smart and resourceful. The ending might work out a bit too easily, but I enjoyed the ride getting there. It's interesting that the two girls return home on literally the same day, both compelled to fix their family. Does that imply that they were being led by supernatural forces (the spirits of their parents wanting justice), or was their motivation the effect of experiencing the anniversary of their dad's death and the need to be near family? Perhaps the timely return of the sisters was a bit unrealistic, but overall I think this is an interesting read. For teens, grades 8 and up.

One False Note

One False Note (39 Clues series, book 2) by Gordon Korman. 2008.
Audience: 4-8th Grade
My Rating: 2*s of 5
Summary: Amy and Dan Cahill are in the lead to find thirty-nine clues that safeguard a great power, and are in possession of a coded sheet of Mozart's music that will help them find the next clue while their relatives follow in close pursuit. (Does not include game cards.)
Comments: I was really disappointed with this book. Between the series hype and the author's reputation, I had high expectations that this flat action story fell far short of. It reads like the screenplay to Da Vinci Code probably did or any given transcript of "The Amazing Race." This might be a good thing, though, for this age audience and espeically boys/reluctant readers? I might also feel differently had I read book 1 and/or checked out the other branches of this multi-media series.
Awards:
Read-alikes: Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detective (Book 1)

The Sisters Grimm: Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. 2005.
Audience: 10-12, Grades 4-6
My Rating: 3.5 *s of 5
Summary: Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother whom they have always believed to be dead.
Comments: Slow start, excellent grandmother character, cliff-hanger ending, clever characters, subtle detective clues.
Awards:
Read-alikes: