Vroege RecensentenKristin Fulton

Prudence Thistlewhite goes to the zoo to show all her friends her new hat. It turns out that her hat is a fright, not a delight.

When siblings Olivia and Theo arrive at their Uncle Austin’s home, it’s clear that things don’t add up. Lena Zelinsky, the housekeeper and Vladimir Trokov, their uncle’s laboratory assistant, claim that Professor Hazelsmith has left unexpectedly on a spur-of-the-moment sailing trip. Theo and Olivia are immediately suspicious. Following gut feelings and unfolding clues, the kids, with the neighbor boy, Will, outwit Lena and Vladimir. The pair of ruthless villains are gob smacked by the clever strategies these meddling kids come up with to save the ones they love. Snake Food is a classic story of good vs. evil in which the young and inexperienced heroes defeat the conniving villains. Prepare for a healthy dose of intrigue and action!

Prudence Thistlewhite goes to the zoo to show all her friends her unusual hat. She is disappointed to find that her hat is more of an eyesore than an object of beauty.

After an earthquake shakes Hogville, Henry Bingle, a socially awkward thirteen-year-old, wakes up with his hoarded collections collapsed on top of him. He pulls on the only clothes he can find in the rubble, and the outfit is so wacky that Henry decides to cut school. When he arrives at his favorite spot at the creek his life takes an unexpected and magical turn; he meets a Quercus Nixie, a rare, endangered creature also known by the common name of Oak Elf. The Nixie, Hamphaleon, begs for Henry's help. Someone has dumped a load of noxious junk over the banks of Hogville Creek. The smelly, disgusting garbage landed on Ham's family home, a cozy burrow under the oak roots, trapping his wife and daughter inside. Henry and Ham work feverishly to uncover the entrance to the cave. Finally, Ham's wife and daughter are freed from being buried alive.

Henry and Hamphaleon form a devoted friendship. When Henry tells Ham that he is wondering about what to do for his 8th Grade Final Project, Ham gives Henry an idea; why not dedicate his project to cleaning up the disgusting, polluted Hogville Creek? An inspired Henry gets the whole town involved in his fundraising brainstorm: The Snoot and Snout Extravaganza for Hogs and Dogs. The festival is wildly successful, and the money raised is enough to rent the equipment needed for a massive creek cleanup. Galvanized by their success, Henry and the townspeople eventually transform Hogville from a pigsty of a town to a charming destination for townsfolk and tourists. Best of all, Henry has transformed from an unpopular slob to a respected individual with a park named after him and a budding romance with his 8th grade crush.

Henry Bingle's Transformation is more than a lighthearted romp with magical elements; the story has underlying themes of a deeper nature. Readers will gain appreciation for the value of a clean and beautiful environment and of the positive impact an individual and a community can have on their surroundings. Finally, readers experience first-hand how an ordinary person can become an extraordinary hero.

Take three children, add a brilliant scientist who disappears unexpectedly, throw in a sinister lab assistant and a wicked housekeeper intent on world domination, add a secret formula called H225Q, and season with a generous dash of intrigue and a hearty pinch of danger. Mix thoroughly and prepare to read Snake Food, an action-packed page-turner for middle grade readers.

When siblings Olivia and Theo arrive at their Uncle Austin's home it's clear that things don't add up. Lena Zelinsky, the housekeeper, and Vladimir Trokov, their uncle's laboratory assistant, claim that their employer has left unexpectedly on a spur-of-the-moment sailing trip. Theo and Olivia are immediately suspicious. Following gut feelings and unfolding clues, the kids, with the neighbor boy, Will, outwit Lena and Vladimir. The pair of ruthless villains are gob smacked by the clever strategies these meddling kids come up with to save the ones they love.