This is the third of Nesbit's Bastables trilogy, following the further attempts by the six Bastable children to have fun and do good for others, attempts which often go awry, though sometimes through mischance turn out right in the end. This is more like a collection of short stories than a coherent novel, but this makes little practical difference to the narrative, which is amusing as ever, with the elder children's intelligent and unintentionally hilarious mistakes in the application of their knowledge. My favourite chapters were probably The Conscience-Pudding, The Turk in Chains and Zaida. ( )

unusual for a trilogy, this volume was even funnier than the two preceding ones, sometimes even laugh-out-loud funny. I particularly liked the Golden Gondola chapter. But it all finished just a little too abruptly. ( )

The last in Nesbit's Bastable books, the children have more difficulty getting into big trouble, now that they've learned the lessons in the first two books. Still they're able to turn the dullest day into an adventure, a worthy goal for us all. ( )