Dewi and the Seeds of Doom (Book) - 1/26/2013 7:55:12 AM
What could dragon, a sick rat, a toad, and bad corn all have in common? Dewi is a young Welsh dragon, the son of Owen, Dragon of Pembroke. One day, Dewi is hit in the nose by something that falls from the sky. He hopes that it is meteorite, but it turns out to be a very sick rat that was dropped by a kestrel because it seemed poisoned. What is wrong with the rat? With the help of his friends, Llewellyn Cledwyn, or Billy Know-All the goat, Squiffy the water vole, and Mr. Jones the toad, Dewi finds clues that lead him to the the Casstle Gloomsgor where the evil Baron Doom and his servant Peegor are secretly breeding mutant corn. What is the Baron planning to do with it? Will Dewi and his friends learn what the plan is and be able to stop it? Or will they get caught?
Dragon stories are all the rage among kids today. And everyone likes a good mystery to solve. As a detective, Dewi is smart and curious with a good upbringing. He knows how to search for clues and figure out what they mean. Also, he is persistent in not giving up when difficulties arise but pressing on. Yet, he realizes that he needs the help of his friends to achieve his goals. A few euphemisms and childish slang terms (“old fart,” “my butt’s sticking out,” gosh) are found. But basically this is a fun tale that middle grade youngsters will enjoy. Author Maggie Lyons, who was born in Wales and grew up in England before coming to Virginia, first wrote about Dewi the Red Dragon in the online children’s magazine knowonder! Dewi and the Seeds of Doom is well written with characters that will keep the reader laughing, and a plot that flows easily along.
Vin and the Dorky Duet (Book) - 8/31/2012 7:13:41 AM
If your sister wanted you to set her up on a date with the brother of one of your classmates whom you really didn’t like, would you do it? Bevyn (Vin) is a seventh-grade boy who plays the trumpet and lives with his Dad, Mom, and older sister Meg who plays the piano. Meg asks Vin to perform with her at the Halloween concert in what he considers a “dorky duet” which she has composed for trumpet and piano. However, her real plan is to let Vin off the hook if he will get dreamy Brad Stewart, who also plays trumpet and is the brother of Vin’s nerdy classmate Binkley (Eyeballs) Stewart, to perfirn the duet with her because she has a crush on Brad. Vin at first refuses, but he finally succumbs when Meg offers him a David Beckham autographed soccer jersey.
Vin has five days to accomplish the job—operation BS (Brad Stewart)--or the deal is off and he has to play the duet. He gets lucky when he and Eyeballs are assigned do work on a science project about whales together. His hope is to go to the Stewart house to study with Eyeballs and talk to Brad about Meg’s proposal. However, a number of situations arise which interfere with Vin’s achieving his goal. He is waylaid by an exploding fish tank. He is attacked by a neighbor’s compost heap. He is almost drowned in an ever-expanding bubble bath. And he is captured by a giant plastic duck. Will Vin succeed in his goal? Will he ever find an opportunity to talk with Brad? And even if he does, what will Brad say about playing the duet?
Vin and the Dorky Duet, which is identified as a “middle grade adventure novella,” is a madcap romp through one week in the life of a hapless but always ingenious seventh-grader. Some parents might wish to know that there are a few childish slang terms. Vin sees “a stone statue of a boy taking a whiz—water actually came out.” He also explains why his friend “Cheeky had to pee in a lilac bush in his yard.” And he describes a scene in which things “smelled of mouse turds.” And Vin ends up telling some rather tall stories along the way in the process of trying to help his sister. However, there is nothing overtly objectionable. Tweens who appreciate a wacky, zany type of humor will enjoy this rollicking story.
