Still on our Roald Dahl kick, we picked up The Minpins. It is a shorter picture book, but it took us two nights to read, because it is thick on the prose.
The Story: Little Billy longed to explore the woods near his house, but his mother told him all sorts of creatures lurk in the forest just waiting to gobble him up. One day, when his mother wasn't looking, he snuck off into the forest... and discovered that his mother was right! He fled from an evil fire-snorting beast, and ended up high in a tree, where he met the most interesting creatures of all - tiny people called the Minpins. With heads no bigger than peas, they inhabit the trees of the forest and are transported on birds. They are also kept from the forest floor by the evil fire-snorting beast, which devours them by the thousands. Little Billy hatches a plan, though, to allow him to return home, and will allow the Minpins to travel the forest freely. It is a brave plan - but will it work?
The Good: Little Billy is brave, and the minpins are kind and open. The prose is beautiful, and the illustrations are stunning. The book makes kids want to pay attention to nature - because who knows? They might just see a minpin riding on a passing robin. Very sweet. It was short enough that it didn't take long to read. Evalina loved it.
The Bad: The Gruncher (the evil beast) is truly terrifying. It's an unseen cloud of snorting, fire-breathing horror. Though Little Billy defeats it in the end, there are some scary parts. The whole story stems from Little Billy disobeying his mother's explicit wishes, and I don't know that I like that part of it, since I have kids that don't always listen so well...
The Verdict: A delightful read. Amazon recommends it from ages 3-8, and I'd say that's about right. I didn't read it to Philip when I was reading it to Evalina (he was off reading with Daddy), but I bet he would have liked it. It is different from other Roald Dahl books we've read so far, but that is not a bad thing. The humor that is so evident in the longer books is replaced by pure fantasy in The Minpins. It made me want to take a closer look at passing birds.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Matilda
We are on a Roald Dahl kick, and decided to read Matilda next. I don't know how I missed it as a child - it is really spectacular!
The Story: Matilda is a genius. She began reading all on her own at about 3, read all of the children's books in the library by about age 4 1/2, and then graduated to reading Dickens and the like, with great enjoyment. She is a whiz at math, and seems to have nothing that is really beyond her. The only problem is, her parents are completely unable to see how special she is. Her father is a scheming used car salesman, and her mother is a bingo addict, and they never want to do anything other than watch television and eat their tv dinners. They ignore her more often than not, and when they do notice her, they label her as trouble from the get go. When Matilda starts school, she finally gets noticed for the special little girl that she is, and her life changes forever.
The Good: Matilda is amazingly smart, but never conceited about it. She is clever and a good person. She doesn't let her situation get her down. Her parents are terrible and mean, but she gets even with them in creative ways. Her relationship with her teacher, Miss Honey, is lovely. Miss Honey is the first person (besides the stunned librarian) who really sees the potential in Matilda. There are some fun, unexpected, near magical things about Matilda as well. She makes you want to be just a little like her.
The Bad: Matilda does get some good revenge, and it isn't always nice. (Not that they didn't deserve it). Miss Trunchbull, the horrific headmistress, is really really awful in so many ways, and is scary. The grown ups, for the most part, are non-receptive to Matilda. Her parents are also really unpleasant. Her brother is mentioned but never really plays much of a part in the book at all. Near the end (spoiler alert), Matilda's family decides to up and move to Spain, and that had Evalina in full-blown tears, while I urged her to keep reading because I was sure it would all work out in the end. Matilda also makes even the smartest person look a bit dull.
The Verdict: Amazingly written, funny, and sweet, Matilda is a book I would recommend to anyone. Evalina adored it. Amazon recommends it for ages 9-12, but I think earlier readers would appreciate it just as much (Evalina is now 6 1/2). The Trunchbull is evil, but almost humorously so. There is always a sense of humor about everything. That's why we are enjoying Roald Dahl so much. I really want to watch the movie and see how it compares. I've heard it's good. Anyone have any opinions? I can't wait to read more Roald Dahl. I don't think you can go wrong.
Edited to add: We watched the movie this morning, and it was fabulous! It differed from the book somewhat, but in good ways. We both enjoyed it a lot.
The Story: Matilda is a genius. She began reading all on her own at about 3, read all of the children's books in the library by about age 4 1/2, and then graduated to reading Dickens and the like, with great enjoyment. She is a whiz at math, and seems to have nothing that is really beyond her. The only problem is, her parents are completely unable to see how special she is. Her father is a scheming used car salesman, and her mother is a bingo addict, and they never want to do anything other than watch television and eat their tv dinners. They ignore her more often than not, and when they do notice her, they label her as trouble from the get go. When Matilda starts school, she finally gets noticed for the special little girl that she is, and her life changes forever.
The Good: Matilda is amazingly smart, but never conceited about it. She is clever and a good person. She doesn't let her situation get her down. Her parents are terrible and mean, but she gets even with them in creative ways. Her relationship with her teacher, Miss Honey, is lovely. Miss Honey is the first person (besides the stunned librarian) who really sees the potential in Matilda. There are some fun, unexpected, near magical things about Matilda as well. She makes you want to be just a little like her.
The Bad: Matilda does get some good revenge, and it isn't always nice. (Not that they didn't deserve it). Miss Trunchbull, the horrific headmistress, is really really awful in so many ways, and is scary. The grown ups, for the most part, are non-receptive to Matilda. Her parents are also really unpleasant. Her brother is mentioned but never really plays much of a part in the book at all. Near the end (spoiler alert), Matilda's family decides to up and move to Spain, and that had Evalina in full-blown tears, while I urged her to keep reading because I was sure it would all work out in the end. Matilda also makes even the smartest person look a bit dull.
The Verdict: Amazingly written, funny, and sweet, Matilda is a book I would recommend to anyone. Evalina adored it. Amazon recommends it for ages 9-12, but I think earlier readers would appreciate it just as much (Evalina is now 6 1/2). The Trunchbull is evil, but almost humorously so. There is always a sense of humor about everything. That's why we are enjoying Roald Dahl so much. I really want to watch the movie and see how it compares. I've heard it's good. Anyone have any opinions? I can't wait to read more Roald Dahl. I don't think you can go wrong.
Edited to add: We watched the movie this morning, and it was fabulous! It differed from the book somewhat, but in good ways. We both enjoyed it a lot.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
James and the Giant Peach
We've been on a Roald Dahl kick recently, and I hadn't read James and the Giant Peach since I was a kid, so I thought it would be a great one. What a treat!
The Story: James Henry Trotter lived with his unpleasant aunts, Spiker and Sponge, and was miserable. They were cruel and he never got to play with other children. He was forced to spend all of his time in his miserable house and his miserable yard, with his miserable aunts. Then, one day, a mysterious stranger gave him a bag of magical pellets, which would give him wonderful things, but only if he was the first thing they touched. It would have been wonderful... except he tripped and the pellets sunk into the soil by the roots of the old defunct peach tree in the garden. He thought all was lost, until the amazing thing that happened to the peach tree started to effect him. An enormous peach grew on the tree, and in the end, it freed him from his horrid aunts, and brought him on a wonderful and exciting adventure, with new friends.
The Good: James is a wonderful boy. Though he hated his aunts, he was not mean about it, and he came from a sad place (his parents had died), but he always looks for the positive things. The bug friends in the peach are funny and love James immediately. James always comes up with clever solutions to problems. The adventure is exciting without being too scary. There is a good amount of humor throughout. We caught a reference to the Vermicious Knids from Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator! In the end, James gets everything he could want, even though he dropped the magic pellets. It all works out in the end. And isn't that nice?
The Bad: James' Aunts get run over by the peach, and squashed, and there is nary a word said about it. Squish, and the story moved on. That might be a bit much for some kids. Evalina didn't seem bothered by it. There are some scary parts when the peach is attacked by sharks and ominous Cloud Men, which also might be scary for some kids. The word "ass" is used in several places. That's all the bad I can think of.
The Verdict: Just wonderful! I can't wait to watch the recent movie with Evalina. Does anyone know how it compares? Amazon recommends this book for ages 9-12, but my 6 1/2 year old loved it. This is a classic that you shouldn't miss. Roald Dahl is delightful.
The Story: James Henry Trotter lived with his unpleasant aunts, Spiker and Sponge, and was miserable. They were cruel and he never got to play with other children. He was forced to spend all of his time in his miserable house and his miserable yard, with his miserable aunts. Then, one day, a mysterious stranger gave him a bag of magical pellets, which would give him wonderful things, but only if he was the first thing they touched. It would have been wonderful... except he tripped and the pellets sunk into the soil by the roots of the old defunct peach tree in the garden. He thought all was lost, until the amazing thing that happened to the peach tree started to effect him. An enormous peach grew on the tree, and in the end, it freed him from his horrid aunts, and brought him on a wonderful and exciting adventure, with new friends.
The Good: James is a wonderful boy. Though he hated his aunts, he was not mean about it, and he came from a sad place (his parents had died), but he always looks for the positive things. The bug friends in the peach are funny and love James immediately. James always comes up with clever solutions to problems. The adventure is exciting without being too scary. There is a good amount of humor throughout. We caught a reference to the Vermicious Knids from Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator! In the end, James gets everything he could want, even though he dropped the magic pellets. It all works out in the end. And isn't that nice?
The Bad: James' Aunts get run over by the peach, and squashed, and there is nary a word said about it. Squish, and the story moved on. That might be a bit much for some kids. Evalina didn't seem bothered by it. There are some scary parts when the peach is attacked by sharks and ominous Cloud Men, which also might be scary for some kids. The word "ass" is used in several places. That's all the bad I can think of.
The Verdict: Just wonderful! I can't wait to watch the recent movie with Evalina. Does anyone know how it compares? Amazon recommends this book for ages 9-12, but my 6 1/2 year old loved it. This is a classic that you shouldn't miss. Roald Dahl is delightful.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The BFG
When I was a child, the school librarian read The BFG to us. I still had a great fondness for it, even though I didn't remember much about it, and I was super excited to share it with Evalina and re-read it myself. What a treat!
The Story: At the orphanage, Sophie is all alone and none too happy. She can't sleep, and happens to be awake in the middle of the night and sees something strange out of her window. She sees a giant. The giant sees her. He reaches into her window and snatches her right out of her bed. Luckily for Sophie, this giant is not the child-eating kind, but a Big Friendly Giant (BFG for short). He brings her back to Giant Country, where he shows her (carefully, so they don't see her) the nine other giants - who are much larger than he is, and enjoy eating up humans by the dozen. In his cave, he shows her his collection of dreams. The BFG travels to the misty dream country with Sophie and shows her how he captures dreams. At night, he travels to the human countries and blows dreams into children's bedrooms (which was what he was doing when Sophie saw him). Can he and Sophie put a stop to the other terrible giant's human consumption? Can the BFG get something to eat other than the horrid snozzcumbers that he is forced to live off of in leu of humans?
The Good: The BFG is funny, and Sophie is very warm and open with him. He is protective of her, and he is honorable. This book offers lots of practice in sounding out words, because the BFG has poor grasp of language sometimes. Roald Dahl has a way of making scary things funny. The fearsome giants are undoubtedly evil, and scary, but they never seem ominous. Sophie is safe with the BFG.
The Bad: As mentioned, the other giants are terrible. They snatch children from their beds at night and gobble them up like popcorn. They beat up the BFG and are cruel to him because he is smaller than they are (he is only 24 feet tall, and they are all at least 50 feet tall). There are jokes about farting, so if you don't like that sort of thing, you might not like that bit. Sophie is an orphan, and that might take some explaining.
The Verdict: Good prevails (sorry for the spoiler), and even the Queen of England is won over by the BFG. According to Amazon, the book is for ages 9-12, but Evalina was certainly old enough for it (at 6 1/2). Obviously it made a big impression on me, since I had good memories of it to this day. It is a great book, and I can recommend it to anyone, no matter the size.
The Story: At the orphanage, Sophie is all alone and none too happy. She can't sleep, and happens to be awake in the middle of the night and sees something strange out of her window. She sees a giant. The giant sees her. He reaches into her window and snatches her right out of her bed. Luckily for Sophie, this giant is not the child-eating kind, but a Big Friendly Giant (BFG for short). He brings her back to Giant Country, where he shows her (carefully, so they don't see her) the nine other giants - who are much larger than he is, and enjoy eating up humans by the dozen. In his cave, he shows her his collection of dreams. The BFG travels to the misty dream country with Sophie and shows her how he captures dreams. At night, he travels to the human countries and blows dreams into children's bedrooms (which was what he was doing when Sophie saw him). Can he and Sophie put a stop to the other terrible giant's human consumption? Can the BFG get something to eat other than the horrid snozzcumbers that he is forced to live off of in leu of humans?
The Good: The BFG is funny, and Sophie is very warm and open with him. He is protective of her, and he is honorable. This book offers lots of practice in sounding out words, because the BFG has poor grasp of language sometimes. Roald Dahl has a way of making scary things funny. The fearsome giants are undoubtedly evil, and scary, but they never seem ominous. Sophie is safe with the BFG.
The Bad: As mentioned, the other giants are terrible. They snatch children from their beds at night and gobble them up like popcorn. They beat up the BFG and are cruel to him because he is smaller than they are (he is only 24 feet tall, and they are all at least 50 feet tall). There are jokes about farting, so if you don't like that sort of thing, you might not like that bit. Sophie is an orphan, and that might take some explaining.
The Verdict: Good prevails (sorry for the spoiler), and even the Queen of England is won over by the BFG. According to Amazon, the book is for ages 9-12, but Evalina was certainly old enough for it (at 6 1/2). Obviously it made a big impression on me, since I had good memories of it to this day. It is a great book, and I can recommend it to anyone, no matter the size.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Shakespeare's Secret
I got Shakespeare's Secret for Evalina last year, when the author came to visit her school. It is a signed copy, which I think is pretty cool.
The Story: Hero is in 6th grade, and she and her family have just moved to a new town. Her father is a Shakespeare scholar, which explains her name, and her sister Beatrice's as well. Where Beatrice makes friends easily and fits in well, Hero doesn't do so well. Her first day at school, a girl in her class brings up the fact that she has a dog named Hero, and the teasing begins. Things start to get marginally better for her when her mother sends her on an errand to bring something to their neighbor, the elderly Mrs. Roth. Mrs. Roth has a story to tell, about a diamond that went missing in Hero's new house, and she thinks it is hidden there. Mrs. Roth also has a young friend, named Danny Cordova, who is the most popular boy in Beatrice's school. He befriends Hero, and together they search for the diamond, which holds secrets of it's own.
The Good: The friendship between the two kids and Mrs. Roth is really heartwarming. Hero is a likeable character who I, personally, could relate to. The mystery was really engaging. There were bits of Shakespearean lore and history throughout the book, and I think it is never too early to start a kid on at least knowing who Shakespeare is. The characters were all very well developed and well written. I got Evalina to come to bed on more than one occasion by reminding her that the diamond wasn't found yet. The relationship between Hero and Beatrice is very realistic.
The Bad: I think Evalina was a little young for some of the themes in the book - lots of middle school drama, which I hope she never experiences (though she probably will), and since she had never really heard about Shakespeare before, I don't know that a book involving conspiracy theories about whether William Shakespeare actually wrote the plays was the best place to start. Knowing Evalina, she'll be spouting out that theory all over the place. There was also a part about Danny's mom taking off when he was a kid, and that made her really sad. In some parts, Hero lies to her parents and sister. Not the best role model all the time (but who is).
The Verdict: Overall, a super good book. It is recommended for grade 4-7, and though, as noted, some of the themes were a bit too old for her, she did well on the actual story and the reading. She was very engaged in the story (as was I). I think it would probably be a better one to wait a while for, simply so that there is more historical background for your child, but it is definitely recommended.
The Story: Hero is in 6th grade, and she and her family have just moved to a new town. Her father is a Shakespeare scholar, which explains her name, and her sister Beatrice's as well. Where Beatrice makes friends easily and fits in well, Hero doesn't do so well. Her first day at school, a girl in her class brings up the fact that she has a dog named Hero, and the teasing begins. Things start to get marginally better for her when her mother sends her on an errand to bring something to their neighbor, the elderly Mrs. Roth. Mrs. Roth has a story to tell, about a diamond that went missing in Hero's new house, and she thinks it is hidden there. Mrs. Roth also has a young friend, named Danny Cordova, who is the most popular boy in Beatrice's school. He befriends Hero, and together they search for the diamond, which holds secrets of it's own.
The Good: The friendship between the two kids and Mrs. Roth is really heartwarming. Hero is a likeable character who I, personally, could relate to. The mystery was really engaging. There were bits of Shakespearean lore and history throughout the book, and I think it is never too early to start a kid on at least knowing who Shakespeare is. The characters were all very well developed and well written. I got Evalina to come to bed on more than one occasion by reminding her that the diamond wasn't found yet. The relationship between Hero and Beatrice is very realistic.
The Bad: I think Evalina was a little young for some of the themes in the book - lots of middle school drama, which I hope she never experiences (though she probably will), and since she had never really heard about Shakespeare before, I don't know that a book involving conspiracy theories about whether William Shakespeare actually wrote the plays was the best place to start. Knowing Evalina, she'll be spouting out that theory all over the place. There was also a part about Danny's mom taking off when he was a kid, and that made her really sad. In some parts, Hero lies to her parents and sister. Not the best role model all the time (but who is).
The Verdict: Overall, a super good book. It is recommended for grade 4-7, and though, as noted, some of the themes were a bit too old for her, she did well on the actual story and the reading. She was very engaged in the story (as was I). I think it would probably be a better one to wait a while for, simply so that there is more historical background for your child, but it is definitely recommended.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Wizard in the Tree
Evalina got The Wizard in the Tree, by Lloyd Alexander, free from the library for doing such a great job with her summer reading. I'd never heard of it before, but thought we'd give it a chance.
The Story: Mallory is a kitchen maid with a love of fairy tales. When walking through the woods, she discovers her favorite oak tree was cut down to make way for a road - and is astonished to discover a wizard inside the tree! Arbican had been trapped there years and years before, and missed his kind's exodus to the land of Vale Innus. He's not at all what Mallory expected from a wizard, being grumpy and unwilling to grant her wishes. Still, he lost some of his powers in the time he spent stuck in the tree, and needs Mallory's help getting them back. Meanwhile, the unscrupulous Squire Scrupnor is trying to turn Mallory's beloved village into a coal mining town, and plans on taking all of the profits for himself, while blaming Arbican for the murder of his predecessor. Can Mallory help Arbican escape to Vale Innus, and stop Scrupnor?
The Good: It's an engaging story, and Mallory is a strong female protagonist. Arbican is an interesting wizard, not cliche and predictable. Scrupnor is a thoroughly dispicable bad guy, slimy and no good. The story is exciting in parts and Evalina seemed to enjoy it.
The Bad: Some language is quite strong. Mallory is repeatedly referred to as a slut and a wench (though in the original and not contemporary uses of the words), and I actually skipped over the words if I was reading the sentences they were in (slut more than wench). I just don't need Evalina repeating those words on the playground. Some of the plot was kind of talky - an entire chapter was pretty much grown ups talking about grown up politics, and I think it got a bit boring for Evalina in that part. It was right after Arbican was introduced, too, and I know she just wanted to see more about him! (So did I). Though it was only 144 pages long, it seemed much longer in parts, and ended well, but kind of abruptly.
The Verdict: It was a good book, overall, but I wouldn't say it's something I would go out of my way to read. Amazon says it's best for ages 9-12, and I would agree with that. Evalina liked it well enough, but I do think that some of it went over her head. Not bad, but don't rush out and buy it for your 6 year old. Older, maybe...
The Story: Mallory is a kitchen maid with a love of fairy tales. When walking through the woods, she discovers her favorite oak tree was cut down to make way for a road - and is astonished to discover a wizard inside the tree! Arbican had been trapped there years and years before, and missed his kind's exodus to the land of Vale Innus. He's not at all what Mallory expected from a wizard, being grumpy and unwilling to grant her wishes. Still, he lost some of his powers in the time he spent stuck in the tree, and needs Mallory's help getting them back. Meanwhile, the unscrupulous Squire Scrupnor is trying to turn Mallory's beloved village into a coal mining town, and plans on taking all of the profits for himself, while blaming Arbican for the murder of his predecessor. Can Mallory help Arbican escape to Vale Innus, and stop Scrupnor?
The Good: It's an engaging story, and Mallory is a strong female protagonist. Arbican is an interesting wizard, not cliche and predictable. Scrupnor is a thoroughly dispicable bad guy, slimy and no good. The story is exciting in parts and Evalina seemed to enjoy it.
The Bad: Some language is quite strong. Mallory is repeatedly referred to as a slut and a wench (though in the original and not contemporary uses of the words), and I actually skipped over the words if I was reading the sentences they were in (slut more than wench). I just don't need Evalina repeating those words on the playground. Some of the plot was kind of talky - an entire chapter was pretty much grown ups talking about grown up politics, and I think it got a bit boring for Evalina in that part. It was right after Arbican was introduced, too, and I know she just wanted to see more about him! (So did I). Though it was only 144 pages long, it seemed much longer in parts, and ended well, but kind of abruptly.
The Verdict: It was a good book, overall, but I wouldn't say it's something I would go out of my way to read. Amazon says it's best for ages 9-12, and I would agree with that. Evalina liked it well enough, but I do think that some of it went over her head. Not bad, but don't rush out and buy it for your 6 year old. Older, maybe...
Monday, September 7, 2009
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
It took us about a week to read Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, which is pretty good, considering school started and all. We liked it quite a lot, and look forward to reading more Roald Dahl soon!
The Story: This books starts off right where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory left off, with Willy Wonka telling Charlie that he was going to inherit the chocolate factory, and his whole family was invited to come and live at the factory (instead of in their tiny little house) and help run it. Before they can settle into their new life of fun and luxury and chocolate filled days, the whole family (including the three grandparents in their big bed, Charlie's parents, Mr. Wonka, Charlie, and Grandpa Joe) went for a ride in the Great Glass Elevator. And where should that Great Glass Elevator take them, but into space? They went to explore the brand-new, and as yet unoccupied by humans, Space Hotel U.S.A, only to find themselves face to face with Vermicious Knids, horrible gobbling globs of aliens (and of course, Mr. Wonka knows all about them). They have a great adventure escaping the Knids, and rescue a bunch of astronauts and workers heading for the hotel in the process, before getting back to the factory.
Call that the end of Part 1. On to Part 2.
Once back on solid ground and in the factory, Mr. Wonka devises a plan to get the old grandparents out of the bed they haven't left in many years. He gives them the wonderful creation Wonka-Vite, which will strip 20 years off a person for each pill they take. This would have been all well and good, if it hadn't been for Grandma Georgina's greed with them, and the fact that no one seems to listen to directions. They end up as two babies and a minus (that'd be Grandma Georgina, who took too many pills and is -2 years old). Charlie and Mr. Wonka set off to save Grandma Georgina from Minus-land (far below the chocolate factory, also accessed by The Great Glass Elevator), and to set things right with her and the now baby grandparents. Of course, it's an adventure in and of itself.
The Good: Roald Dahl's writing style is just a lot of fun. He makes even the most fantastical journey seem matter-of-fact. Of course they would go into space in the elevator. Why not? And what should they find there but giant evil slug creatures like the Knids? And of course the elevator would be immune to knid attack. Of course Mr. Wonka has invented a wonderful pill to make you younger, and an opposite potion to make you older. He's like a magician, enrobed in chocolate. Charlie is ever-sensible, and Grandpa Joe is a joy. The chapters are a bit longer, on average, than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but still pretty short. Evalina was laughing out loud at parts, and really enjoyed it. Though the recommended reading age is 9-12, it was no problem for Evalina, and I bet she could read it by herself if she wanted to.
The Bad: Some grownups (including the President of the United States) are portrayed as utter fools. The story is more out there (and I mean out there - outer space) than the first book, and I didn't have a problem with that, but some people might. The Knids are really really terrible and frightening, and some chapters end with cliffhangers. The more sensitive readers might not like that (though Evalina had no troubles). There isn't anything else I can think of really. Perhaps another bad thing is that there are no more adventures with Charlie to read about?
The Verdict: The story is a bit more disjointed than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it was still super fun. Evalina loved it, and so did I. It was fun to read. It wrapped up Charlie's story quite nicely. The end of the first book was rather abrupt, and I think this one is good to read, if only to find out what happened. Recommended!
The Story: This books starts off right where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory left off, with Willy Wonka telling Charlie that he was going to inherit the chocolate factory, and his whole family was invited to come and live at the factory (instead of in their tiny little house) and help run it. Before they can settle into their new life of fun and luxury and chocolate filled days, the whole family (including the three grandparents in their big bed, Charlie's parents, Mr. Wonka, Charlie, and Grandpa Joe) went for a ride in the Great Glass Elevator. And where should that Great Glass Elevator take them, but into space? They went to explore the brand-new, and as yet unoccupied by humans, Space Hotel U.S.A, only to find themselves face to face with Vermicious Knids, horrible gobbling globs of aliens (and of course, Mr. Wonka knows all about them). They have a great adventure escaping the Knids, and rescue a bunch of astronauts and workers heading for the hotel in the process, before getting back to the factory.
Call that the end of Part 1. On to Part 2.
Once back on solid ground and in the factory, Mr. Wonka devises a plan to get the old grandparents out of the bed they haven't left in many years. He gives them the wonderful creation Wonka-Vite, which will strip 20 years off a person for each pill they take. This would have been all well and good, if it hadn't been for Grandma Georgina's greed with them, and the fact that no one seems to listen to directions. They end up as two babies and a minus (that'd be Grandma Georgina, who took too many pills and is -2 years old). Charlie and Mr. Wonka set off to save Grandma Georgina from Minus-land (far below the chocolate factory, also accessed by The Great Glass Elevator), and to set things right with her and the now baby grandparents. Of course, it's an adventure in and of itself.
The Good: Roald Dahl's writing style is just a lot of fun. He makes even the most fantastical journey seem matter-of-fact. Of course they would go into space in the elevator. Why not? And what should they find there but giant evil slug creatures like the Knids? And of course the elevator would be immune to knid attack. Of course Mr. Wonka has invented a wonderful pill to make you younger, and an opposite potion to make you older. He's like a magician, enrobed in chocolate. Charlie is ever-sensible, and Grandpa Joe is a joy. The chapters are a bit longer, on average, than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but still pretty short. Evalina was laughing out loud at parts, and really enjoyed it. Though the recommended reading age is 9-12, it was no problem for Evalina, and I bet she could read it by herself if she wanted to.
The Bad: Some grownups (including the President of the United States) are portrayed as utter fools. The story is more out there (and I mean out there - outer space) than the first book, and I didn't have a problem with that, but some people might. The Knids are really really terrible and frightening, and some chapters end with cliffhangers. The more sensitive readers might not like that (though Evalina had no troubles). There isn't anything else I can think of really. Perhaps another bad thing is that there are no more adventures with Charlie to read about?
The Verdict: The story is a bit more disjointed than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it was still super fun. Evalina loved it, and so did I. It was fun to read. It wrapped up Charlie's story quite nicely. The end of the first book was rather abrupt, and I think this one is good to read, if only to find out what happened. Recommended!
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