Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Rescue Team

by Billi Tiner

I loved “The Rescue Team” by Dr. Billi Tiner. It’s a feel good dog and cat story that I totally enjoyed. The story is told from the perspective of the main characters, Ellie, the dog, rescued from the animal shelter by Anne. Ellie and Anne form a special bond, and rescue a rabbit, but that’s just the beginning. Later, they rescue a small cat that Anne names Toby and they add him to their team—their rescue team. The rest of the story is one exciting rescue after another.

Often reading a new author I’m tempted to editorialize—to think of different ways of telling the story, different words, and so forth. But with this story, I enjoyed all of it. I was carried away and wasn’t even able to predict the next exciting event. The end is perfect, too. If you like dog and cat stories, if you like rescue and hero stories, you will enjoy this book about selflessness, friendship, caring, and having a positive purpose in life. Highly recommended for young middle grade readers, age 8 to 13.

Information about author and veterinarian Dr. Billi Tiner is at www.tinerbooks.blogspot.com.

Reviewed by:

Penelope Anne Cole
Multi-Award Winning Author of Magical Matthew and Magical Mea 
and Mágico Mateo (Spanish). Magical Mea Goes to School, and

Magical Max and Magical Mickey

New:  What’s for Dinner?

Coming Soon:  In and Out, All ‘Round About – Opposite Friends

For Halloween: Ten Little Tricksters
Web:  http://www.penelopeannecole.com/ 

Tags:

The Rescue Team, Dr. Billi Tiner, Tiner Books, Animal Shelters, rescue, dogs, cats, Ellie, Toby, lost child, woods, helping, friendship, caring, kindness.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

By Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall is one of my favorites. I own the first three books of the Penderwicks, looking forward to the fourth and fifth when it comes out. I love these books because the Penderwick family is nearly perfect. The four motherless girls do the best they can for their absent-minded, Latin spouting father.

And Mr. Penderwick does the best for his girls, but having lost his beloved wife to cancer, it is hard for him to cope and he leans heavily on his oldest daughter Rosalind. We watch the whole family recovering and adventuring through the first book, “The Penderwicks, A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy,” the second back home, “The Penderwicks on Gardam Street,” which is a game changer. 

In the third book the three of the sisters have adventures when they go to Point Mouette, where Skye, the second Penderwick sister, is put in charge for two weeks. Skye has her hands full trying to keep everyone safe through one misadventure after another. This series is old fashioned, heartwarming, and the kind of family and childhood we all wish we had.

This book is highly recommended for middle grade students. 

More information on author Ms. Birdsall is at www.jeannebirdsall.com

Reviewed by:

Penelope Anne Cole

Multi-Award Winning Author of Magical Matthew and Magical Mea 
and Mágico Mateo (Spanish). Magical Mea Goes to School, and Magical Max and Magical Mickey

New:  What’s for Dinner?

For Halloween: Ten Little Tricksters
Web:  http://www.penelopeannecole.com/ 

Tags:

Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks, Point Mouette, Skye, Batty, Jane, Rosalyn, Jeffrey, Alec, Hound, Aunt Claire