Skip to main content

On the Blue Comet

On the Blue Comet
by Rosemary Wells
Candlewick, 2010. 329 pgs. Fiction.

Oscar's mother is killed in a freak lightning accident, leaving him behind to live with his dad. The two have a tight father-son relationship and share a love of Lionel model trains. But when the Great Depression hits, Oscar's dad must travel to California to find work and their home and beloved train set are sold. Oscar is horrified when he is sent to live with his strict Aunt Carmen. It seems almost unbearable until he makes friends with Mr. Applegate, an intelligent transient looking for work. When Mr. Applegate finally lands a job, it's as the night watchmen guarding a local bank. Oscar visits Mr. Applegate at the bank one particular evening and he ends up witnessing a bank robbery. Subsequent events catapult Oscar into taking a time travel trip into the future. Will he ever be reunited with his dad? Batoulline's illustrations provide visual clues to things that are not included in the text. A fun and engaging historical fiction covering both the Great Depression and the Los Angeles movie era of the 1940s.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

Books That Take You There: Egypt

My parents are currently planning their first visit to Egypt. And they’re going without me . Like many of you, I’ve always found Egypt fascinating, whether learning about the gross details of making a mummy or eating delicious Egyptian food eaten by people who live there today. And if we can’t all go to Cairo with my parents, we can at least take a little trip through a few books that can take us straight to Egypt! Tail of the Mummy Cat  Written by Chas! Pangburn  Illustrated by Nic Touris  Miami, FL: Papercutz, an imprint of Mad Cave Studios, 2024. Comic. 132 pages.  Nana and Otto are siblings who visit Egypt with their travel-blogger mom. Nan loves learning about Egypt and its history, while Otto wishes he could’ve stayed home. However, both of their plans change when they accidentally let a mummified cat loose from a Pharaoh’s tomb. This graphic novel lets you see both of the sibling’s perspectives through this adventure —and their stories don’t always agree! This...