Skip to main content

A Plague of Bogles

By
Cover of A Plague of Bogles
 


A Plague of Bogles
by Catherine Jinks
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.  321 pgs. Fantasy

     Second in Catherine Jinks' delightful Bogles' series, following How to Catch a Bogle, A Plague of Bogles finds young Jem hoping to catch on as a bogler's apprentice with Alfred Bunce since Birdie, his former apprentice has been taken into the custody and care of Miss Eames and becoming a genteel young thing. Alfred is understandably reluctant to get any youngster into the bogling business since bogles eat children, but the only way to capture and destroy them is with a child as bait. Jem hangs around until a plague of bogles erupts in Newgate - an unusual occurrence, since bogles usually work alone - and Albert has to take action. Why are so many, the boglers wonder? and why are they so icky and powerful? Birdie and Miss Eames make a token appearance, but this time the show is mostly Jem's, who besides dealing with such monsters as a bogle who arms were attached to "a great hairy bladder, propped up on leg's like a toad's and crowned by a head bigger than a bull," is hunting his old boss Sarah Pickles to get revenge for her betrayal. When these two quests cross, all Perdition breaks loose in a dazzling ending that will have readers clammering for the next book in the series coming out this Fall.  A terrific Victorian fantasy/mystery series for children of strong courage, grades five and up.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Umami

By
  Umami By Jacob Grant New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Picture Book. Umami is a little penguin who is sick of eating the same thing everyday, cold fish --ugh! She becomes determined to find new foods and flavors, so Umami begins a journey across the sea in search of something different to eat. She reaches a place with a plethora of delicious options, and tries bitter, sweet, sour, and foods with umami (just like her name!) among others. Umami decides to bring all these delicious new flavors back for the other penguins to try in a feast. But, will the other penguins enjoy this new experience?  Filled with charm and humor, Umami is a diverse romp through a universal experience --am I willing to try something new? What will it be like? The idea of trying new foods and flavors make it especially relatable, and the appealing illustrations will have many readers ready to hop out on a culinary adventure. A humorous and sweet ending, caps off this delig...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Faker

By
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Faves: Picture Books with Festive Treats

By
In my family, December marks the beginning of the holiday season, where we get to spend time together and do all of our favorite traditions. And, of course, eat lots of yummy food. I love that holidays look different for different families, but so many families have special foods they eat during the holidays. These are some of my favorite picture books about families making (and eating!) special holiday treats. These books might even give you new ideas of festive treats to try! The Last Tamale Written by Mendiola Orlando Illustrated by Teresa Martinez New York: Harper, 2024. Picture Book. Once a year, Luis' whole family gets together for their annual tamalada -- a party where they make tamales using a super-secret recipe. It's all love, family, and tradition until there is only one tamale left. Who will get it? It's an all-out family battle to decide who gets the last tamale. Colorful and humorous, this story is perfect for the holidays or whenever your family likes to enjo...
Post a Comment
Read more