By the Great Horn Spoon

By the Great Horn Spoon
by Sid Fleischman
Little, Brown and Company, 2013.
Historical fiction.

I absolutely loved this book as a kid. Sid Fleischman is a safe bet when it comes to historical fiction. In this book, young Master Jack, a boy who considers himself a gentleman, makes a plan to restore his family's fortune in the California gold rush. With his butler by his side, Jack embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. The two city-folk-turned-miners seem to encounter one hilarious adventure after another. As a side note, it was this book that taught me mules were a cross between horses and donkeys, and that they can't reproduce. I haven't listened to the audio version of this book yet but I'm sure it's hilarious.

Comments

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

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Review: The Factory

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