The Book High

Read as part of my quest to find books for my 3rd grade classroom library that are at least 50 years old and/or have no popular culture references. Not an easy task.

I'd heard great things about this series, but I have to say I'm a little underwhelmed. It seems to me more like an unlikely and implausible adventure story serving as a vehicle for teaching children the importance of hard work, cleanliness, and honesty. Now, of course I'm not against teaching values to children. I just think there are more effective (and more appropriate) means of doing so.

What brings this down to a two-star rating is the hope that even my 3rd graders are good enough critical thinkers to still be wondering by the end just how the kids' parents died and how the kids got away before their grandfather found out.