Kid Konnection is hosted each weekend by Julie at Booking Mama. This meme features anything to do with children's books.
Hardcover, 104 pages
Published August 15th 2011 by Clocktower Hill Research & Publishing Group, LLC (first published July 27th 2011)
ISBN: 0983213003 (ISBN13: 9780983213000)
Set during the depression, this is the adventure story of Loyd and Boyd, twin 12 year olds, who travel from New York back home to Georgia to visit with their Uncle Thurman in his cabin deep in the woods. Uncle Thurman is quite the story teller and he regales the boys with the scary story of the cow-eating slug monster who lived deep in the Kinchafoonee creek. He even provided them with an old map of the area.
The boys are determined to see the monster for themselves and so they set out to camp overnight in the woods near the creek and try to capture the elusive monster. On their way to the creek they meet up with another young boy, Dibbs, and a local group of girls led by the intrepid Penelope, who form the local chapter of Anti-boils club which is just their humorous name for anti-boy.Even though Loyd and Boyd consider their trip to be top secret, they invite Dibbs to come along. Over the campfire, Loyd and Boyd tell Dibbs about the mighty slug monster.
Since Uncle Thurman told them the monster is famous for eating a whole cow, Loyd and Boyd get Dibbs to steal a cow from Mr. Brinson to try to lure the monster out of the creek. The boys get to see the monster alright but they created such brouhaha after Mr. Brinson alerted the sheriff to his stolen cow. When the sheriff questions the boys about the monster sighting, he and some of the braver locals form a posse to capture the monster.
Little does the sheriff know the boys have formulated a new plan to set a trap for the monster and that Penelope and the girls have their own agenda. What ensues is a big dose of mayhem and chaos with the girls running around screaming while the adults and the boys run into each other in an unexpected way foiling any capture plans. It doesn't sit well with Loyd and Boyd that it is Penelope who provides a nice twist to the ending!
I don't think any young readers could relate to the Depression and the fact that Loyd and Boyd traveled by train over 1000 miles by themselves, walked many miles to Uncle Thurman's cabin and went camping in the woods overnight by themselves. There didn't seem to be much adult supervision but I guess for the times this may have been normal. However, this is a cute and humorous story and I would imagine any young child would find it a great adventure and the book would keep their interest.
Pen and ink drawings by Candace Purview enhance the story. Mr. McGhee has two more Loyd and Boyd adventures in the works: Loyd & Boyd and the Chattanooga Vampire along with Loyd & Boyd and the Serpent of Ruby Falls. R. Lewis McGhee is a Goodreads author and can also be found on his facebook page.
Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book is totally new to me. I like that it introduces a time period that today's kids might not be familiar with. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy dad grew up during the Depression and if his stories are any indication, the kids weren't supervised all that much. This book sounds good.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like an interesting time period in which to set the book. I don't think I have come across many like this. Very nice review!
ReplyDeleteI'll keep my eyes peeled for this one. Some of my students would love to read this one. But I agree with you that they really have no clue about the Depression.
ReplyDeleteI think it was even a different time when WE were growing up .. there were so many things that I was allowed to do that I would never let my own children do. This sounds like a great boy read, with the adventure and the mischief. Thanks for the review and thanks for the heads up about Kid Konnection. I didn't realize it was a weekend meme, and I usually post my children's/middle reader book reviews on the weekend!
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