Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 3^-6. What's a precocious wirehaired dachshund named Howie doing keeping a journal and writing books? As a member of the fabled Monroe family of Bunnicula fame, he's aspiring to be like Harold, resident dog author and honorary uncle. In It Came from beneath the Bed! Howie makes a bold foray into writing (with advice from Harold) in an adventure about a stuffed koala that assumes monstrous proportions when he accidentally ingests some of Pete Monroe's science-project potion. In Mind Swappers, Howie concocts an sf tale about invading aliens who take over the personalities of earthlings. The chapters alternate between Howie's journal, filled with droll observations and tongue-in-cheek humor that stem from Harold's writing instruction, and chapters in Howie's own tales. Real author Howe has provided elementary students with an ingenious lesson in how to write, seamlessly blended with two first-rate tales starring a whimsical protagonist. --Anne O'Malley
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
There's nothing like a series to keep kids turning pages. Bunnicula's family is back, and Uncle Harold steps aside to let Howie, the family dachshund, tell all in It Came from Beneath the Bed!, the first in the Tales from the House of Bunnicula series by James Howe, illus. by Brett Helquist. The inaugural adventure finds the doggy fighting off a marauding stuffed animal culled from the clutter. In Book 2, Invasion of the Mind Swappers from Asteroid 6!, Howie must save Delilah from aliens and thwart their plan to take over the planet. With Helquist's illustrations and a tongue-in-cheek note to readers on the back of the book, the unjacketed hardcovers bear a strong resemblance to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. For Beach Reading... (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-Here, Howie writes a story in which his friend Delilah is being turned into a squirrel by aliens from another planet. In alternating chapters, he talks to readers about his writing process, his inspirations for ideas, and his editor's request that he write another book. These entries are delightful. Howie is constantly complaining about his difficulties in writing the book and developing Delilah's character. The story-within-a-story is secondary to the pup's journal. This book is lighthearted fun, illustrated with humorous black-and-white drawings of Howie's and Delilah's experiences.-Wendy S. Carroll, Grant Elementary School, Ridgefield Park, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this satisfying chapter book adaptation from the novel [cf2]Bunnicula[cf1], two family pets suspect a rabbit found in a movie theater of being a vampire. How else to explain the white vegetables, drained of their juices? In spite of Chester the cat's garlic-wearing measures, an all-juice diet solves the problem. Colorful acrylic illustrations enliven the conflict. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
