Taking Care of Trouble

As with Ms. Grave's other books, my eight-year-old son insisted we read this book in less than two sittings because he wanted to learn the ending. Not only is TROUBLE full of nonstop action, its dialogue, characters (and their ridiculous names), and endless mishaps are funny in a way that's highly appealing to third grade sensibilities. Joel's escapades babysitting Tucker Goodchild remind me of Beverly Cleary's talent for well-paced, rather ingenious plots, and realistic yet humorous detail. This is the kind of chapter book that hooks even a struggling reader. I would highly recommend it for fun bedtime reading.