The Monster in the Shadows: A Cobtown Story

The Cobtown series by Julia & Robert Van Nutt is brilliant. We have every one and love them all. It's a fun and personal dip into history and the characters are so funny and lovable. Written in the style of a journal, we as readers, really get the feeling that all the events in Cobtown really happened. (I'm still wondering how much fact is in the fiction...?) The stories are full of action with lots of cross-generational interpersonal relating and some racial diversity... and the illustrations are beautiful. Mostly these books are just fun- we laugh out loud and stop to look at each other when something is just too funny or unbelievable. Part of that is the sense of wonder and delight that Lucky Hart- the series' heroine- infuses into her journal entries. And, of course, there's Oinkey the pig. You will love Oinkey. I also have to say that because this book is set in the late 1800's, there are references to cultural traditions that are really meaningful for me. Things that make me remember my own family traditions... and remembering how important it is to have a sense of pride and belonging in one's home town. I always finish reading these stories with a sense of nostalgia for times long gone and a desire to pay more attention to doing things together as a family. I also use these books to help emphasize to my son how wonderful having friendships with our older neighbors is. When we're reading about 'Aunt Heddy' and 'Flibberty', I take the opportunity to point out how great it is that Lucky Hart shares such great adventures with people who know a lot of useful things about the world and are always ready to help you out... like OUR great neighbors!