Tag: friendship

Book Review: The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill

The Toothpaste Millionaire

Jean Merrill (J Fiction)

This is the story of my friend Rufus Mayflower and how he got to be a millionaire. With a little help from me. With a lot of help from me, as a matter of fact. But the idea was Rufus’s.

Who would pay $.79 for a tube of toothpaste? Why, it was so outrageous that 12-year-old Rufus Mayflower takes matters into his own hands and sets out to make his own toothpaste for less…much, MUCH less. Drawing from his days at his grandmother’s house, Rufus concocts a toothpaste recipe and proves that he can, in fact, make a whole gallon of toothpaste for the same cost as a single tube. Excited to pass on this cost savings to consumers, he partners with his friend Kate and soon earns the attention of a local TV personality. Rufus’s toothpaste not only gets noticed by the public, but also by some of toothpaste’s biggest manufacturers. However, what Rufus learns about business and competition is nothing to smile about.

Set in the 1960s, Jean Merrill’s The Toothpaste Millionaire is a testament to ingenuity, entrepreneurship, and integrity. Fans of her classic David-versus-Goliath book The Pushcart War will once again be cheering for the underdog who takes on the establishment and proves that when the good guys win, they win big!

The heart of the story is the interracial friendship between Rufus and our narrator Kate. This relationship may not bat any eyes today, but during the story’s setting, it was considered uncommon and unconventional. But as fate would have it, a single and simple act of kindness opened the door to a friendship built on mutual trust, respect, and admiration. Merrill gives the story a nice twist by making Kate—who is white—the outsider, having moved into a predominantly black, middle-class neighborhood. As she also serves as the story’s narrator, she describes first-hand what it feels like to be excluded and viewed suspiciously. However, racial lines are soon blurred as everyone comes together behind Rufus’s lucrative and ambitious venture.

The Toothpaste Millionaire is an ode to the self-starters who feel that something could be made cheaper, faster, better, or smaller. Merrill somehow makes learning economics, math, and marketing fun through a cast of likeable characters, a fast-paced story, and the idea that treating people with fairness, kindness, and respect bears its own riches and rewards.

Rating: 5/5

By the Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman (J Historical Fiction)

By the Great Horn Spoon!

Sid Fleischman (J Historical Fiction)

Jack’s Aunt Arabella is about to lose their beloved home due to financial hardships so he, along with the family’s faithful butler Praiseworthy, stowaway on a sailing ship headed to California in hopes of striking it rich. Young Jack wants adventure, but is he ready to face the perilous sea, dangerous outlaws, and the back-breaking life of a prospector for the slim chance of finding gold? By the great horn spoon he is! And with his loyal butler by his side, he’s sure that there’s no problem they can’t solve, no scoundrel they can’t outwit, and no gold they can’t find.

By the Great Horn Spoon! is one of the best—if not the best—Gold Rush books for kids that I’ve come across. It’s a high-stakes thriller that’s packed with action, adventure, and plenty of twists to keep any reader engaged. At the center of it all are two of the unlikeliest prospectors to ever live between the covers of a book: a spunky yet naïve 12-year-old boy and a reserved, intelligent butler. Jack and Praiseworthy are the heart of this story and their relationship is one centered on trust, mutual adoration, and loyalty. Through their own personal growth, we see their bond strengthen and their relationship evolve from one of servant and master to father and son. What is most appealing are the virtues that Praiseworthy imparts on Jack: always keep your word, offer compassion whenever possible, and stand up for what you believe in.

The storyteller Aesop once wrote, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted” and Praiseworthy proves this time and time again. Whether he’s helping a prospector look his best for his new bride, defending a known criminal to help fulfill the wish of a dying friend, or protecting the honor of a young woman in Boston, our proper gentleman with his white gloves, reliable umbrella, and black bowler hat always seems to know the right thing to do and is there to reap the unexpected rewards of his actions.

Praiseworthy spends the entire book thinking himself unworthy of the affections of a certain miss back home because of his social status, but as his name suggests, this humble and mild man is truly worthy of praise and his generosity and kindness make him far richer than any amount of gold he might find.   

Rating: 5/5

Bring Jack and Praiseworthy to your class with our study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-By-the-Great-Horn-Spoon-by-Sid-Fleischman-12249210

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (J Fiction)

Because of Winn-Dixie

Kate DiCamillo (J Fiction)

Opal knows ten things about her mother, but the one that sticks out most is that she hated being a preacher’s wife. Perhaps that’s why she left and never came back. When Opal’s father is given the chance to minister at a converted Pick-It-Quick store, the two leave the bad memories of Watley and move to a fresh start in Naomi, Florida. However, Opal’s lonely life changes when a stray dog she names Winn-Dixie enters her life. Because of Winn-Dixie, she meets the town’s librarian who once loaned a book to a bear, a reclusive witch with a ghost tree in her backyard, an animal-serenading ex-convict, a bald-headed baby, and a pinch-faced know-it-all. Soon, these strange individuals begin to fill the empty spot in Opal’s life and because of Winn-Dixie, maybe life in Naomi won’t be so lonely after all.

Recipient of the 2001 Newbery Honor Book award, Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie is a warm and tender book about misjudging people, dealing with loneliness and loss, and the power that a simple act of kindness can have. Through a goofy dog with a penchant for smiling and a possessing a remarkably good judge of character, Winn-Dixie shows Opal that looks can be deceiving, labels are best left on soup cans, and anyone who offers you a peanut butter sandwich can’t be all that bad. With a “surrogate” mother in the form of Gloria Dump (who deals with her own demons in a unique and beautiful way), Opal begins to understand the importance of courtesy and the value of giving everyone a second chance. Although this story dabbles into some complex issues involving parental abandonment and alcohol abuse, its sweet and tender message of belonging and being true to yourself makes it a delightful and enjoyable book for readers of all ages.

Walt Whitman once wrote, “Be curious, not judgmental.” Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal learned to look beyond a person’s past actions, ugly words, or sour disposition and instead began to ask questions and listen to their stories. By using her ears rather than her eyes, she discovered what Winn-Dixie knew all along…that anyone who shows kindness, warmth, and compassion to a scraggly dog with a toothy smile can’t really be all that bad. How can they be?

Rating: 5/5

NEW!! Want to share this book with your homeschooler or classroom? Download our affordable study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Because-of-Winn-Dixie-by-Kate-DiCamillo-11472615?st=76e1919aea895123a78e657eb644391f

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (J Fiction)

They say Maniac Magee was born in a dump. They say his stomach was a cereal box and his heart a sofa spring. They say he kept an eight-inch cockroach on a leash and that rats stood guard over him while he slept. They say.

Maniac Magee

Jerry Spinelli (J Fiction)

They say Maniac Magee was born in a dump. They say his stomach was a cereal box and his heart a sofa spring. They say he kept an eight-inch cockroach on a leash and that rats stood guard over him while he slept. They say.

In a world where it’s hard to tell what’s real, slight exaggeration, or utter nonsense, one thing that’s undeniably true is that the boy known as Maniac is a straight-up legend. This scraggly orphan with the blown-out sneakers does more than just rescue Arnold Jones from Finsterwald’s backyard, runs along the steel rail of the railroad tracks, sleeps alongside a baby buffalo, and scores an inside-the-park homerun by bunting a frogball. No, sirree. This mythological marvel did what few would even think—nay—dare to do and that’s take on that foul and odious beast separating East End from West End in Two Mills, Pennsylvania. What beast would that be you ask? Racism.

It’s no wonder why Jerry Spinelli’s book received the highest honor in children’s literature—the John Newbery Medal. This heartwarming story of racial division, acceptance, family, and loyalty is as relevant and important today as it was when it was written in 1990. It tackles the ugliness and unfairness of racial prejudice head on with humor and heart and in a way that young readers can understand and absorb its important message of unity and understanding.

Maniac Magee tells the story of twelve-year-old Jeffrey Lionel “Maniac” Magee and his rise from runaway orphan to unforgettable legend. By performing impossible feats, he earns himself not only a spot in town folklore, but also in the hearts of just about everyone he meets. Yet despite his talents and charisma, there are still a few folks—on both sides of Hector Street—who have suffered so much pain and mistreatment in the past that they are unable to forgive, forget, and move on to face a different future.  

In his 1990 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award acceptance speech for Maniac Magee, Spinelli answered the question that so many of his fans and admirers have asked him over the years: “Were you Maniac?” And, in true Jerry Spinelli fashion, he responded, “I sure was. Weren’t we all?” Perhaps none of us will never experience the fame and notoriety of one Maniac Magee, but one thing’s for sure and that’s the world could certainly use a few more just like him right about now.

Rating: 5/5

NEW!! Want to share this book with your homeschooler or classroom? Download our study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Maniac-Magee-by-Jerry-Spinelli-11348884

On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer (YA Fiction)

On My Honor

Marion Dane Bauer (YA Fiction)

Joel and Tony are about as different as night and day. Joel is honest, responsible, and cautious while Tony exaggerates, is unreliable, and reckless. Nothing illustrates this more than Tony’s latest idea to climb Starved Rock Bluffs. As Joel follows his friend on yet another insane adventure, things go from bad to worse when Joel breaks a promise to his father, tempers get heated, and a dare made in anger turns deadly. With Joel left alone to face the horrible consequences of his actions, how can he tell his parents the truth about what happened when he still can’t believe the truth himself.

Recipient of the Newbery Honor Book award in 1987, On My Honor deals with the difficult subjects of death, guilt, and remorse and is based on a real-life event involving the author’s childhood friend, Ralph. When Ralph and his friend decided to swim in the dirty and dangerous Vermillion River, Ralph’s friend—like Tony—goes under the water and never resurfaces. Like Joel, Ralph goes home and doesn’t tell a soul. On her website, Bauer describes the feelings she experienced when she found out about Ralph and his friend: “And I remember feeling at my very core what it must have felt like to be Ralph in that moment, to have something so terrible happen, to want so badly to go back and do a day over, to make different decisions, and to know that you could not do that . . . not ever.”

Bauer’s writing overflows with details and lavish descriptions that plunge the reader into a dark world of tragedy, shame, and the loss of innocence. It’s difficult to see a main character deal with such complex and complicated emotions, but when the protagonist is only 12, it’s even harder to grasp. Realizing that it was based on actual events makes the story even more painful to comprehend and process.

On describing her process for writing On My Honor, Bauer said, “I read stories because I want to feel. I want to remain warm and safe in my own life while struggling through someone else’s storm. I want to live, for a brief time, inside someone else’s skin. And stories are the only way I know to do that . . . writing them or reading them, either one.” At the end of the book, Joel’s father tries to reassure his son by saying that he couldn’t live his life by maybes. Maybe we can’t do a day over or take back the impact of words once they’re heard, but hopefully with authors like Marion Dane Bauer who provide us with stories about tragedy and loss, we CAN live in someone else’s skin and struggle through their storm while gaining knowledge and learning lessons under the warmth and safety of our own life.

Rating: 5/5

*Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

 NEW!! Want to share this book with your homeschooler or classroom? Download our affordable study guide by visiting https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-On-My-Honor-by-Marion-Dane-Bauer-11140704

Shadow by Michael Morpurgo (J Historical Fiction)

“She may be a dog, but I think she is more like a friend than a dog, like a friendly shadow that does not want to leave us. You never lose your shadow.”

Shadow

Michael Morpurgo (J Historical Fiction)

Aman and his family lived in the beautiful and peaceful valley of Bamiyan. When Russian fighters came followed by the Taliban, Afghanistan was no longer the safe home that Aman and his people once knew. Forced to flee his homeland, Aman and his mother make the perilous journey to England through Kabul, Kandahar, Iran, Turkey, and across the English Channel. Through it all, he was given comfort, joy, and hope through a Springer Spaniel that he named Shadow. Now, six years later, Aman and his mother face deportation and it’s up to his classmate Matt and his grandfather to find a way to keep Aman in England. With time running out, will Aman lose his new home just like he lost Shadow?

Michael Morpurgo is the reason why historical fiction is my favorite genre. His strong characters take center stage while historical facts and pivotal details provide a colorful backdrop to a compelling and heart-pounding story. Morpurgo sheds light on a region where the police are just as dangerous as the area warlords and local militias; and he shows readers that money can’t guarantee safety and trusted allies are easily corrupted by force or bribery. It is a dangerous world and Aman discovers this all too soon at the young age of eight.  

Morpurgo also introduces readers to Yarl’s Wood—a place where Aman and his mother are kept prior to their scheduled deportation. Opened in 2001, the facility is in Bedfordshire, UK and is the main removal center for up to 405 individuals. A second wing added in 2002 increased capacity to 900. Shadow details the horrific conditions of the facility including poor living conditions, children being separated from their parents, and a lack of access to legal representation. According to a recent online article by the BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66121098), the facility now houses only men and although conditions seem to be improving, officials admit that there is still more work to be done.

Shadow is told from three points of view: Aman, Matt, and Matt’s grandfather. For the most part, Aman is our main narrator and through his lens we experience courage and hope of the strongest measure. This book is recommended for readers ages 10 to 14 and contains passages dealing with physical abuse, death, and animal cruelty. Opting for the higher end of the age range might be a safe choice for sensitive readers although all will benefit from the accurate account of a region and people in turmoil while navigating the emotions that this raw, immersive, and captivating story provides.

Shadow reminds us to never underestimate the human spirit or the impact that a loyal and brave companion has on our own capacity to trust and endure the seemingly unbearable. During one of their more difficult times, Aman’s mother said to him, “She may be a dog, but I think she is more like a friend than a dog, like a friendly shadow that does not want to leave us. You never lose your shadow.”

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald (J Historical Fiction)

The Great Brain (Great Brain #1) 

John D. Fitzgerald (J Historical Fiction)

It’s 1896 and the territory of Utah officially became a state. But to the 2,500 residents in the town of Adenville, it was the year of The Great Brain’s reformation. Having The Great Brain as a brother has its ups and downs. Just ask his little brother J.D. It was nearly impossible to catch any sunlight while constantly in the shadow of such magnificence and brilliance. Expert eavesdropping, a perilous cave rescue, and the great whiskey raid were the works of one Tom Dennis Fitzgerald and his intellect was the stuff of legend. But, has The Great Brain finally changed his scheming ways? Why, that would be bigger news than the day Adenville got its very first water closet!

Published in 1967, The Great Brain is the first in an eight-book series and loosely based on author John D. Fitzgerald’s own childhood experiences. The story is narrated by the Fitzgerald’s youngest son John (J.D.) who is seven—going on eight. This is one of those books that I have equally strong feelings of delight and horror. With a publisher-recommended reading age of 8 and up, it is important to note that this is a 1967 book and times they did change (and boy, did they ever)!

Setting aside the starting reading age (which I would emphatically suggest bumping up to at least 12), this book deals with some heavy societal and political issues largely centering around ethnic prejudice and hatred. Fitzgerald details how Adenville’s first Greek immigrant family (their son in particular) was the object of brutal bullying and verbal assault. The author also goes into a multi-page diatribe regarding the treatment of Jews compared to other ethnicities within their community and how a “beloved” member of their town somehow slipped through the cracks with devastating consequences. This wasn’t just a matter of negligence or ignorance, it was apathy and this entire topic—and its importance and relevance—is sadly bound to go right over a young reader’s scope of understanding.

Also, Tom is really nothing more than an opportunistic schemer. Would a young reader delight in his antics and ability to always find a way to one-up his friends? It seems so since this book not only gave way to seven successors, but earned Fitzgerald The Young Reader’s Choice Award for children’s literature in both 1976 and 1978. Shows what I know. Tom’s ability to do good does benefit those around him who learn how to defend themselves and develop a sense of self-worth, but the fact that he always seeks an “angle” puts him one step above a sleezy snake oil salesman. The upside is that Tom truly does have his beneficiaries’ best interests in mind and eventually experiences a moral awakening, but we know it doesn’t last long and future books probably contain more of the same self-serving behavior.   

Perhaps THE most disturbing part of this book comes near the end when John is helping another boy end his life because he wants to prove himself to be a good pal. The various ways the boys plot and attempt to carry out this horrific act is beyond boyish hijinx and madcap mayhem. I can’t possibly think what was going on in the author’s head that he thought this would be appropriate material to print for a child of eight. I was a child of the 70s and I wouldn’t look at this entire passage as merely being slapstick fun (Oopsies! THAT didn’t work. Let’s try this!) I shudder to think just HOW much of this book falls into the “own childhood experience” category.

My overall impression is that this book didn’t age well and should be left for a much older and morally mature reader. And even though my brain is not-so-great, I know there are more appropriate books out there for young readers that teach the virtues of friendship, the value of community, the strength of family, and the satisfaction you get from doing good with the expectation of receiving absolutely nothing in return.

Rating: 3/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold (Juvenile Fiction)

A Boy Called Bat (Bat Trilogy #1) 

Elana K. Arnold (Juvenile Ficiton)

Bixby Alexander Tam, nicknamed Bat, has a long list of things he doesn’t like: unspoken rules, people rumpling his hair, eating leftovers, food smashed together, cheese that has to be sliced, loud sounds, and waiting. But one thing that Bat DOES like is the orphaned newborn skunk that his veterinarian mother brings home one day. Although it’s hard for Bat to connect with people, he forms an instant bond with the kit and silently promises the animal that he will figure out a way to keep him. With the help of his third-grade teacher, Bat forms a plan that’s sure to make the baby skunk a permanent member of the Tam family. Afterall, Bat made a promise and he never lies. Lying makes him feel itchy…another thing that Bat doesn’t like.

A Boy Called Bat is the first in a series of three books in the Bat Trilogy. Written with candor and warmth, Arnold gives young readers a story of a boy on the autism spectrum who struggles to regulate his emotions, understand non-verbal social cues, navigate unexpected circumstances, and just adjust to life in general. We wince as we watch Bat say things without thinking, misread body language, and overreact to situations that all end in awkward and painful outcomes. Arnold accurately captures the nuances that are associated with the autism spectrum such as dealing with the subtleties of sarcasm or taking idioms literally. Spoken language along with unspoken facial cues and body gestures are just everyday landmines that Bat has to constantly tiptoe around with one wrong step spelling disaster.

Although I am a sucker when it comes to brother-and-sister relationships that are all cuddles and kisses and unicorn wishes, I did appreciate Arnold portraying Bat’s sister Janie realistically. She often loses her temper with Bat, she knows exactly what buttons to push when she wants a reaction out of him (and she DOES push), and yes, she thinks he’s weird. But Janie’s human and you really can’t fault her for wanting a predictable trip out or just ONE boring dinner with no drama. Yes, she’s a stinker because she knows better than anyone else how many things are out of Bat’s control, but I think that’s why I like her so much. She’s every sibling out there who assumes the dual roles of defender and detractor and it’s rewarding and exhausting at the same time. For every Bat, there’s one or two Janies and they deserve attention, patience, and understanding as well.

I think my favorite part of the book was how Bat viewed his mom: “Then he followed Mom through the door that separated the waiting room from the back and watched as she took her white coat from its hook. She put it on, and then Mom was Dr. Tam. A veterinarian. Better than a superhero.” Valerie Tam wasn’t a superhero because she was able to make sick animals well. She was extraordinary because she championed and believed in a boy who thought himself to be less than perfect. Parents of neurodiverse children put on a cape every single day—not because they want to, but because they have to because they know exactly who they’re fighting for and what they’re fighting against and they won’t ever, ever give up. Take that, Superman.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams (YA Fiction)

Genesis Begins Again

Alicia D. Williams (YA Fiction)

Thirteen-year-old Genesis Anderson hates moving (her family is on number four), broken promises (too many to count), her father’s hateful words when he’s had too much to drink (too painful to count), her hair, and staying with her grandmother. She also hates the darkness of her skin, which she’s tried to lighten using a variety of household products. But mostly, Genesis hates the list that was started back in sixth grade by two classmates who listed one hundred things (the stupid girls only listed sixty) they hated about her. The joke’s on them because Genesis has been adding to that list on her own and will probably make it to 100 in no time. There’s a lot of things Genesis hates, but a new school with new friends and new opportunities finally show Genesis that there are a lot of things to like. With things finally beginning to look up, you can bet that it won’t be long before something comes along to mess it all up. Genesis hates that.

Very few young adult books have grabbed me the way Genesis Begins Again has. Williams’s opening paragraph leads us into a false sense of security that is quickly and horribly stripped away in a matter of paragraphs. Williams snuffs out our girl’s light in one raw and shameful event that immediately shows us the obstacles that Genesis faces, the character of the “friends” she has, and the girl that she ultimately is. Behind all that self-loathing is a strong, loyal, fierce, and intelligent girl who is wise beyond her years and determined to make her fractured world whole again…no matter the cost. She is instantly a character that we root for and we find ourselves either wanting to take her by the shoulders to remind her that she’s better than she thinks or wrap our arms around her to reassure her that everything will be alright.

It’s hard to believe that this is Williams’s debut novel. It received the Newbery Honor award in 2020, as well as the John Steptoe Award for New Talent. Her book began as an autobiography but was soon revised to better reflect the present rather than the past. The themes of bullying and colorism play predominantly throughout the story and often emanate from surprising and unexpected sources. The characters are wonderfully developed, the prose is engaging and allows us to fully immerse ourselves within Genesis’s world, the conflicts and outcomes are realistic, and there’s enough drama and tension to keep the story moving at a wonderful pace.

Highlighting the important and influential role that teachers have on our children, Genesis is highly influenced by her music teacher, Mrs. Hill. It is she who introduces Genesis to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James who showed her that there is beauty in brokenness and joy beyond the pain. Music healed Genesis…it freed her…and proved to be a lifeline to those around her who needed it the most. Billie Holiday once said, “If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.” All through the story, Genesis was always trying to be someone else: lighter, braver, smarter, hipper, or more popular. It was only after she discovered and began to sing her own song, that she was truly able to begin again.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 by N. Griffin (J Mystery)

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11

N. Griffin (J Mystery)

The third-grade class in Room 11 at Rebecca Lee Crumpler Elementary School was NOT having a good day. Between a vain, mean substitute teacher, a missing class hamster, and a nasty, sticky prank it was enough to make Principal Armstrong SIMPLY ILL. I mean, ILL IN BED WITH AN IV DRIP kind of ill! No. This was NOT how the students of Room 11 behaved. On top of that, when Smashie’s public dislike for Patches the hamster makes her the prime suspect in his disappearance (just because she thinks hamsters are just mice with chicken feet), it’s up to her and her best friend Dontel to solve the case or else Room 11 may never be the same again.

This is a great book that not only teaches critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills, it also illustrates the importance of giving someone the benefit of the doubt, how it’s possible to do something wrong but for the right reason, and how difficult it is to earn trust while it’s very easy to lose it. Lots of wonderful lessons with two central characters who balance each other nicely. While Smashie is reactive, impulsive, and emotional, Dontel is logical, thoughtful, and realistic. And while it causes some angst on Smashie’s part when Dontel doesn’t agree with her, he proves to her that disagreeing doesn’t mean disloyalty because it takes a real friend to point out your mistakes and a better friend to admit when it’s true.

Griffin gives readers a cute and age-appropriate story that really picks up steam near the end. The only problem I had was with a few of the references: …frog-marching the hapless Mr. Carper downtown, …Smashie beat a loud tattoo on its door, …he schooled his features, and (this one is a doozy) I was throwing the poor thing a bone said by a male teacher to a female teacher in an attempt to excuse his failed flattery attempts. Not to mention Dontel telling Smashie to slap my hand with your hand rather than just saying, “High five!” or “Gimme five!” and I was wondering if these references would be lost on Griffin’s audience. Still, this is a fun and entertaining read that shows if you’re strong and stand up for what you know is right, everything will work out in the end…even if you still think hamsters are just mice with chicken feet.

Rating: 4/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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