The Quigleys at Large

December 13, 2004
In this follow-up to The Quigleys
, four short stories describe Dad accidentally allowing Will's bird to escape and trying everything to recapture him; Will getting himself locked in the school building; and Lucy making a friend when she visits France, despite a language barrier. Ages 5-12.

October 1, 2003
The Quigley family is featured in four more short stories, in The Quigleys at Large by Simon Mason, illus. by Helen Stephens. Dad accidentally allows Will's bird-Deathwing, Lord of the Skies-to escape and tries everything to recapture him. Next, Will gets himself locked in the school building by mistake. Mum has fun jumping rope at the school fete; and Lucy makes a friend when she visits France, despite a language barrier.

December 1, 2003
Gr 2-4-In this upbeat sequel to The Quigleys (Knopf, 2002), Dad, Will, Mum, and Lucy are each featured in a separate chapter. Dad's elaborate trap to catch the family's pet budgie entangles him instead of the bird. Will gets locked inside the school when he goes back on the weekend to find his lost coat. Mum resists everyone's attempt to keep her inactive at a fete because of recent dental surgery, and she surprises them by helping Lucy win a skip-rope contest. Finally, Lucy breaks the language barrier in order to make a friend when the family goes camping in France. The Quigleys are much like the families in books by Johanna Hurwitz and Beverly Cleary, though the British setting sets this series apart. The inviting large print and Stephens's frequent line drawings will help attract children bridging into chapter books.-Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2003
Gr. 2-4. This follow-up to " The Quigleys" (2003) is even funnier than its predecessor. The hilarious opening chapter involves Dad trying to recover an escaped parakeet ("budgie") named Deathwing, Lord of the Skies. Slapstick comedy abounds as Dad employs all sorts of bizarre methods to capture the bird, including a homemade trap made with netting, twine, a hula-hoop, and a toasting fork. In subsequent chapters, Will gets himself locked up in his school while trying to deliver birthday party invitations; Mum's attempts to have some fun at a party are thwarted by her overprotective family; and Lucy manages to find friends for everyone but herself during the family holiday in France. Silly as the Quigleys can be, their interactions also sharply reflect family realities. Readers will find much to love in this warm, often hilarious family romp.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)