Emily and Jackson Hiding Out

June 15, 2012
Emily and Jackson try to escape the baddies in this never-too-serious comedy-drama. Back in the 19th century, Emily and her friend Jackson live happily with Aunt Hilda on her farm somewhere in the West. However, dangers from the previous book (Emily's Fortune, 2010) still lurk, and amid play, pranks and chores, readers know that danger will return. The $10 million Emily has inherited doesn't affect their lives much because they're already happy, but it sure attracts bad guys! The two orphans still must escape the dastardly child catchers who want to take Jackson to work in a mill. Then someone suspicious shows up when Aunt Hilda goes away to town, and the two friends find themselves kidnapped. Oh no! How will clever Jackson, not to mention their intrepid dog, Spook, find a way to escape and save Emily? As before, Naylor stuffs her short chapters with fun, ending each with an alliterative phrase, always in huge typeface that takes up half the page, such as "And what in gigglin' goblins do you think they saw?" It's a wonderful device to keep children laughing and reading. The suspense is never too threatening and always has a bit of humor involved, yet it's still scary enough to keep readers turning pages. The author makes the resolution delightful and easy, while Emily and Jackson keep readers smiling. The whimsical line drawings by Collins greatly add to the sweet atmosphere. Spunky! (Historical fiction. 9-12)

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August 1, 2012

Gr 3-6-Fans of Emily's Fortune (Delacorte, 2010) will enjoy this lively sequel. Picking up exactly where the first book left off, Emily (recently orphaned) and her friend Jackson arrive safely at her aunt 's farm, relieved to have escaped her evil uncle Victor who was intent on kidnapping her for her inherited fortune. Just as they settle in, they learn that the nefarious Catchum Child-Catching Service (that collects a bounty for each child caught) is hot on the trail of Jackson, himself an orphan. Aunt Hilda is a loving and protective child advocate, intent on adopting them both. However, when she goes to town without them one day and a mysterious old widow cloaked in black appears asking for money, trouble ensues. Emily and Jackson have to use their wits to elude immediate danger. Fast-paced chapters end with twangy cliff-hanger questions like, "What in a duck's dimple do you think happened next?" Collins's charming black-and-white illustrations round out the regional flavor of this rollicking tale, which would be good for reluctant readers or those simply in the mood for an old-fashioned adventure story set in the Wild West.-Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2012
Grades 3-5 With mean ol' Uncle Victor vanquished (or is he?!) and her inherited $10 million safe in the bank, Emily and orphan pal Jackson can finally breathe easy at their new home on Aunt Hilda's farm. But wouldn't you just know it, the dastardly Catchum Child-Catching Services pops up again to haul Jackson off to work, and that's just the beginning of the rip-roarin' adventures in store for the heroine of Emily's Fortune (2010). Naylor's light-hearted tone ensures that readers don't ever have to worry too hard about Emily and Jackson's chances in the series of scrapes they get into, and again each chapter ends with a 100-point, wanted-poster font shouting out cliff-hangers like, And what in the rooster's rompers do you figure happened next? Collins chips in with a handful of terrific, scene-setting line illustrations. A cheerful, quick western read sure to get kids into a howdy-do frame of mind.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)