Morgy Coast to Coast

May 1, 2005
Gr 2-4 -In this sequel to Morgy Makes His Move(Houghton, 1999), fourth-grader Morgy MacDougal-MacDuff continues to cope with living in a new town, being separated from his best friend, and learning basic hockey skills. Added difficulties include caring for a highly strung greyhound, learning the trumpet, and worrying about his new friend's uncle who is fighting wild fires in California. Lewis's dizzying approach to narrative may present comprehension difficulties for some readers, especially for those who have not read the previous book. Morgy's scattered thoughts, along with some confusing dialogue and a very large cast of characters, may overwhelm some children. Chesworth's black-and-white illustrations are doled out sparingly, one per chapter, but add some much-needed focus. For those who stick it out, the story does pick up midway with the hockey plot line, but it's a bit too late in the game to spark interest in this disappointing follow-up. -"Carol L. MacKay, Camrose Public Library, Alberta, Canada"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2005
Gr. 3-5. In this sequel to " Morgy Makes His Move" (2002), Morgy begins fourth grade in his new Puckett, Massachusetts, home. The first-person narrative highlights his care of Dante, a retired greyhound Morgy's family has taken in, and his misadventures in hockey, which he plays with more determination than skill. E-mails to his best friend in California punctuate the episodic story that details his humiliations (misreading the school menu aloud in front of kids who howl with laughter; playing hockey so badly that he has nowhere to go but up) as well as his triumphs (doing the right thing, for once, in a hockey game; playing the trumpet in his aunt's wedding). One expressive full-page illustration appears in each of the nine chapters. Well grounded in Morgy's family and community, this family story has more warmth and humor than most chapter books at this reading level.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)