The Wooden Mile

April 1, 2009
Gr 4-6-Stanley Buggles, 11, inherits a house on Crampton Rock from a previously unknown relative. Upon arriving there, he discovers that something strange is going on in the village. The dogs are missing limbs, and Stanley is sternly warned to stay off the moors and to be inside before nightfall. Cryptic messages from a talking mounted pike further pique his curiosity, and he becomes entangled with former pirates who want him to kill the werewolf that stalks the village at night (and who in human form owns a sweet shop by day). The pirates have their own agenda, but Stanley decides that he must take care of the werewolf regardless, to safeguard the town and avenge his great-uncle's death. A spare offering, the narrative moves quickly and focuses more on action than character development. Some plot points are problematic: Stanley's main concern after shooting the werewolf is how to explain the missing gun, and the next day Mr. Cake (the werewolf) is fully recovered and thanking Stanley with no explanation as to why. The black-and-white illustrations interspersed with the text are well done, but most readers will want to stick with Philip Ardagh or Lemony Snicket for far-fetched adventures and dark humor."Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2008
Grades 3-6 First published in England, the Something Wickedly Weird series opens with 11-year-old Stanley Buggles traveling to Crampton Rock and taking up residence at Candlestick Hall. He recently inherited the mansion and its strange contents from his great-uncle Admiral Bartholomew Swift, who perished in a dark encounter with a fearsome werewolf. Though both the housekeeper and the magical pike mounted in the hallway warn Stanley off the local mystery, the plucky lad cant hold back. Soon the pirates lurking nearby seem just as menacing as the werewolf, which is on the prowl again. With its fairly easy text, many black-and-white illustrations, and a dramatic scene silhouetted on the cover, this chapter book will appeal to young readers who like their fiction fast-paced and a bit scary. Moulds richly atmospheric ink drawings capture the rather macabre tone of the story. The second volume in the series, The Icy Hand (9781596433854), is now available in the U.S.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)