Return to Howliday Inn

March 1, 1993
About the latest romp starring the inimitable Bunnicula gang, PW noted, ``The author generously peppers this caper with his trademark puns and snappy one-liners. Howe's fans will find this as scrumptiously silly as his critters' earlier adventures.'' Ages 8-12.

May 1, 1992
Gr 4-6- -Once again the Monroes board their three pets at Chateau Bow Wow, a place their overimaginative cat, Chester, appropriately renamed Howliday Inn. Chester and Harold, a normally sensible but slightly lethargic dog, return to the kennel with trepidation while puppy Howie enthusiastically anticipates a visit to his birthplace. They soon meet the eccentric new residents of the kennel: a sorrowful Great Dane named Hamlet; two yuppie dogs, Bob and Linda; two thuglike cats named Felonie and Miss Demeanor; and a hymn-singing weasel named, appropriately enough, The Weasel. As Hamlet tells of his feared abandonment by his elderly master, they hear ghostly calls for help coming from underground. The animals uncover the remains and spirit of a dog named Rosebud, who tells them of her death in the kennel office and warns them to escape. Few readers will appreciate Howe's many clever puns that often rely on political and literary references, and the plot is thinner and the ending less convincing than previous entries with this cast. However, this book retains their winning components: fast-paced action with an element of mystery; eccentric animal characters (caricatures really); and humorous dialogue. It's an unbeatable combination. -Maggie McEwen, formerly at Coffin Elem . School, Brunswick, ME

May 1, 1992
Gr. 3-6. In this, the fifth book in Howe's popular "Bunnicula" series, the vampire bunny is out of the picture, sent off to stay with friends while the Monroes go on vacation. The real action takes place at Chateau Bow-Wow, also known as Howliday Inn (the scene of the second book), where the family boards their cat, Chester, and their dogs, Harold and Howie, for the duration. Harold, the narrator, relates the adventures, which center on Chester's premonitions, a secret code, and a disembodied voice of doom. While the large cast of animal characters can be confusing and the plot doesn't hold together as well as in "Bunnicula," readers will find this entertaining fare. The Shakespearean misquotations may go over many kids' heads, but Howe's outrageous puns will not, and fans of the series will agree with Harold's closing statement: "Things were definitely back to paranormal." ((Reviewed May 1, 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)