It’ s Labor Day, and I’ve had a long weekend to read and knit, trying to squeeze as much in as I can before I get really busy again. I have a sock and a half-finished, which is Ok because it’s always a bit too warm at the beginning of the year to wear my back to school socks.
I read The Luck Uglies by Paul Durham. I had taken it out from the library earlier this summer and returned it without having cracked the spine. I took it out again and read it in one day.
I know a couple of 5th grade girls who will LOVE this book. First of all, I loved the names. The Village is named Village Drowning. The Castle has a Grim Green. And the characters all have lovely names: Rye O’Chanter, Quinn Quartermast, Malydia Longchance, and Harmless.
From the Publisher: Strange things are happening in Village Drowning, and a terrifying encounter has eleven-year-old Rye O’Chanter convinced that the monstrous, supposedly extinct Bog Noblins have returned. Now Rye’s only hope is an exiled secret society so notorious its name can’t be spoken aloud: the Luck Uglies. As Rye dives into Village Drowning’s maze of secrets, rules, and lies, she’ll discover the truth behind the village’s legends of outlaws and beasts . . . and that it may take a villain to save them from the monsters.
The main character, Rye O’Chanter is a feisty girl who lives with her mother and sister. She follows the rules….most of the time. This is a fun novel of good vs. evil, intrigue, adventure and just a bit of magic. The language and humor are intelligent and engaging and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see if Durham maintains the wonderful feel of this first book.
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