Potter, Ellen The Kneebone Boy
Feiwel&Friends/Macmillan Child Pub Gr 2010 282p 16.99 978-0-312-37772-4 ms/jr Families VG-BN
The Hardscrabble children are weird. Their father paints portraits of deposed monarchs and deserts his kids when he goes away on a painting assignment. Their adventures they have while their father is away will keep readers guessing about what is next.
The author has created an unusual family. Otto, the oldest, doesn't speak and constantly wears the same scarf around his neck. Lucia has a very blunt and shameless way about her. The youngest is Max, who who is the most normal of the three, but he still has quirks as he insists about sitting on the roof of the house.
Usually their father has a local widow baby-sit the children when he is called off on a job. On this one occasion he calls the children╒s aunt to have the children come to her for the duration. Unfortunately, in his absent-minded way he forgets to make sure his message got through to the aunt. Thus begins the trio of adventures on a train, sleeping out in a city, and delving into the mysteries of a local legend.
Young readers will love the fast paced unusual happenings as the trio finds their aunt in a miniature castle. The adventures will keep everyone guessing as the story builds to a climatic ending that answers some questions for the three children. Conflict McNeil, Linda
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