Book Description

‘Thirty-five imaginative and humorous poems for an adult and a child to read aloud together. . . . The entertaining verses are varied as to length, rhythm, and subject and are illustrated with harmoniously amusing drawings.’ —BL.

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Reviews (5)

This book is a must
This book was a staple from my childhood, and
I highly recommend it as a classic to be included in
any collection of children's books. No child
should have to go through life never hearing
about Daddy Fixing Breakfast. ...

Great book if you believe in corporal punishment.
I thought this would be fun to read to (and eventually with) my four year old until I flipped through the pages. Boy, was I wrong! The drawing that accompanies the first poem, "About The Teeth of Sharks" was entirely inappropriate for a young child--better suited for the movie "Jaws." I could have just avoided that page, but then I kept flipping through...hidden at the back of the book were poems that treated corporal punishment as a normal and acceptable way of bringing up a child, for example "How the Frightful Child Grew Better," and "What Do You Think His Daddy Did." I wanted to return this book and thought better; I threw it in the trash.

You Read to Me
This is the most marvelous book. I received it as a gift in 1968 when I was 7 years old and I'm still reading it at 40. My dad heard Ciardi speak at Rutgers and was mesmorized. Definitely buy this book for your children (or as a guilty pleasure for yourself).

The best children's poetry book (just learning to read & on)
This book of enjoyable, amusing, and well made poetry alternates poems to be read by adults to children with poems to be read by children to adults. Since I was 8 I've loved it, my child now gives it as a gift at every birthday party

Ciardi does it again!
I have been a fan of John Ciardi since first grade, and now my students love to read his work. This poem collection is no exception. I encourage all poetry lovers to read it! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Terrific and disturbingly real...
There's a sense of time gone by, a lot of these deaths were real for kids and the author's intentions are interesting to ponder. He was/is a great artist.

Non Better a Belloc: Cautionary Tales for Children reviewed
Edward Gorey's first major posthumous publication is like a newly forged work, with freshness and originality. Published several times since 1907, Harcourt's reprint of "Cautionary Tales for Children" contains sixty-one new illustrations enfolding the 95-year old verse, and the result is very satisfying.

Gorey created these illustrations several years ago, but for some reason, chose not publish them while he was alive. Gorey's Victorian style is a delightful fit for Belloc's verse. In fact, those already familiar with Belloc's Cautionary Tales or Cautionary Verses series may very well conclude that they were strong influences for Gorey's "The Beastly Baby", "The Gashlycrumb Tines", "The Epipleptic Bicycle" and others. Certainly, many of the verses in Cautionary Tales feel like they could have been written by Gorey: "Jim, Who ran away from his Nurse, and was eaten by a Lion", "Henry King, Who chewed on bits of String, and was early cut off in Dreadful Agonies", "Matilda, Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death", and so on. Unlike the original cartoonish illustrations by Blackwood, Gorey's illustrations simply set the stage - the big moment is then played out in the imagination. It is Edward Gorey's delightful magic, at work.

Glen Emil... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Dwindling Party
A fantastically haunting visit to a world created by Edward Gorey. It seems oddly familiar and reminiscent of Edwardian times, yet in the background always lurks sinister shadows and creatures. This is my favourite book and has been since I picked it out age 2 from a jumble sale. The pop-up art is inspired and the gazebo on the final page is not to be missed. The book is superb, if not slightly disturbing in places. The words are wonderfully humorous and crafted in such a way to contrast the horrific implications of the drawings. Suitable for children, if they want to see it that is.

A Visit to an English Mansion
I love this book. As we enter the gates of Hickyacket Hall we know something is odd. But then as your family members get carried off by colourful monsters one by one you realize that this isn't your average mid-fall family outing. Infact it's a horrible disaster part Agatha Christie and part Jane Austen. Wonderful.

One by one, the "Party" meets its fate, will anyone survive?
Another eerie visit into the world of Edward Gorey,This pop-up book is not childs play. Visit a haunting mansion and watch your fellow visitors disappear one...by...one... A wonderful addition to any Gorey collection. Delightfully Dreadful!

A rare twisted and weird version of the pop-up genre; Gorey
The large Victorian family dwindles rapidly; sliding into a mucky pond, carried away by protean birds, dragged into sarcophagi. The shrinking pool of survivors does not notice and is finally reduced to one observer who walks away on the back cover of the book. The entire book is the story; the covers are not simply reinterating something within but are part of the plot. It is somewhat of a triumph of design, although this must be frustrating for librarians. I return to my copy again and again, and try not to think about what bent edges of my psyche rejoice in this twisted tale. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Treehorn is clearly shrinking, and his parents aren't the least bit interested. His mother is obsessed with whether or not her cake will rise. His father, at one point addressing a son who can barely see over the table, states blindly, "Nobody shrinks." Treehorn doesn't seem all that bothered that his clothes are hanging over his extremities; he just feels someone should know.But the adults he tries to notify brush off his claim as either a ploy for attention or downright bad behavior.

Treehorn's parents, his teacher, and his principal respond (or fail to respond) to his drastically diminishing stature in ways that will ring true to any kid who has tried to convince adults of the existence of fairies, the Loch Ness Monster, or things that go bump in the night. Edward Gorey's stark, intricately patterned black-and-white drawings are simultaneously quaint and creepy, setting the perfect stage for Treehorn's tale--a story for any child who has ever felt ignored by grown-ups (in other words, a story for all). (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hilarious for both children and adults
Having found this book on a recomendation list by a German (!) literature professor, I ordered it not knowing it is a classic. the sense of humour, though sometimes lost on younger children, is wonderful, actually reminding me of the British sense of humour. I can only advise all adults to read this book, it's an eyeopener to our communication skills.

Drawling voice "Treehorn is shrinking!"
Very memorable story. i didn't read the book, but i remember watching a cartoon version on TV. why is it memorable? well, firstly, the name Treehorn! it was during half term (vacation) when i saw it, and when i went back to school, a friend came out with a very memorable quote, in North American drawl "Treehorn is shrinking!" and i just burst into hysterics! Cool stuff! i will have to buy this book!

Strangeness is delightful
This was one of my favorite books as a child, and nearly 20 years later, it's still high on my list. When I first read it, I was amazed because it was completely different from anything else I had ever been given to read. I think all kids have endured the problem of trying to get adults to listen to them and take them seriously, and Treehorn's somewhat absurd quest to get someone to notice his shrinking is easy to identify with. The book may have no "moral", but so what? Kids need books that enchant and delight them--if you only give them didactic and "proper" tales, reading becomes a boring chore. If you weren't fortunate enough to read this as a child, make up for lost time now.

Bizarre in a wonderful way, great pictures by Gorey
This is a book I loved as a child, because it was so bizarre and interesting and mysterious! I don't think the book is really meant to have a message---it's meant more just to be a strange and memorable tale! I love all the little details about Treehorn we find out---that he has 56 different favorite TV shows, what his cereal send-away collection consists of, etc! Even my 2 year old was enchanted by the pictures---he called a page with several odd dogs on it "monsters" and said "I like those scary monster dogs!" My 5 year old loved how the bus driver thought Treehorn was Treehorn's younger brother, also called Treehorn! Read it because it's fun and great to look at!

My favorite children's book!
This is really a top-ranked children's book. It is very cleverly written. It shows nicely and humorously how people -even when they live close together- can be completely blind to each other. I have noticed that not only children can readily identify with the drawings and the story, but also that adults like it very much. Indeed, I have great pleasure in gifting it to my best friends, who all like it, without exception. The text and the drawings are perfect in their own right and do perfectly match each other. The drawings are most funny and to the point. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lewis always dreamed of living in an old house full ofsecret passageways, hidden rooms, and big marble fireplaces. Andsuddenly, after the death of his parents, he finds himself in justsuch a mansion--his Uncle Jonathan's. When he discovers that hisbig friendly uncle is also a wizard, Lewis has a hard time keepinghimself from jumping up and down in his seat. Unfortunately, whatLewis doesn't bank on is the fact that the previous owner of themansion was also a wizard--but an evil one who has placed atick-tocking clock somewhere in the bowels of the house, marking offthe minutes until the end of the world. And when Lewisaccidentally awakens the dead on Halloween night, the clock onlyticks louder and faster. Doomsday draws near--unless Lewis can stop the clock!

This is a deliciously chilling tale, with healthy doses of humorand compassion thrown in for good measure. Edward Gorey'sunmistakable pen and ink style (as seen in many picture books,including TheShrinking of Treehorn and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats) perfectly complementsJohn Bellairs's wry, touching story of a lonely boy, his quirkyuncle, and the ghost of mansions past. (Ages 9 to 12) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dated, but good
After Lewis' parents die, Lewis is sent to live with his Uncle Jonathon in a spooky mansion.Quickly Lewis finds out his uncle is a magician and that there is a clock somewhere in the house that is counting down the minutes to... something.What that something is, no one knows, but since the previous owner of the mansion was a magician, and probably one more evil than good, what happens when the clock reaches the appointed time probably isn't going to be pleasant.

One thing that stands out about this book is how dated some elements feel.Near the beginning of the book we find Lewis carrying a cardboard suitcase on his journey to to his uncle's home.Other things feel just as dated, like the seeming scarcity of automobiles.But all in all, that doesn't keep the book from being engrossing and sometimes scary.

Lewis isn't someone who makes friends easily, and not being athletically inclined he finds it difficult to find a friend.When he feels as if he's losing his one friend, he tries to tries to impress him.It's a mistake many of us have made, and it doesn't work well for Lewis.

Lewis' troubles with friendship and the mystery of the clock eventually intertwine and we follow Lewis through to a very satisfying conclusion.

It has a few scary moments, but none too scary for the books intended audience, and I can reccommend this book with few reservations. ... Read more

Book Description

Available for the first time since 1970, this quirky tale is vintage Gorey. Poor Donald has a splinter in his foot. His mother distracts him, urging him to think of markets, strings, and battles. But when she treats the wound with alcohol, Donald's difficulty reaches a whole new level. Gorey's ominous, inimitable artwork is captivating to both children and adults, and Donald's difficulty is sure to be intensely felt by all. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A classic restored to us
Haven't seen this book since I was a boy myself, but its republication is one of the great events in the publishing world of 1970. Gorey is, of course, well known for his quirky antiquarian drawings and his bizarre sense of black humor, but his work with Peter Neumeyer isn't as familiar as the stories he wrote on his own. Collaboration didn't make Gorey's particular genius any less strange; indeed it sharpened the wit and the eerie conceptualization of these drawings.

Little "Donald" is rather a creepy boy himself, but he's downright appealing next to his mother, who spends the entire book picking a splinter out of poor Donald's leg with a needle and tweezers, and then seeing to the aftermath of his wound with alcohol and a very large pillow. She will remind you of the part Katharine Hepburn played in LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT.

Hooray for Donald, Gorey, Abrams and Neumeyer! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lani, 10, tries the unicycle.
Right. Treehorn's Treasure is the best book EVER I have a cassette of the story and I have listened to it so many times I can recite it exactly as it is said on tape. Tabitha came round my house last night and asked to borrow my pink dress. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The story
This book is actually based on a town. In fact its the one i live in. Their is an old opera house that is all run down and John Bellairs wrote a book about it. He also based "The House With the Clock in its Walls" off a Marshall house.

"The dead will rise..."
"Doom of the Haunted Opera" is one of my favorite books by John Bellairs/Brad Strickland, a good mix of spookiness, humor, supernatural megalomania, and a dash of real human fears. Lewis Barnavelt and Rose Rita Pottinger are at their best here.

Jonathan Barnavelt receives the news that a friend -- another wizard -- has recently died, and posthumously asks that Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann take care of his old magical objects. The two leave New Zebedee, and Rose Rita and Lewis are left to their own devices. They explore an old opera house and find a crumbling old opera called "Day of Doom," by Immanuel Vanderhelm. As Lewis finds the opera, he sees a ghostly dead man who calls out "Beware the doom of the haunted opera! He means to be King of the Dead!"

Then a strange man appears in the town, claiming to Vanderhelm's grandson. He means to put on as performance of the opera, and at first everything appears to be all right. But soon all the adults in the town are enamored -- and enspelled -- by Henry Vanderhelm, communications with the outside world are cut off, wizards are locked in their houses, and Lewis sees a tomb statue come alive in the graveyard. With the help of a well-meaning ghost and a grandmotherly witch, can Rose Rita and Lewis hope to stop the raising of the dead?

Anyone who has suffered through a badly-performed opera will enjoy the idea of one being a necromancer's spell. The imaginative plot base is only one of the appealing things about "Doom." The incredibly grim and tense plot is leavened by humor, such as Jailbird the whistling cat and Finster, a ghost who inadvertantly freaks out Lewis with ghostly intonations, then makes himself sound more friendly. Aside from the usual fears of evil sorcerers, there is also the chilling fact that the capable adults are not present throughout much of the book -- we get to see how Lewis and Rose Rita can try to handle the situation on their own. Any kid who has had to deal with a crisis on their own can relate to the fear and frustration of the heroes in this book.

Lewis is, as always, a sweet timid boy who has more guts than he knows. Rose Rita is his equal friend (she can't really be classified as a sidekick) who has to take matters into her own hands when Lewis vanishes. Mrs. Jaeger is a little too vague to be entirely believable, but the idea of an absent-minded grandmotherly witch is a nice one. The deceased Finster is a good source for plot-related info, and mildly amusing as well. And Vanderhelm is an outstandingly sinister villain.

Full of the funny and the spooky, this is a first-rate thriller for fans of fantasy, horror, and John Bellairs. Excellent read.

A good book for those into mystery, and horror stories.
I felt that this book really drew me into its plot. The evil man trying to produce this opera made me realize how charming and innocent people sound when you don't have all the pieces of their life story. It was also exciting to see Rose Rita, and Mrs. Jaeger coming together to thicken and enrich the plot. The only criticism is that there's not much of an epilogue at the end of this story.

This was a pretty good book
I have reviewed this book as 8. It was a great book but it needed a better ending. Rose Rita and Lewis go searching through a sealed up opera house when Lewis finds a lost piece of Music. Little did he know he was bring a evil ghost back to life to try to take over the world.

Very smooth transition from author to author
Brad Strickland must have faced a considerable task when he began the completion of John Bellair's books. For years, John's heroes of Anthony Monday, Johnny Dixon, Lewis Barnavelt and Rose Rita Pottinger kept the reader busy as they explored and fell into all sorts of settings and supernatural events. From the Windrow curse to the dark secret of Weatherend, the books that Bellairs wrote captivated me, and it certainly wasn't just because of the plot twists and ever-changing settings. Bellairs had a style of writing that made his books close to the reader, even with a setting in another time or even another dimension. Brad Strickland has proved that the transition from the now unfortunately late Bellairs to him is going smoothly. His Hand of the Necromancer did not fail as he went "solo", and neither does the Doom of the Haunted Opera, which was begun by Bellairs as a sketch and finished by Strickland.

Our Lewis Barnavelt and Rose Rita are stuck in cozy (But boring) little New Zebedee, waiting for excitement. Discovering an old opera score, the excitement quickly comes when all adults in the town are swept up in the music rush. The composer of the opera's grandson comes to town, and it is quickly revealed that he has more interests with New Zebedee's inhabitants than just performing a dusty old work and setting up shop at the local Four Seasons Hotel. But unfortunately, pending the performance of an aria from the opera called "The Sealing", a mysterious fog has descended upon New Zebedee and trapped everyone inside it. And the sinister machinations of our dear villain (posing as the willing opera conducter, and world famous singer as well) go deeper and deeper...

This book was very good; it provided the familiar characters fans of Bellairs' have grown to love yet produced a new predicament (the sealing off of the town, though this curiously resembles Lewis's imprisonment inside Barnavelt Manor in a previous Bellairs/Strickland novel, The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder) and a new villain. Certainly Brad Strickland has pulled it off; Doom of the Haunted Opera is true Bellairs, yet Strickland has also managed to add a little of his own flavor into the story without warping its style. Not as climactic and eerie as the Ghost in the Mirror (which I consider to be an incredible achievement) or as creepy as The Drum, the Doll, and the Zombie, but very good. With the new books out, Bellairs' series have not died. Brad Strickland has managed to continue the Bellairs spirit, but also with something new. ... Read more

Book Description

After Lewis and Rose Rita go to the National Museum of Magic, Rose Rita starts behaving strangely. An evil sorceress is trying to take her over, body and soul, and Lewis, his uncle Jonathan, and their friendly witch neighbor Mrs. Zimmerman must band together to save her! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Come long-leggedy beastie...
Initially, one would think that a truly talented author's quirky, unique style could not be very nearly duplicated. But Brad Strickland is doing a fine job with the characters that Bellairs created, and this is one of his best efforts.

Lewis Barnavelt and Rose Rita Pottinger have to participate in a talent show whether they like it or not. When they hit on the idea of doing a magic show (fake, not real), they end up consulting a friend at a museum who allows them to borrow some books on stage magic. But when Rose Rita picks up an old parchment scroll, she inadvertantly lets a drop of blood fall on some magic dust -- and the dust turns into a living spider. The two of them flee, but Rose Rita brings the scroll, with intent to return it.

Except she then starts acting oddly. When the talent show results in a dismal failure, Rose Rita is left with a burning hatred and a wish for revenge. Then she starts dreaming of becoming a giant spider, and hearing the voice of the scroll's previous owner -- Belle Frisson, a sorceress who now wants to use Rose Rita to rise again and live forever.

This is labelled as a "Lewis Barnavelt" book, but at least half of it focuses on Rose Rita. While fans of Bellairs will be well acquainted with Lewis's insecurities, Strickland takes the opportunity to delve into a few of Rose Rita's. He also manages to give us a message about revenge and hatred and grudges without beating the reader over the head with it. The Message is simply there.

How much of a "Bellairs" book is this? Very much so, and not just in terms of having creepy beasties and a megalomaniac villain. The pacing and tone are very correct, as is the usage of maybe-it's-real-maybe-not ancient magics. I could have used a little more bickering between Mrs. Zimmerman and Uncle Jonathan, but the comforting scene between Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmerman makes up for that.

Strickland does an excellent job with the evil sorceress Belle Frisson, and uses the ever-growing, evil-spirit spider very well also. The idea of a drop of blood turning powder into a malevolent spider is not just good spinechilling material, but it also is quite Bellairsesque.

This is an amazing spinechiller. I do warn you though: Arachnaphobics should definitely not read this book, or they'll never sleep again.

A Good Read!
I think that Brad Strickland Did a good job with this title. The story has some depth, and the character development is good, as well. I think this is the best Bellairs' novel that Strickland Has written so far, and would give it a full five stars!

Strickland Masters Bellairs' Style in Specter
At first serving as a finisher for the late John Bellair's uncompleted DOOM OF THE HAUNTED OPERA, GHOST IN THE MIRROR, and VENGENCE OF THE WITCHFINDER, Strickland took those characters to new heights in the late 1990s by churning out books like THE HAND OF THE NECROMANCER, and THE BELL,THE BOOK,AND THE SPELLBINDER which mimicked Bellair's writing style down to the letter. In SPECTER, Strickland goes from mimicking the man to being the man. He captures the vocabulary and characterizations of Lewis Barnavelt and company flawlessly in a terrifying story darker than all of the other books combined. Please check out this book. I hope Strickland continues to write. He is hitting his stride now. ... Read more

Book Description

John Bellairs, the name in Gothic mysteries for middle graders, wrote terrifying tales fullof adventure, attitude, and alarm. For years, young readers have crept, crawled, and gonebump in the night with the unlikely heroes of these Gothic novels: Lewis Barnavelt,Johnny Dixon, and Anthony Monday. Now, the ten top-selling titles feature an updatedcover look. Loyal fans and enticed newcomers will love the series even more with thishaunting new look! ... Read more

Book Description

Each of Donald's experiences features a unique final twist, perhaps none more memorable than what happens in Donald and the... to a little white worm that Donald finds and is allowed to keep in a jar. In this book, in print for the first time since 1969, Gorey's arch illustrations complement a wry tale that readers of all ages will find infectious. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A mazing tale
John Bellairs is best known as the author of fifteen gothic mystery novels for young adults, plus four similar works completed by Brad Strickland after Bellairs's death. "The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder" (1993) is the next-to-the-last book in the Lewis Barnavelt series, and was completed by Brad Strickland. It takes place in 1951, mainly at the Barnavelt mansion in England.

This book can be read in conjunction with "The Ghost in the Mirror" which takes place simultaneously with 'Witch-Finder' and stars Lewis Barnavelt's friends, Rose Rita Pottinger and Mrs. Florence Zimmermann.

When orphaned Lewis Barnavelt, now age thirteen, and his Uncle Jonathan go on vacation in Europe, they drop in on their English cousin Pelham, who owns the ancestral Barnavelt Manor. The housekeeper's son Bertie, who is blind, takes Lewis on a tour of the old mansion and grounds.

Lewis is especially interested in the maze, which he has read about but never seen, and his new friend Bertie shows him the trick of reaching its center. From the description given in 'Witch-Finder,' it was probably a hedged labyrinth of the sort that became fashionable in the late sixteenth century (see M.R. James's story, "Mr. Humphreys and His Inheritance" for a similar tale of a maze and the awfulness at its center).

All is well, until Lewis discovers an old map of the maze with what might be a treasure in the center. He sets out on a midnight excursion, accompanied by Bertie, to the hidden heart of the maze.

Instead of treasure, Lewis accidentally unleashes a demon that summons the ghost of the witch-finder Malachiah Pruitt, three hundred years dead. Lewis and Bertie barely escape the maze with their lives.

Back during Cromwell's reign in England, Malachiah Pruitt had accused one of Lewis's ancestors of witchery and tried to have him burned at the stake. Now Pruitt's ghost has been set free by Lewis and Bertie.

'Witch-Finder' is full of deliciously spooky occurrences, and I enjoyed the 'Sherlock and Watson' role-playing of the two boys as they try to solve the horrible predicament they've gotten themselves into (along with everyone else in the mansion).

Jolly good fun
Lewis Barnavelt's Sherlock Holmes deerstalker comes in handy in this bone-chilling (no pun intended) adventure in the present and past of England -- and one of its darker secrets.

Lewis Barnavelt accompanies his uncle Jonathan to England, where they are visiting an older cousin. The cousin also has a housekeeper, and Lewis soon befriends Bertie, the housekeeper's blind son. Bertie and Lewis soon begin exploring happily in a hedge maze, until they find a strange monument in the center. When they pry a brick loose, some invisible, laughing creature escapes and chases them back to the house.

Soon afterward, the adults at Barnavelt Manor start behaving strangely. The cousin becomes sly and cackling, the housekeeper is like a sinister wind-up doll, and the gardener is snarling. Lewis suspects that somehow, this is all connected to a psychotic Puritan witch-finder, Malachiah Pruitt, who once made life miserable for Lewis's ancestor... until the ancestor struck back somehow. And now Pruitt is somehow back for revenge against the Barnavelts.

It's always sort of a guilty pleasure to read one of these books, where horror is handled in a way both lavish and sparing. Something as minor as the rustle of twigs or a funny-looking gravestone can be significant and can strike horror in the reader. Writing-wise, this is one of the better ones. Strickland, who completed the book, knows well how to flesh out Bellairs' storyline. The atmosphere is chilling and almost claustrophobic, in that the walls keep closing in on our heroes. The main problem, perhaps, is that there is relatively little humor leavening the story, except for the continuing Watson-Holmes joke between Bertie and Lewis. On the flip side, late in the book is one of the most touching scenes I have ever read in a Bellairs and/or Strickland book, between Lewis and Jonathan.

Characterizations are very nice. Lewis gains a little more self-confidence and loses a little weight; Jonathan is a little less zesty than usual, but he is also absent for large sections of the book. Bertie is a nice sidekick for Lewis, and his means of knowing that there is something wrong despite his blindness is well done. (The best meaning of stiff-upper-lip) The housekeeper and cousin are a little two-dimensional, but then dimension is not needed. Malachiah Pruitt is a wonderfully sinister villain -- great idea, to make one of the Puritan witch-hunters a psychotic wanna-rule-the-world type. (Though his ambitions to rule the world did feel a little tacked on)

For those of you who are not yet ready to read Stephen King, try these John Bellairs books. Spooky, bone-rattling fun.

The best one of the Lewis Barnevelt series
Jonathon and Lewis go off to England to sight see and visit a relative. Lewis gets into a mystery at the big,old, house. ***I have reviewed several other of his books so check them out! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The Ghost in the Mirror
Mrs.Zimmermann a witch goes on a vacation with Rose Rita Pottinger. Mrs.Zimmermann and Rose Rita discover that instead of going to their vacation spot they travel back to 1928 in Pennslvania Dutch country when it's winter time. When Mrs.Zimmermann and Rose Rita are in Pennslvania Dutch they have different adventures. Mrs.Zimmermann even loses her memories and her magic powers. Without Mrs.Zimmermann's powers how will Rose Rita Pottinger ever be able to get home? I thought this book was very entertaining because it was interesting.

"Ghost" a solid thriller
"Ghost in the Mirror" is one of several books that the late John Bellairs left unfinished at the time of his death. Those books were finished by Brad Strickland, utilizing the author's remaining outlines. It's a solid thriller with a few seams showing, but overall a good read for those not yet ready for Stephen King.

Kindly witch Mrs. Zimmermann has lost her magic, except for a sixth sense and a residual aura of unusable protective magic, and Rose Rita Pottinger has broken her ankle. Her friends Jonathan and Lewis Barnavelt have left the two behind, while on their European vacation. But suddenly Mrs. Zimmermann is called on a mission into the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, and Rose Rita comes with her. Naturally, nothing proceeds as expected. Their car is transported back in time and crashes, leaving the two staying with the kindly Weiss family.

But the mystery deepens when the reason for their time travelling is revealed -- the ghost of the witch Hilda Wetherbee tells them that she has transported them back in time to save a good wizard, Grandpa Drexel, who is fated to die on the first of April. But an evil presence disrupts the message from Granny Wetherbee, and Mrs. Zimmermann becomes stricken with partial amnesia Rose Rita becomes increasingly suspicious that a hexer -- an evil witch -- is trying to drive out the Weiss family. But how can a de-magicked witch and a bespelled modern girl hope to stop a hexer -- and a demon?

This is neither the spookiest nor the tightest of Bellairs' fantasy-horror books, and it suffers slightly from an unfortunate cliche (time travel) and a dependence on previous Bellairs books. But it's a solid time-travel/ghost-story, with some hideously chilling scenes and some interesting new characters. There's a bit of a dull section in the middle, but Strickland picks up the pace near the end with some delightfully Bellairsian scenes of horror when Rose Rita inadvertantly conjures up the demon Aziel. And for people looking for a little educational info, there's some enlightening passages about the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Rose Rita is shown without the shadow of Lewis here, and while she is not quite as interesting as the timid ex-altar boy, she's a good heroine who shows a lot of the characteristics of her best friend. Mrs. Zimmermann is given extra dimension as she tries to regain her magical powers and gets stricken with amnesia. We also get to see two dimensions of Hilda Wetherbee -- as the ghost of a crabby old witch, and as a little girl who befriends Rose Rita. Favorites Jonathan and Lewis Barnavelt even show up for a cameo appearance.

While not the most outstanding of Bellairs' books, this is a good, spooky read, especially for fans of Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmermann. Not to be missed.

Scary Book
I recommend this book to anyone who is 12 years old and older. This book is a story of friendship and bravery. One of the brave things that Rose Rita did was when she started reading a spell book that would let out a monster, but she couldn't stop reading the book. For example, she was thinking, "What was it? A smart person could get out of the trap-if he took every step backwards! That was it! But what did that mean?" She was brave because she wouldn't let the monster out. One of the things that Grampa Drexel showed was his friendship. For example, when Rose Rita asked Grampa Drexel this "Can I ask you a big, big favor? Will you help Mrs. Zimmerman get her magic back?" This was a sign of friendship because he helped get her magic back. This book should be recommended to anyone who likes mysteries and fantasy.

The Ghost in the mirror
John Bellairs's THE GHOST IN THE MIRROR was not a very good book. I thought the book was dull and slow moving. I also thought it was unrealistic.
It was about a girl named Rose Rita, who was very excited when her parents ler her go on a two week summer vacation with her friend Mrs. Zimmermann (who was a witch). She was expecting a dangerous trip, but she doesn't expect that when they come out of a highway tunnel they end up in the snowbound winter of 1828. they end up in the Pennsylvania dutch country. Mrs. Zimermann took them back there so she coul regain her magical powers from her first teacher she learned them from.
To tell the truth I thought there was no point to this book. Ot wasn't really even about ghosts or ghosts in the mirror. It was about a witch and her friend. So thats why I didn't like the book THE GHOST IN THE MIRROR.

it like totally rocks
it was so cool. it had suspense,action,mystery,drama,and caring . uit was so cool. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Wonderful and imaginative
I read this and several other books by John Bellairs as a child and for some reason was thinking of them tonight. I was so excited to look here and see how many others there are that I didn't know about! Great reading and I can't wait to order the rest! This one is so good, as is the mummy, the will, and the crypt, the house with a clock in its walls, and the first one I read, the treasure of alpheas winterbourne

More than just a book for young readers
When I was in 7th grade, I read every John Bellairs book that the library had. His modern gothic tales of dark suspense were unlike any other stories to be found, and they captivated me entirely with their mystical charm. Some 14 or 15 years later, the memory of his stories remained so strong in my mind that I recently sought out and read "The Dark Secret of Weatherend" once again. And once again, I was taken under the spell of Bellairs' literary magic, enjoying it as much as I had so long ago.

Every one of his books is excellent. The writing, the intrigue, the dark mood he creates for the reader, are crafted with mastery. They are ideally suited for reading to children, especially since the hero is always a young boy or girl, and are entirely unique in the realm of children's literature. It is that very quality that makes them just as enjoyable for the mature reader. At such a low price, I highly reccommend anyone who enjoys reading to check them out. "Dark Secret" is a perfect place to start.

The only similar comparisons I can make to the stories of Bellairs are the poems and illustrations of Edward Gorey, the films of Tim Burton, and the music of Danny Elfman. If you like one, you'll probably like them all.

If you like Harry Potter....
then you'll LOVE books by John Bellairs! This man invented mysteries for young readers. Try it, and you won't be able to put it down. The characters are easily to identify with as they seem like ordinary kids, yet they have extraordinary adventures! Bellairs is funny, intelligent and entertaining in his writing. Read it to your kids as a bedtime story, and YOU'LL keep reading it to yourself long after they've nodded off.

Chills once again
It's a nice one that gives you that creeping feeling, and is interesting. Its thrilling ending is synomous with John Bellairs.

This book is great.
As always, a great book by Bellairs! Anthony discovers a plot to turn the world into an icy wasteland and must stop Anders Borkmans son, the person who is trying to do it. ... Read more

Book Description

At first, Johnny Dixon doesn't believe Professor Childermass's story about Evaristus Sloane, the insane inventor of a fiendish, baseball-pitching robot. Then Johnny sees faces at his window at night, and senses he's being followed. Old Sloane has invented a new, improved robot, and he only needs one thing to bring it to life--Johnny's eyes.A unique plot, marvelous characters, and non-stop suspense make for deliciously wicked fun. -- Booklist ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great & Scary
I read this book to my little brothers and they had nightmares for weeks so you may want to preview it before you let younger readers read it. It is a great story though and I was very entertained by the story of a robot who needs human eyes.

This book scared the (...) outta me once upon a time....
I was in the first grade. Nosing around in the back of the library while all of the other kids browsed the books with happy endings and pretty illustrations, I chanced upon a copy of "The Eyes of the Killer Robot." The cover illustration, in all of it's Goth-Gorey grandeur, fascinated me, so I became the first kid in my class to check out a chapter book.
Every night, I sat down with my Dad and devoured a few pages. It all started innocently enough; pale, shy Johnny Dixon and his friend the Professor decide to rebuild a baseball pitching robot once owned by a mad-man. Thinking it's nothing more than a machine, they ignore a few eerie harbingers, pop in a pair of glass eyes, and set an evil, possessed hunk of metal on a rampage. Not content to sit idle while the robot slaughters the townsfolk, Johhny and co. go on a journey to destroy it and it's creator, who is determined to use black magic and Johnny's eyes to bring life to another sinister being...
While reading this for the first time, I could barely sleep at night, fearing that lumbering robot might decide to make me it's next victim. Nonetheless, I finished the book and began to read every other Bellairs title I could get my hands on. The man is a master, and this book is a prime example of his ability to craft a scary, sinister story. I can't think of another author willing to have some seriously freaky stuff (kidnappings, druggings) happen to a character who is only 12 years old. None of that Goosebumps/Fear Street cheese with Bellairs or Killer Robot. Just some good old fashion terror wrapped in an engrossing story.

eerie = interesting
I read this when I was in elementary school. (I'm 23 now.) I didn't enjoy reading at all until college. But of the few books I bothered with I remember loving this one. It was just so bizarre and sinister to a kid. Edward Gorey's illustrations creeped me out. (check out his own books.) If you want a book that will enthrall your child with its eerieness, choose this one.

I grew up to love books like The Third Policeman, movies like Eyes Wide Shut, TV shows like Twin Peaks, composers like Berlioz, and painters like Magritte. Do your kids a favor and weird 'em out!

"They took my eyes..."
With a title like "Eyes of the Killer Robot," who could resist? While cheesy idiocy is implied in the title, the actual plot couldn't be further from it. This is an example of how Bellairs triumphs with his horror-fantasy stories, which so easily could descend into such ghastly cheese, but don't.

A stock-market plunge and a baseball game set off this book. Professor Childermass loses thousands of dollars in a sudden company collapse, shortly after it is announced that a star baseball player will offer ten thousand to anyone who can strike him out. It brings to Childermass's mind (he informs both us and the timid Johnny Dixon) an old memory: Of how a brilliant but insane inventor once offered a baseball team (which had Johnny's grandfather on it) a pitching robot. He strikes on the scheme of finding the robot and using it to strike out the baseball player (and cover his losses).

Unsurprisingly, this is not a Good Idea. They find the robot, but then Johnny sees a strange specter: An eyeless man who wanders around moaning, "They took my eyes." The robot itself remains lifeless until a pair of strange glass eyes are put in its face. As it rampages through the town, the heroic trio make two other discoveries: Its inventor is not dead, and he's coming after Johnny with evil intent...

Bellairs is in top form here. Magic is mixed with the real world, and various occultic workings that wuill make your skin crawl. He does an especially good job with the villains: one is insane, and the other is frightening sane but absolutely amoral. As ever, his dialogue is snappy and his descriptive sense is either funny or just spinechilling; the settings are those of nice small towns with essentially pleasant people -- both of which can turn horrifying at any moment. His ghosts are simply unparalleled. And I agree with "Hallie" -- it takes a writer with guts and skill who can believably put his preteen hero in such realistic danger without outraging the reader.

Johnny is, as is usual with Mr. Bellairs, a meek but willing Charlie Brown type; I have yet to meet a reader of these books who doesn't like him or his counterparts. Fergie is a little more outgoing, the sort of dead-loyal friend that everyone wants. And the professor is... well, the professor.

Bad points? None that I can think of, except that the wonderfully crabby priest Father Higgins appears for only two pages. (Though the idea of him wearing an umpire's vest and a clerical collar is too funny for words) I would have liked more Higgy, and this teaser leads to nothing. Additionally, Professor Childermass seems to be acting a little too impulsively at the beginning. (Find a rampaging robot and put it back together -- what a surprise that it all blows up in their faces).

This is, overall, a delightfully creepy mystery/fantasy/horror story that any good kid reader will enjoy, and a few reminiscing adults might as well.

Eyes, eyes, Eyessssssssss!!!!
This is a great book for people that like horror. It is not one of those stories that you could just tell anyone though. Oh no, I wouldn't recomend this book for anyone under the age of seven. It is one of those books that will give you a scare. This is the story of Joney Dixon. he is just your average twelve year old chubby boy that attends a catholic school. One day while visiting and abandoned baseball park finds a small box with pair of eyes inside. Jonny soon comes to learn of a crazy mad man by the name of Evaristas Sloan who makes robots that can only be powered by human eyes. Jonny also finds that if he doesn't do something fast he just maght be the next victim. As Jonny's grandfather and his best friend recieve a staff concealling a magical dagger which is unfortunatly their only hope left of defeating the evil robot, Jonny is kidnapped. And who else did it other that Evaristis Sloan. Will Jonny's Grandpa and his bestfriend make it in time to save poor Jonny from the evill terrors of having his eyes ripped out of their sockets!!!! Read this book and find out. ... Read more

Book Description

John Bellairs, the name in Gothic mysteries for middle graders, wrote terrifying tales fullof adventure, attitude, and alarm. For years, young readers have crept, crawled, and gonebump in the night with the unlikely heroes of these Gothic novels: Lewis Barnavelt,Johnny Dixon, and Anthony Monday. Now, the ten top-selling titles feature an updatedcover look. Loyal fans and enticed newcomers will love the series even more with thishaunting new look! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

AY CARAMBA! Professors in time!
For my first comment, I must say this: Any book featuring a god of Upper and Lower Egypt is really, really cool.

When said book is by John Bellairs and features 1)Well-done historical fiction, 2)Absolutely groovy plot, 3)Unforgettable characters, and 4)Time travel using a truly funky trolley, well, the book's really extremely cool, then.

This was Bellairs' first foray into historical fiction. I don't know whether he was trying to diversify or merely experimenting with a different genre, but the book was the first cool historical fiction book I ever read. Constantinople is vividly described, and many useful tidbits of information are scattered through the book -- such as the Seven Hills of Rome -- which everyone should know in case they run into a Guardian (read the book, then you'll get the joke).

This book also supplied the hilarious quote "Now, when Justinian was king --and boy, did they have the parties then!" -Brewster . Everyone should read this book as an excercise in, er, good books. Really good ones.

Another Tale From the Master of Young Adult Fiction!
Johnny, Fergie, and Professor Childermass are back and it seems the cantankerous old coot has something special in his basement. A time machine! Well, actually a Time Trolley! When Johnny and Fergie notice the Professor acting strange they decide to investigate, instead of finding the Prof one step closer to insanity they find that he has an honest-to-God time machine that allows him to travel to Constantinople right before its fall to the Turks! The Professor has a hair-brained, but well intentioned scheme to alter the course of history (and save more than a few helpless souls) but alas, things do not always go according to plan.

With grand, Bellairsian style the inseparable trio come across ghosts, statue guardians, Turkish hordes, and a really cool thingamajig that allows them to fly only by uttering a few simple words. With any John Bellairs book you know you're in for a treat, and although The Trolley to Yesterday is amongst some of the master author's lighter works it never fails to entertain. So if you're a fan of the fantastic hop aboard The Trolley to Yesterday!

Very Good
"The Trolley to Yesturday" was very well done but once the plot starts to develop and they trapped in 1453 everything that can go wrong seems to go wrong. They are very smart characters and pass many tests but sometimes seem to lack a little common sence. I could be wrong but either way this book is still very enjoyable. Although it is not really one of those books that you can NEVER put down it still offers very much. Once again Bellairs writes another good book.

Bellairs' most ambitious novel.
Well, Johnny, Fergie, and the Prof are back at it again. Only this time their adventure lies on another continent, in another century.

This is John Bellairs at his absolute peak of creative ability. The cast of characters ranges from an amusing, tongue-in-cheek ancient Egyptian god (in the form of a floating bird statue of course), and an inventor who's harebrained schemes rival that of the professor's, to the more frightening gothic images of medieval ghosts, and talking stone heads. The locations are more exotic than ever before. And the fact that the main characters find themselves in the middle of the Ottoman Turkish siege of Constantinople, lends itself to a great deal of drama almost by default.

True, Bellairs asks the reader to suspend their disbelief a little more than ususal, (I mean, how likely is time travel in an old trolley?) but the rewards are even greater than normal.

The most different, and also the best of the John Bellairs collection.

Back through time
Time travel in fantasy is now such a cliche that it's a bit hard to write anything original about it. But John Bellairs managed. "Trolley to Yesterday" has a bunch of intriguing twists and unexpected events, and while it doesn't have as much supernatural content, it still is an enjoyable read.

Professor Childermass is acting even more oddly than usual, which is saying something. When Fergie and Johnny try to investigate his weird behavior (including sand on his carpet and talking to himself), they find the professor having a conversation with Brewster, a magical Egyptian statue. He admits his secret: Behind a bricked-up wall is a time-travelling trolley. And the boys hitch a ride when Childermass travels back in time to save the city of Constantinople from invasion.

The problem? They arrive a little too late, and the city is being overrun by Turkish soldiers. As they struggle to make their way back to the trolley and the safety of the future, they encounter the trolley's creator (who accidently got left behind during one of its previous excursions), a deranged monk, and a group of ghostly Crusaders. But then Johnny is poisoned, and the only cure means going back to Constantinople -- and back into danger.

Usually time travel books are full of cliches, and this one has a few, but you probably won't notice them. Kids who read this book may become interested in the Byzantine Empire -- while Bellairs doesn't present huge amounts of historical detail, he gives enough to be very, very interesting. (There's also a dash of Egyptian stuff too) There's adventure, humor and the odd way of getting around.

Johnny and Fergie remain the surprisingly courageous duo of previous books, the shy boy and his brasher, jokier pal. Professor Childermass is crusty, sometimes a bit irrational, but very lovable. And Brewster (a deity of Upper and Lower Egypt) really steals the show with his dry little comments. .

This book proably has one of the lowest amounts of supernatural stuff of Bellairs' books. Certainly it doesn't have much in the way of horror. But there is a great twist about halfway through, where our heroes are aided by a group of ghostly Crusaders, who are trying to make amends for sacking the city centuries before. I suppose Brewster technically counts as supernatural, and he provides a lot of the humor (such as translating a Turkish soldier's words as "Butter and eggs, and a pound of cheese!").

"Trolley To Yesterday" isn't Bellairs' best novel, but it is an intriguing and informative historical book that adults may enjoy as well, especially if they're Byzantine buffs. Good fun. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It was a fun-filled and entertaining book. It had character.
I think this book is great for all ages even though the reading level is not very difficult. An adult could have fun with it because it is exciting and keeps you on the edge of your chair. I would reccomend this book as a good book for a class. They could share their insights and tell each other if they thought that they figured out the mystery. This book is great for a discussion. This is an imaginative and literate mystery that I have fully enjoyed. It really makes you think and explore your mind. ... Read more