Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Junior's flight from the barn on his handmade wings lands him in the hospital; his siblings Maggie and Vern are trying to get their Grandpa out of jail; and Grandpa's dog Mud is defying all obstacles to get to his loved one, in a book that PW said ``races without pause between hilarious, suspenseful and touching crises. The Newbery Medalist's new story will capture her readers' hearts.'' (10-up)
School Library Journal
Gr 4- 7 Junior Blossom is poised on the roof of the barn, working up the courage to fly on homemade wings. His brother and sister are on the ground urging him on when Junior spots a police car coming up their road. Maggie and Vern run to hide in the woods, while Junior loses his grip on the roof and slides off, breaking both legs. The children's widowed mother is away working the rodeo circuit; Pap, their grandfather, has been arrested for disturbing the peace while he was, innocently enough, trying to retrieve the 2147 beer and pop cans that had spilled out of the back of his pick-up. Byars' characters are memorableespecially Vern, who manages to ``break into'' jail to be with Pap, thus causing a news sensation, and Ralphie, Junior's hospital roommate. The plot, however, is contrived in many ways. Readers are never told why police is ``one of the most dreaded words in the family vocabulary,'' and credibility is stretched thin by Vern's jail break-in and by Maggie's and Ralphie's managing to wheel Juniorwith both legs in caststo Pap's hearing without being apprehended by hospital personnel. While this is not Byars' strongest book, the off-beat characters, crisp dialogue and fast-paced action will keep readers turning the pages. Connie C. Rockman, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, Conn.
APRIL 2009 - AudioFile
Grin your way through the zany accidents of Vern, Maggie, and Junior Blossom. When the police arrest Pap and Junior breaks his legs falling off the barn roof, the family flies into fits of chaos. Narrator Blain Fairman captures the old-fashioned quality of this comedy. The story is told by multiple characters, and Fairman's distinct voices follow each story thread. Fairman also conveys the story's innocence. In a complicated world, the main characters emerge as naïve, making events humorously theatrical. Fairman manages to be dramatic without overacting. Even pacing and an understanding of the emotional character of children bring this story to life. Children who fancy slapstick humor in a nostalgic setting should be a gleeful audience. C.A.
© AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
