Taking the Long Way Home

Jean Free, formerly an elementary-school teacher-librarian, is currently
a library consultant in Ontario.

Maggie is “a genius who [gets] perfect marks,” but Cyril “[has] to
work like crazy.” This unlikely pair remain close friends in Ted
Staunton’s fifth Maggie and Cyril book. Now they are almost teenagers,
involved in a school readathon, a class Halloween party, and contests.
When Maggie reads the How-to Book of Home Hairstyling and decides she
and Cyril should cut each other’s hair, disaster ensues. The class
goes on an overnight trip to a conservation area, with catastrophic
results for Maggie as she is falsely accused of misdemeanors. A massive
class effort to break the world record for card houses concludes the
story.

Staunton’s books appeal to junior-grade students for their humorous
school misadventures. His dialogue shows knowledge of youngsters’
relationships, and his stories provide a thoughtful look at the nature
of friendship.

Readers of Staunton’s books will gain insight into the experience of
growing up. Recommended.