Taking the Long Way Home

Description

104 pages
$4.95
ISBN 1-55074-089-X
DDC jC813'.54

Publisher

Year

1992

Contributor

Reviewed by Jean Free

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

Review

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.

Citation

Staunton, Ted., “Taking the Long Way Home,” Canadian Book Review Annual Online, accessed October 13, 2024, https://cbra.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/20466.