The Mysterious Howling

The Mysterious Howling
Synopsis
Book 1 of 6 in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place—the acclaimed and hilarious Victorian mystery series by Maryrose Wood. Discovered in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. A recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must eliminate their canine tendencies. But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to civilize the Incorrigibles in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?
  • Virtue
    VIRTUE
    Is this the way I want my child to think and act?
    Ratings are based on how much a book extols Islamic morality and espouses classical ideals.
  • Language
    LANGUAGE
    Is this the way I want my child to speak?
    Ratings are based on a book's vocabulary, cadence, and overall eloquence suited to age level.
  • Story
    STORY
    Does this story resonate with my child?
    Ratings are based on the integrity of plot structure, the depth of characters, the palpability of the book's conflict and resolution, and the lure of its setting.
  • Beauty
    BEAUTY
    Does this book develop my child's ability to recognize beauty?
    Ratings are based on aesthetics, linguistic beauty, poignancy, and how well a book embodies ihsan—harmonizing excellence.
VIEW FLAGS
Mindful Muslim Review

A notoriously difficult genre to get right, humor in the hands of Maryrose Wood is effortless. This book earns our Gold Star because it combines laugh-out-loud, clean humor with an appealing and amazing protagonist who embodies womanhood, courage, resilience in the face of grief, ingenuity in the face of problems, and responsibility despite numerous difficulties. Sprinkled through the enchanting story are fascinating facts about geography, Latin, classical literary works, science, and art. Her use of language is exceptional—similes, parables, and homonyms combine to bring the story to life. While the audio version is captivating, Mindful Muslim Reader recommends reading the book as the best way to appreciate the humor and the brilliant use of language.

Mindful Muslim Reader recommends Books 1-6 in this series.

Ages: ,
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Published: 2015
Page Count: 288
ISBN13: 9780062366931
*This review applies only to ISBN number noted above.

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