The Beastly Arms

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Summary: Another great book by Patrick Jennings
Review: I absolutely love this book, really couldn't put it down! Like "Faith and the Rocket Dogs" and "Faith and the Electric Cat", this book inspires further reseach while being completely intertaining. I wasn't a reader as a kid and at 39 I am really enjoying books written for a younger audience. Both for myself and to read aloud to my not yet reading kids. This book is as wildly imaginitive as Holes but with so much more researched detail. I think kids will learn so much from reading this book and want to know more about some things in the story that they may not be familial with. It is the story of a boy and his mom who move into a new building as a result of a rent increase and the things they learn about The Beastly Arms. For more you'll have to read the book.

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Summary: A Sure-Fire Winner With Kids
Review: The Beastly Arms is a highly engaging, very enjoyable read. Patrick Jennings has come up with a quirky, interesting protagonist: Nickel, an imaginative young city boy who photographs clouds. The writing shines: unique, well-observed details; vivid scenes; spare, yet rich and believable dialogue. Like photographs, the images are so rich and sensitive they live on in the memory. There's a subtle wit and wisdom to the book and an avoidance of cuteness or cliche that kids (and adults) will appreciate. Nickel's closest relationships-with his single mom, with his school friend and her parents, with his pet kangaroo rat, Miriam-are all well-drawn and sympathetic. When Nickel and his mother move into a mysterious building called The Beastly Arms, the story leads to an exciting, unexpected, and fantastic (in the best sense) conclusion.