Friday, January 30, 2015

Book review - It's Up to Charlie Hardin

Title: It's Up to Charlie Hardin
Author: Dean Ing
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
                     Soup by Robert Newton Peck
Rating:
Charming

Summary: When Charlie and his pals get together it always seems to end in trouble. Whether they're playing war, scraping together money for a movie, exploring the forbidden culvert, or any number of other schemes, Jackie, Roy, and especially Aaron know that sometimes it's up to Charlie Hardin to get things done.

My opinion: Charlie's Austin Texas is delightfully described from the perspective of a young boy. Instead of the majesty of night skies and chirping birds we get trees that are perfectly positioned to serve as a pathway over away, pipes that echo with what might just be a ghost cat, and both the grossness and the promise of a pond. Styled after Tom Sawyer, It's Up to Charlie Hardin carries the same sort of tone and atmosphere. While that makes for a rather charming read, that slower pacing and the length may make it something of a hard sell for the average young reader.

More information: It's Up to Charlie Hardin releases February 3rd.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.



1 comment:

  1. My thoughts as well. Love The Great Brain, but the series sits on the shelf. For WWII, Homefront stories have been overdone.

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