My Cousin, the Poodle [Library Binding]

Jo Dereske (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

While staying with their eccentric Uncle Rupert and Aunt Tofelia in 1955, ten-year-old Barbara and her younger brother Tommy find their visit dominated by the spoiled and mischievous poodle Terry Berry.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-5-- Barbara and Tommy spend a weekend with Aunt Tofelia and Uncle Rupert, an unusual couple with a spoiled dog and not a clue as to what to do with children. The siblings visit the racetrack, a wrestling match, and their uncle's nightclub act, and are fed pickled herring and Roquefort omelets. Actually, Tofelia and Rupert don't know much about the proper care of dogs, either--Terry Berry yearns to be played with. When she disappears, and the children rescue her, they win their relatives' gratitude and respect, and build a bridge of understanding between the two heretofore estranged families (whether Terry Berry will get some fun in her life remains unclear). This is a fairly lightweight story, set, but not firmly rooted, in 1955. Still, it does achieve a certain charm, particularly when the children try to comfort Aunt Tofelia when her pet disappears, and they discover some interesting bits of family history. The youngsters are resilient and capable, but the aunt, the uncle, and the various situations are far too exaggerated, suffer from forced humor, and lack credibility. --Carla Kozak, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Dereske's third children's book is a determinedly wacky tale set in the 50's. Barbara and Tommy's parents, planning a second honeymoon, suddenly make arrangements for them to spend the weekend with Aunt Tofelia and Uncle Rupert, whom the children have never met--and with their excessively spoiled poodle, Terry Berry, who has her own pink bedroom and canopied bed. The weekend is crammed with unfamiliar food and unconventional adventures, including a disastrous afternoon at the races when Terry Berry eats a hot dog and requires emergency stomach pumping, and an evening at a nightclub where their uncle sings. It all climaxes when Terry Berry disappears and, despite their dubious feelings about her, the kids go to the rescue. Effective period detail and some interestingly off-center characters, but no one--except the dog--comes memorably to life. Mildly funny. (Fiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 119 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1st edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689317328
• ISBN-13: 978-0689317323
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,632,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jo Dereske grew up in western Michigan and now lives in the foothills of Mount Baker near Bellingham, Washington. She draws on her Michigan background and Lithuanian heritage for her books, especially in the Miss Zukas and Ruby Crane mysteries. She's a former librarian who believes that libraries are one of our last truly public institutions, where the entire world can mix and mingle amid the written word - what could be better! Jo's website: www.jodereske.com