Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewel [Hardcover]

Kaye Umansky (Author), Scott Nash (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Solomon Snow and his stalwart friends return in a second mock-Victorian extravaganza!

In their second adventure, the intrepid trio becomes ensnared in a plot to steal a priceless ruby. But what do a stubborn donkey, a shady dwarf, and Mr. Skippy the rabbit have to do with it all?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

When Prudence Pridy's poacher father is sent to a convict ship for deportation, she and her friend Solomon Snow set out to rescue him. Riding in Solomon's donkey cart, they encounter Rosabella, the six-year-old "Infant Prodigy," and become involved in another story, the theft of the cursed ruby of Toj. This convoluted adventure, sequel to Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon (2005), is presented in chapters with Victorian-style headings explaining what is to come. Solomon and Prudence make a complementary team: Prudence has the book smarts and Solomon the clever head. The gently humorous third-person narrative is occasionally interrupted by extracts from the journal of Dr. Casimir Calamari, celebrated jewel expert and criminal mastermind. A hodgepodge of dialects, including Irish, Italian, Cockney, and baby talk, may slow down the middle-grade reader eager to get to the satisfying end. The book stands on its own, but children may want to follow the author's repeated instructions and read the first installment of the trio's adventures. Kathleen Isaacs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Kaye Umansky has written many delightful and humorous books for young readers. She lives in London.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (March 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763627933
• ISBN-13: 978-0763627935
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,103,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Shawty, the Rabbit and the Firestone of Toj, August 19, 2007

By 

Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewel (Hardcover)

STOP!!

Have you read the first book in this series, Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon?

If you have, then you are cleared to proceed, but if you haven't, please go back to the beginning of book one and start there.
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Okay, now that we've gotten rid of the newbies for the moment, let me tell you about book two in this series of books by Kaye Umansky, the "not-quite Dickens, but ever-so brilliant anyway" author from the UK.

We last saw Solly Snow receiving a reward for services rendered to a wealthy couple during the business of the spoon, and by now of course, it's all gone, squandered by Ma and especially Pa Scubbins. He had however managed to make one business investment before going bust, and now he's got wheels. Unfortunately, said wheels are on a cart attached to a donkey named Betty, whose start button is linked to Solly singing about drunken sailors.

Anyway, wheels are wheels, and before you can say "Sea Chanty" he's linked up with his pal Prudence of proboscis fame, and they're off to Seaport to stage a rescue operation for Pru's poacher pop, who's about to be deported. As lousy luck would have it, they are reunited with Rosabella, the overly precious cherubic little brat known as the Infant Prodigy, and she's got a new blue bunnikins in tow.

This installment tells of a missing jewel known as the Firestone of Toj; a celebrated jewel expert named Calamari, a very jealous Mr. Skippy, and a little ole Shawty who just can't get the canons of being shot out of cannons.

Once again, Kaye Umansky has dreamed up a winning tale of fun and adventure, highly recommended as suitable for young readers everywhere.



Amanda Richards, August 20, 2007