Bernie Magruder & the Bats in the Belfry (Paperback)

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Author) "The Bessledorf Hotel was at 600 Bessledorf Street between the bus depot and the funeral parlor..." (more)
Key Phrases: Officer Feeney, Indiana Aztec, Felicity Jones (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-Devotees of Bernie Magruder and his antics at the Bessledorf Hotel will find mystery and adventure in this humorous and rollicking installment. The author masterfully weaves a story line about church bells that ring out parts of a hymn every quarter hour as a gift from the deceased richest woman in Middleburg to her husband, driving residents crazy and into camps for and against; the appearance in the belfry of Indiana Aztec bats with a green glow; and a strange new hotel guest. The sixth grader and his friends find the surprising and satisfying solution to the mystery of the bats as Halloween approaches, and long before Officer Feeney and the other adults do. Naylor's characters are consistently well done, with father talking in clich‚s that express wisdom and humor, and she provides an old-time sense of community that is charming in its innocence. For readers who are not already Naylor fans, this welcome addition may be the book that leads them further into her work.
JoAnn Jonas, Chula Vista Public Library, San Diego, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. Bernie Magruder, star of the Besseldorf mystery series, is back, this time on the trail of the dangerous Aztec bat that is terrorizing the town of Middleburg. Well, at least someone has put up signs that say there's a new bat in town whose bite is fatal. It doesn't seem likely that the presence of the bat could be related to another new scourge in Middleburg--the church bells that repeat the same hymn over and over--but when the bells and bats both converge in the belfry, Bernie, along with his friends, is on the case. This has the same off-the-wall humor the series is noted for, so fans will welcome the new adventure; readers unfamiliar with previous books will be drawn in as well. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (August 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689850670
• ISBN-13: 978-0689850677
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #925,756 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is sure to entertain any reader., July 7, 2004

By	Kidsreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bernie Magruder and the Bats in the Belfry (Edgar Allen Poe Award. Best Juvenile (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Bernie Magruder's life should be ordinary and normal, yet it isn't. For one thing, strange and dangerous bats from South America are said to be flying towards his town and everyone is scared stiff at the very idea of bats moving in. Then there is the problem of the bells, the church bells. Every hour they clang out, "Abide with me," and the racket is beginning to have a very negative effect on the people of Middleburg. Some people want to turn off the bells, but some insist that they must continue their hourly cacophony.

It is with horror that Bernie's family finds out that a bat has flown in through one of the hotel windows. The last place Bernie and his family want to see a bat is anywhere near their home, the Bessledorf Hotel. Bernie's father is the manager of the hotel, so if anything goes wrong, he will be blamed for it. As always, keen to get into the thick of things, Bernie takes it upon himself to try to find the errant bat with the help of his two best friends.

As Halloween approaches, a large number of bats are seen flying around the church belfry, home of those same bells that are driving almost everyone in town mad with their noise. Now no one is willing to turn the bells off because they are afraid of the bats. Will all the people of Middleburg be driven mad by the musical bells, or will they die after being bitten by the Indiana Aztec Bat? Bernie Magruder is determined to find out what is going on in his town before it is too late.

This book is sure to entertain any reader with its gripping and off-the-wall story, as well as its delightfully eccentric characters. This is one of several amusing books about Bernie Magruder.

(...)

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Read, October 9, 2005

A Kid's Review

Since I first picked up this book, to the time I put it down- I loved it! It was fantastic and wonderful. My older sister still loves these books too, so this is a read for anyone older than 9-12 years old, except it might be a little bit of an easy read.

Loved it!

5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery and Adventure with a Twist of Humor!!!, September 17, 2005

By	B. J. Martin (Kentucky) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This 2004 winner of an Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Literature certainly will leave everyone talking! In Naylor's book of the Besseldorf mystery series, Bernie Magruder finds himself in the middle of strange happenings again! Not only are the bells in the belfry tower are ringing around the clock, someone has brought terror to the town by displaying posters warning of the invasion of Indiana Aztec Bats-a bat species NO ONE has heard of before. This has everyone in a frenzy and it is up to Bernie to find out what is going on. This book is perfect for the upcoming Halloween season, and if you like mystery and adventure with a twist of humor, you won't want to miss this one!