Summer 2004 Review:

Eddie Dickens was about 11 years old when his mother and father caught a disease that made them turn yellow and crinkly on the edges, so they sent Eddie to go and live with his Mad Great Uncle Jack and Even-Madder Great Aunt Maud. Eddie was to go and live with them at their house Awful End. 
They traveled by carriage and stopped at an inn. Eddie slept in the barn, but he didn't sleep--he stayed awake because there was a group rehearsing for a play, led by Mr. Pumblesnook. They left the next day. 
While riding on the road Mad Aunt Maud was waving her stuffed stoat, Malcolm, around when she took out a gold pocket watch. She told Eddie he could have it, then yelled at him and threw it out the window. It hit someone in the head but they weren't sure who. After a little fighting he took out a gun and threatened to use it. Mad Aunt Maud got out and started hitting him with Malcolm. 
He droped the gun and it blew, but there wasn't a bullet but a small flag that said, "PUMBLESNOOK". It was Mr. Pumblesnook the actor! He got into the carriage with the other two, then made a deal with them: Eddie had to pretend or act like he was an orphan boy. 
They were then stopped by a police officer who believed that Eddie was the escaped orphan. He took Eddie to the orphanage where Eddie escaped from, but he had a little help from some "friends". 
I really enjoyed this book, but the author explained things too much, then got off the main topic. I would recommend this to middle school students. 

~ Ashley Aldan, grade 6, Boardman Center Middle School