June 23, 2026 by Greenwillow Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
The illustrations in this series are fun, but the books are just kind of... mean. Younger readers will enjoy the over-the-top feel of these humorous books, but I was left feeling that the siblings should have worked together rather than resorting to hanging out with groups of the same birth order. Clearly, I'm just not the target demographic for this series, and it will be popular with readers who enjoy the goofy humor of Barnett and Harris' The First Cat in Space or Blabey's Cat on the Run series.
Howliday Inn (Bunnicula #2)
July 14, 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
An editor gets another manuscript for Harold, the writing dog: this time, the Monroe family is taking a vacation and boarding their pets at Chateau Bow Wow. Chester the cat isn't too thrilled, but the animals settle down in their "bungalows" to be cared for by Dr. Greenbriar, Harrison, and Jill. There are a variety of other "vacationers", but they go missing. Jill thinks it is her fault for leaving a gate open, but when even Chester disappears, Harold steps in to investigate. He finds the perpetrator, which is a good thing, since one of the missing dogs has puppies. The Monroes decide to adopt Howie, whom Chester feels is half werewolf, and we see the happy pets back home.
Based on the 1982 original, and the sequel to Bunnicula, this adaptation seems to follow the original book fairly closely, and it's easier to see Harold's flights of fancy in drawings. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, but it's a good story. Lots of rain, and a decent mystery, although it was wrapped up in a very 1982 way. There is a short story at the end, Fur-Lock Holmes and Dr. What's-Bone.
I weeded the originals, which were in very crumbling prebinds, so will probably purchase this one. It's somewhat updated, with cell phones and computers.
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