Saturday, September 11, 2010

Till Death Do Us Bark by Kate Klise


A secret, a scavenger hunt, and a dog that always barks causes problems at home. Poor Seymour, what's the boy to do?

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt will be publishing this book in May, 2011 as a hardcover. Net Galley is where I acquired the ebook I reviewed. This is the third book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series. M. Sarah Klise illustrates this interesting series.

I found myself intrigued by the idea that everyone communicates with letters. As is pointed out in the story, letter writing is a lost skill nowadays. Not many folks communicate by snail mail. Each writer has a different font, some have business letterheads, and they are all fun to read.

It starts with Seymour bringing a dog home. The dog barks all the time, and his ghost adoptive "Aunt" and her cat don't take to the noise. In addition, his "Uncle" (who is alive)tells him if the dog's owner wants the dog back, he has to give it up. When he finds out the dog owner has died he hopes to keep him, but then he finds out there are two children who will inherit. So he runs away...

In a strange twist to the tale, the two children (now adult) each try to claim the fortune left individually - but the fortune isn't there anymore. They get limericks to figure out to try to find their inheritance...

Everyone's name is a joke, such as Sheriff Mike Ondolences (my condolences) and the attorney, Rita O'Bitt (read an obit). The characters are way out and silly, but young readers will eat this book up because it's fun!

While it won't be published until next May, you can buy the previous two volumes in the series and get primed for the third story. Check with your local bookstore for copies. And make a note to grab this one when it comes out, it's a great read.

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