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Measle and the Mallockee
A PROVEN hero, a HAUNTED castle, and the WEIRDEST BABY SISTER in the WORLD

by Ian Ogilvy



      After fighting a greasy Wrathmonks who had been his childhood guardian and finding his parents weren't dead, but only turned into a statue, then fighting two Wrathmonks who had kidnapped his mother and the dragodon who wanted to feed both his mother and him to his dragon, as well as fighting the dragon itself, Measle Stubbs was sure that his life was going to be better. He wasn't so sure, however, about his positive outlook once his baby sister, Matilda, came into the world. Although, regardless of her mischievous nature and surprisingly accurate throwing arm, Tilly does have something about her that makes her really special that makes Measle both fond and somewhat unsure about her at the same time. They would've never guessed, when the new Prime Magus of the Wizards' Guild and his newly appointed "advisory board," which is made up totally of Warlocks, accuses Sam and Lee Stubbs of breaking Guild rules, that Tilly's true nature would appear. After a shockingly hilarious stunt in the courtroom and seeing magic collars usually used for Wrathmonks being placed on his parents, Measle is forced to escape, helped by a family friend and popular wizard by the name of Mr. Toby Jugg. With Measle, Tilly, and Tinker the dog in tow, Toby takes them to Caltrop Castle to hide while he does everything in his power to free Measle's parents and nanny. There's just one problem: the castle and the forest around it have some very dark secrets...secrets that Measle, Tinker, and his Mallockee sister, Tilly, run head on into... and all the while trying to figure out how to save his parents and ward off his creepy Wrathmonk guardian, Mr. Niggle.

I've been a Measle fan since the start, and I have to say that this book is the best by far. The interaction between Measle and Matilda is adorably hilarious and heart-warming. The plot is just as unique and mind-warping as the first two installments of the Measle series were. I recommend this book to anyone who's become a huge Measle fan. Word to the wise, though - make sure you've read the first two books before reading this one. There are some spoilers and reading the first two will make the reader more familiar with Measle's world and the people around him, giving the reader a chance to enjoy the plot even more and follow along more easily.

The Book

HarperCollins
December 2005
Fardcover
0-06-058691-5
Children's Fantasy - Ages: 8-13 / Grades: 3-8
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Excerpt
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The Reviewer

Carisa Weeaks
Reviewed 2006
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© 2006 MyShelf.com