The Mystery of the Several Sevens

Brittain, Bill

ISBN 10: 0060244623 ISBN 13: 9780060244620

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1994

Synopsis

Simon, Becky, and substitute teacher-wizard Mr. Merlin visit a land where seven dwarfs, including Archimedes and Einstein, lost the diamonds owed to the not-so-merry Old King Cole. By the author of The Wish Giver.

About this title

About the Author:

Bill Brittain's tales of the rural New England village of Coven Tree are well loved by children of all ages. The Wish Giver was a Newbery Honor Book; it and Devil's Donkey were both named ALA Notabled Children's Books as well as School Library Journal Best Books. Dr. Dredd's Wagon of Wonders was a 1988 Children's Editors' Choice (ALA Booklist), and Professor Popkin's Prodigious Polish was named a "Pick of the Lists" by American Bookseller.

Mr. Brittain has written many other delightful books, which have also received high acclaim. Among these are All the Money in the World, which won the 1982-1983 Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award and which has been adapted for an ABC-TV Saturday Special; and The Fantastic Freshman, which was named an ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

Bill Brittain lives with his wife, Ginny, in Asheville, North Carolina.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-5-An easy-to-read chapter book that uses characters from fairy tales and nursery rhymes to create an original story that includes elements of fantasy, adventure, and mystery. During recess, Becky and Simon's favorite substitute teacher, Mr. Merlin, transports the two of them to fairyland, where they meet seven dwarves with names like Archimedes and Einstein and help them determine who stole their sack of diamonds. After Walpurgia the witch tells Simon a riddle that contains the thief's name, Becky makes use of the Roman numerals that were the subject of a recent school lesson to decipher it. Mission accomplished, they return to their classroom before recess is over. The premise here seems overly contrived, but the solution is clever enough to maintain readers' interest. The story stands well on its own, even though a prior adventure with Mr. Merlin is mentioned a couple of times. Amusing pencil drawings appear intermittently throughout the text. Not Brittain's best work, but an adequate addition.
Marilyn Long Graham, Lee County Library System, Fort Myers, FL
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0060244623
• ISBN 13: 9780060244620
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 88
• Illustrator: Warhola James