Volume One - Leroy Ninker Saddles Up - Tales from Deckawoo Drive

We have still not read the Mercy Watson books but we do plan to read them. We checked this book out of the library after enjoying Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?: Tales from Deckawoo Drive, Volume Three. This book featuring Leroy Ninker was a fun book as well. We particularly loved the parts from Maybelline's perspective. When she was lost, she thought that more than anything she wanted to "hear the little man's voice." So sweet! Maybelline is definitely a words of affirmation kind of girl!

I love a happy story and this story is the epitome of happy. My daughter and I sighed at the end!

"The horse was happy.

She knew that late at night, on the way home from the Bijou, Leroy would speak to her. Word after beautiful word would come from the cowboy's mouth, from his heart.

And in the darkness, underneath the bright stars, Maybelline would listen to them all." The end!!

A horse with a cowboy who loves her, and adventures on Deckawoo Drive. Leroy Ninker was meant to be a cowboy, and every cowboy needs a horse. I enjoyed the story of how Leroy finds his horse and discovers that his world is new and exciting with her in it. I will definitely read more about Leroy Ninker and the spaghetti loving Maybelline if the author continues the series.

I am comparing this to the mercy watson series. The mercy watson series have full color pictures in the whole book. They were very nice. I am not sure why this series doesn't (save cost??) The black and white pictures just don't look as nice. I wish they made these books as colorful as the mercy watson series. As the pictures really add to the enjoyment of the book. I love Chris Van Dusen illustrations....

I'm currently reading this with my daughter. As with all of DiCamillo's books she makes fabulous use of vocabulary reminding us that our children are more capable than we realize. Teach them a broad vocabulary and they will use it. Lovely story and we're looking forward to reading more in this series!

Oh so incredibly satisfying to be back with our friends from Deckawoo Drive! We are huge fans of Mercy Watson, and especially Leroy Ninker, so there are not words for how much my daughter and I enjoy this book, getting to see Leroy reformed, and such devotion for Maybelline! I can't remember enjoying a book so much- thank you, Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen, for bringing us back these characters we adore, introducing wonderful new ones, and helping us see what's next! Can't wait for the next Tale from Deckawoo Drive!

The team of DiCamillo and Van Dusen just keep getting better! The author has written a joyous, lighthearted tale that is a pleasure for young and old; while the illustrator continues to dazzle us with amazing images that are full of humor and life all the while limited by a black & white format! Simply fantastic!

Unlike some movies and books for kids, this story has a good ending. It links together characters from other DiCamillo books which is funny. The characters were funny and kept the slow story funny. There were fun vocabulary words like "poetical," "cogitate" and "rue."

This was the best yet of the Mercy Watson series. I so enjoyed reading it aloud to my children. There were so many places to go with this story that could have been hysterically funny, but the author kept it sweet, clean and clever.

I'm currently reading this with my daughter. As with all of DiCamillo's books she makes fabulous use of vocabulary reminding us that our children are more capable than we realize. Teach them a broad vocabulary and they will use it. Lovely story and we're looking forward to reading more in this series!

Oh so incredibly satisfying to be back with our friends from Deckawoo Drive! We are huge fans of Mercy Watson, and especially Leroy Ninker, so there are not words for how much my daughter and I enjoy this book, getting to see Leroy reformed, and such devotion for Maybelline! I can't remember enjoying a book so much- thank you, Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen, for bringing us back these characters we adore, introducing wonderful new ones, and helping us see what's next! Can't wait for the next Tale from Deckawoo Drive!

The team of DiCamillo and Van Dusen just keep getting better! The author has written a joyous, lighthearted tale that is a pleasure for young and old; while the illustrator continues to dazzle us with amazing images that are full of humor and life all the while limited by a black & white format! Simply fantastic!

Unlike some movies and books for kids, this story has a good ending. It links together characters from other DiCamillo books which is funny. The characters were funny and kept the slow story funny. There were fun vocabulary words like "poetical," "cogitate" and "rue."

This was the best yet of the Mercy Watson series. I so enjoyed reading it aloud to my children. There were so many places to go with this story that could have been hysterically funny, but the author kept it sweet, clean and clever.

How did this book ever get recommended? And by a "respected" book review service. Tall tales I can respect (yes, even a horse that eats spaghetti with tomato sauce), but this is--let me say it--quite stupid, though it's meant to be humorous, I'm sure. I allowed myself to read the whole small book. It never got better. The author tried to build suspense and drama, but the silliness of the tale made THAT fall flat. I can't imagine what a young reader would "get" out of reading this story. And this book was praised by a well-known book-appraising service--really? Really. Brace yourself: This is said to be "the first in an entertaining new series". I can't wait (sic).

Fanciful Fiction: Beginning-Chapter Book (Grades 1-3)