Second Bookses

Every other month or so, we get a Scholastic book order that arrives home in a backpack. We have so many books we could probably rebuild our house with them, but I can't resist getting the kids a treat for Halloween that isn't candy. For little Pete, the book I chose was Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble by Judith Byron Schachner.::: Little Kitty, Big Trouble :::Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble is the story of a little Siamese kitten named Skippyjon Jones. He lives with his mother, Junebug Jones, and his sisters Jezebel, Jilly-bo and Ju-Ju Bee. Skippyjon is a frisky little kitten, known for bouncing on his bed, building pyramids OUTSIDE the litter box, and his overactive imagination. When his mother catches him with a "National Leographic" about mummies, she warns him that it will scare him, but he pays not attention.Skippyjon heads off to his closet and imagines himself heading off to Egypt with a pack of chihuahuas who speak a mix of English and Spanish, often in a limerick rhyme scheme. They head off to the "Under Mundo" to find the peas that the mummies rest in, and hilarity ensues as Skippyjon meets up with three guardians of the tombs (Ba, Da, and Bing) on his way to get the peas.::: More Skippyjon! More, More, More! :::This is our very first Skippyjon Jones book, but it certainly won't be the last. The illustrations are colorful without being loud, and do a great job showcasing the mischief that Skippyjon gets himself into.What my kids loved the most, though, were the Spanish interjections from the chihuahuas and Skippyjon's misinterpretations of their accented English. I'm always happy to use my schoolgirl Spanish from college, and the kids especially love Skippyjon's mixing of "Under Mundo" and "underwear."While Petey has always been fond of being read to, my boys tend to run and hide whenever the threat of being read to is made. When Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble is the book to be read, however, they all come running, and even Sissy, who has been reading independently since she was three, will hover around for the hilarity.Skippyjon Jones may be just as mischievous as my own boys, but if his popularity adds to the interest in reading? We'll be looking for many more of his adventures. Pete loved the book so much she took it to bed with her every night, and requested the "kitty" book at least once a day.