Jennifer Bohnhoff
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The Dreaded Cliff: Middle Grade Book Review

1/2/2022

10 Comments

 
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Flora is a plump little packrat who thinks, in her own little packratty way, that she is a goddess. Like all of her species, she collects treasures: shiny things and prickly things and soft things to decorate her nest, which is under the floorboards of what we could call a Volkswagen van, but she calls a jangly-crate. That's one of the joys of this book: the reader sees the story through the eyes of a rodent who does not always know the human words for the things around her. 

Another joy is that Flora loves words, but also mangles them. This teeny Mrs. Malaprop is at her finest when she is addressing his muskiness, errr, manliness, errr mushiness, King Cyrus, a kangaroo rat with an outsized sense of self worth. 


Flora lives a perfect packrat life. She snuggles in her treasure-packed nest and 'snibbes' snacks from the munch mound with her packrat pal, Gertrude. The only thing that threatens her serenity is the dreaded cliff, a frightening and fabled place that she has been warned to stay away from since she was a wee pup. When old Grandma Mimi tells Flora about that it was their ancestral home until a mysterious killer wiped out a litter of pups and took over, Flora feels called to reclaim the cliff. However, her plans are thwarted by an inadvertent trip in which she loses her home in the jangly-crate but finds some allies and discovers her own pluck. In the end, Flora must find her way home, and find the courage to face her own fears. 

Each chapter in this book begins with a charming black and white illustration by Odessa Sawyer. At the back of the book is a short but informative section on the real animals behind the characters in this book. It is a fine and entertaining book for young readers who are interested in the flora and fauna of the American southwest. 

Author: 
Terry Nichols
ISBN: 9781951122126 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781951122171 (ebook)
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Price: $12.95
Pages: 250

10 Comments
Patricia Tilton link
1/3/2022 12:47:43 pm

What a charming book. Great cover, too! I love that the story is told from Flora's voice. This sounds like it is a book that could be read aloud to younger children. Thanks for sharing today.

Reply
Jennifer Bohnhoff
1/3/2022 09:32:12 pm

Charming is a great word for it! I agree it'd make a good read aloud.

Reply
Greg Pattridge link
1/3/2022 01:37:36 pm

I enjoyed this when I read it a few months back. Thanks for featuring it on MMGM.

Reply
Terry Nichols
1/3/2022 01:51:51 pm

Thanks so much, Jennifer, for reviewing my book in your first review of the new year!

Reply
Max @ Completely Full Bookshelf
1/3/2022 04:05:51 pm

This sounds like such a whimsical and fun story for young readers! Thanks so much for the great review, Jennifer!

Reply
Jennifer Bohnhoff
1/3/2022 09:33:04 pm

You are quite welcome!

Reply
carol baldwin link
1/3/2022 05:33:04 pm

This does seem like a book for the younger crowd, or a sweet read aloud. thanks for sharing it.

Reply
Jennifer Bohnhoff
1/3/2022 09:34:03 pm

You are welcome. I think the word sweet describes it nicely.

Reply
Natalie Aguirre link
1/5/2022 06:55:46 am

This sounds like a sweet story. And it's cool the author included info on the animals that inspired the story.

Reply
Rosi Hollinbeck link
1/5/2022 10:42:03 pm

This sounds like a real charmer with some excitement added in. Thanks for telling me about it. I will check it out.

Reply



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    ABout Jennifer Bohnhoff

    I am a former middle school teacher who loves travel and history, so it should come as no surprise that many of my books are middle grade historical novels set in beautiful or interesting places.  But not all of them.  I hope there's one title here that will speak to you personally and deeply.

    What I love most: that "ah hah" moment when a reader suddenly understands the connections between himself, the past, and the world around him.  Those moments are rarified, mountain-top experiences.



    Can't get enough of Jennifer Bohnhoff's blogs?  She's also on Mad About MG History.  

    ​
    Looking for more books for middle grade readers? Greg Pattridge hosts MMGM, where you can find loads of recommendations.

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