Hurricane Harry

From Publishers Weekly Harry Kane's kindergarten year brings some big changes to his life, including his family's move from an apartment to a house. To smooth this transition, Harry's father buys him a small turtle, which later meets its demise when it goes through the washer and dryer with the laundry. But the spunky Harry learns to deal with the death of his pet and survives several other minor traumas, such as rescuing an elderly neighbor who has fallen in her home, visiting his hospitalized grandmother and--in one of the novel's funnier moments--taking a seat in the wrong classroom on the first day in his new school. The characters in Caseley's ( Dear Annie ; Harry and Willy and Carrothead ) novel are unusually well-defined and convincing, and children will immediately enter into the adventures of the warm-hearted Kane family. Each chapter is self-contained, which will enable younger--or resistant--readers to digest the novel in shorter segments. Ages 6-up. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Grade 1-4-- This pleasant offering doesn't meet Johanna Hurwitz's standard for irresistible chapter books, but it's an acceptable addition to shelves for independent readers. When Harry Kane was little, his name was run together into a perfect description of the energetic preschooler, and he remained Hurricane Harry ever after. In the first chapter, the Kane family meets to discuss an imminent move from apartment to house, but readers won't know whether they are changing communities (only the blurb on the jacket reveals that the family leaves the city for the country). The lack of clarity makes it hard to interpret the events that follow or appreciate the drama of the situation: school starts; Harry's sister deposits him accidentally in a second-grade classroom even though he is a kindergartner. Nonetheless, Harry's a likable kid. When a new pet turtle ventures into a load of wash and is found dead in the dried clothes, Harry's grief is authentic and moving. A story told in easy language with lots of dialogue and humor, but with little tension. --Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MACopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.