My Cousin, the Poodle

From School Library Journal Grade 4-5-- Barbara and Tommy spend a weekend with Aunt Tofelia and Uncle Rupert, an unusual couple with a spoiled dog and not a clue as to what to do with children. The siblings visit the racetrack, a wrestling match, and their uncle's nightclub act, and are fed pickled herring and Roquefort omelets. Actually, Tofelia and Rupert don't know much about the proper care of dogs, either--Terry Berry yearns to be played with. When she disappears, and the children rescue her, they win their relatives' gratitude and respect, and build a bridge of understanding between the two heretofore estranged families (whether Terry Berry will get some fun in her life remains unclear). This is a fairly lightweight story, set, but not firmly rooted, in 1955. Still, it does achieve a certain charm, particularly when the children try to comfort Aunt Tofelia when her pet disappears, and they discover some interesting bits of family history. The youngsters are resilient and capable, but the aunt, the uncle, and the various situations are far too exaggerated, suffer from forced humor, and lack credibility. --Carla Kozak, San Francisco Public LibraryCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Kirkus Reviews Dereske's third children's book is a determinedly wacky tale set in the 50's. Barbara and Tommy's parents, planning a second honeymoon, suddenly make arrangements for them to spend the weekend with Aunt Tofelia and Uncle Rupert, whom the children have never met--and with their excessively spoiled poodle, Terry Berry, who has her own pink bedroom and canopied bed. The weekend is crammed with unfamiliar food and unconventional adventures, including a disastrous afternoon at the races when Terry Berry eats a hot dog and requires emergency stomach pumping, and an evening at a nightclub where their uncle sings. It all climaxes when Terry Berry disappears and, despite their dubious feelings about her, the kids go to the rescue. Effective period detail and some interestingly off-center characters, but no one--except the dog--comes memorably to life. Mildly funny. (Fiction. 8-12) --