5.0 out of 5 stars Get ready for some great
new characters!, December 15, 2009
By Lisa A. Maddock "Author of A Tale of Two Guinea Pigs
"The Adventures of Hardy Belch" is actually a set of three different
adventure stories centered around a twelve-year-old boy named Hardy
Belch (a name he is none too pleased with!) and his 240-pound
telepathic dog Tiny. The two main characters are well written and have
a great relationship and it is fun to read their telepathic
conversations.
Tiny comes up with plans to solve problems and together the two set
them in motion. In the first story, The Bully, Hardy is being hassled
by a bigger older kid and needs to find a way to put a stop to it.
Tiny comes up with a plan involving the help of other dogs that works
like a charm. Tiny has a great intuition about human emotion and
motivation which comes into play in the next story, The Green Man.
Hardy and his cousins learn a lesson about intolerance when they
discover the reality behind a scary legend about a disfigured man.
Finally, in the third story, Delaware River Pirates, Hardy and Tiny,
while playing pirates, find themselves dreaming their way back to the
year 1850 where an unethical Squire is hurting the town and all of the
residents by not allowing a road to be built. Again, the pair find a
way to solve the problem in a very creative way.
These stories are really creative, fun and uplifting with great
illustrations and I sure hope to see more by this author!
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and worthwhile reading for children,
December 13, 2009 By P. A. Whittington "Whitty" (UK)
I was surprised to find on reading this book how effectively and with
a very child friendly approach the author deals with the serious
issues of bullying and intolerance. The book is written in a way that
children will comprehend and enjoy, and also highlights situations or
events that may already be familiar to them. The stories themselves
are written well and contain enough plans and ideas to keep many a
young reader amused. I loved the artwork too, which put me in mind of
the old Mad comics that I read as a child many years ago. The advice
sections that follow the stories are a good touch and a nice way of
getting the children to relate at their level to the issues dealt with
in the story. All in all this is a fun, worthwhile and important read
for children and a book that will be enjoyed by many and talked about
to others after reading.
5 out of 5 stars Entertaining Story with
Morals, December 11, 2009
By Kristi Sayles "Kristi Sayles" (Camden, TN USA)
Once I started reading this book, I just didn't want
to stop! It is a fun story from start to finish-but still manages to
slip in some useful tidbits about tolerance, bullying, and other such
behaviors without sounding "preachy." I adore Tiny-Hardy Belch's
telepathic dog. It adds a touch of humor to the whole thing that kids
(and parents) will love! This story would make a good gift for the
9-12 year old in your life.
