Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2004)

Twelve-year-old Kat dreams of attending art school in Boston, and fourteen-year-old Rose desperately tries to save a horse from slaughter in these sentimental stories set in a small, picturesque Massachusetts fishing village. There are few surprises from the predictable characters and formulaic circumstances, but the quaint setting is sure to find fans.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Blending bits of history and long-accepted lore into a snappy story, McDonald (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Is This a House for a Hermit Crab?; the Judy Moody series) entertains readers with her imagining of the Liberty Bell's whereabouts during the American Revolution. Young John Jacob Mickley is ready to burst with excitement as he regales his younger siblings with a tale of the fateful trip he took to Philadelphia with their father. As Mickley père and fils arrived in the city of brotherly love, warning came of the encroachment of British Redcoats led by General Howe. The rush was on to hide any sources of metal—including all the church bells in town and "the Great Bell" atop the State House (later known as the Liberty Bell). The 11-year-old and his dad, along with their wagon and horses, were pressed into duty, surreptitiously spiriting away the 2,000-plus-pound bell to a hiding place in their hometown of Northampton. McDonald's vivacious text brims with details, while keeping a brisk pace. A historical note fills in additional elements. With a keen eye, Carrington (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Jake Johnson: The Story of a Mule) captures the bucolic countryside as well as prim city townhouses of 18th-century Philadelphia in her acrylic paintings. Her energetic portraits of a fretful John Jacob and his father carting the cleverly (and colorfully) concealed bell let youngsters in on the secret while also keeping them on the edge of their seats. Ages 5-8. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(May)

School Library Journal (Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2005)

Gr 1-3 John Jacob Mickley, 11, tells his siblings about his role in hiding the Liberty Bell from the British. He describes how he and his father travel to Philadelphia to sell their farm goods. The Great Bell is ringing out its warning from the State House that the Redcoats are on their way, and everyone knows they will be looking for metal to turn into weapons. Colonel Benjamin Flower approaches the Mickleys and asks them to help spirit the Great Bell away for safekeeping. The father-son team must hide it under stinky stable straw, potato sacks, and even a woman's hoop skirt. John is certain they will run into Redcoats during the journey. And, on the third night, soldiers do find them. Fortunately, they are from General Washington's army, and they escort the wagon toward safety. A mere four miles from home, the wagon breaks down, but, with help from the locals, the bell is moved to safety and hidden beneath the floorboards of the Zion Reformed Church in present-day Allentown, PA. McDonald has nicely personalized an event from American history and presented it in a form reminiscent of tall tales. Carrington's acrylic paintings complement the tone of the text with their humorous, cartoonlike style. An author's note sorts out fact from fiction. A fun way to introduce the Revolutionary War. Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA