Horrible Harry at Halloween - Hardcover

Suzy Kline, the author of nineteen previous Horrible Harry books and four books about Song Lee, lives in Willington Connecticut with her husband, Rufus. Suzy and Rufus have been married for thirty-eight years. They met in the state where they both grew up: California. Suzy grew up in Berkeley and Rufus in Sacramento. Suzy graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in European history. She met Rufus at the Davis campus while attending that campus for a year. They got married and lived in different places, including Canada, before settling into Connecticut, the state they now call home.

Suzy taught in 5th and 6th grades at Shannon Elementary School in Richmond, California for 3 years, and 2nd and 3rd grades at Southwest Elementary School in Torrington, Connecticut for 24 years before retiring this past June. She now enjoys writing full-time and visiting schools and libraries. The couple share their home with two cats, Teeter and Hoag. They have two daughters, Jennifer and Emily, and four grandchildren: Jake, Kenna, Gabby and Saylor. A fifth grandchild is due in September, 2006. Suzy's mother just turned 96. She dedicated her most recent book, Horrible Harry Takes the Cake to her.

Suzy and Rufus enjoy attending UConn football and basketball games, and Suzy uses the UConn library as a reference for her writing facts.

 

Gr. 2-3. Kline continues her entertaining grade-school series with a Halloween story rooted in Class 3B. Everyone comes in costume, but Harry is in plain clothes, this year, dressed as a detective, and soon there's a case for him to solve. Series fans will welcome the characters, including narrator Doug (who is Harry's best friend), Song Lee, and their warm teacher, Miss Mackle. Only classmate Mary comes across as less than likable; she's the arrogant, whining prima donna who has it coming when her costume prop is stolen. The thief is treated with sympathy, and Harry's detective work is delicious. There's a sense of a real classroom, where learning is almost as much fun as the tricks and treats. And, for new readers, here's a lively introduction to the mystery genre. Hazel Rochman
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