(Review) Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti

Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti

Review by: Lauren

Copy From: http://www.teensreadtoo.com/

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Summary:

The Bellweathers is a kooky family with wild, extravagant habits and interests. The father is an inventor that hates noise (yet the house is full of it), the mother is obsessed with painting and re-painting the lighthouse they live in, Spider hates the sunlight and loves crazy animals, Ninda is someone who wants to Do Good and Help the Downtrodden, and finally you have the artistic, yet insane, triplets: Spike, Brick, and Sassy. With their butler Tristan Benway, the Bellweathers find themselves harboring foreign circus folk, albino alligators, and making plans to steal the Mona Lisa.

Review:

Leaving the Bellweathers is one wacky book! It’s also quite fun. There are moments in the book that might be slightly over the head of your average middle grader, but overall, I think they would enjoy the funny antics that this family gets up to…even if they are completely unrealistic in most senses.

One of the things that I found different and fun about this book was the end of every chapter. You get a look into the butler’s journal. He looks back on what has happened in the lighthouse on the hill…as well as fondly thinking of his future when he is free of his servitude to the Bellweathers and can live in a Warm Place Far, Far Away.

Obviously, this book is full of good messages, though not preachy or annoyingly so. Some of these would be the love of family (even when not blood related), the importance of creativity, and the need to think of others and not just yourself.

This was a fun book overall. I think it would be much more exciting for someone of a younger age, and it’s certain to be one that could produce crazy sequels!

Note: I do not own any of these pictures. They are used for decoration only.