Roger W. Drury

When the Finches arrive in Ashfield for their father's new job, they find there's only one house to rent: a beautiful old three-story home on Pride Street. Even though the prior tenants left in a hurry over a year ago, it's very clean inside and well-maintained. Even better - the rent is only $1 for 3 years! But although it's December and the whole town is covered in snow, their home is snow-free and there are even robins eating worms on the green lawn outside. It would be perfect, except for the small volcano in the basement.

Published in 1971, I've always remembered this book fondly from my childhood. Growing up where winters were cold and snowy, the idea of a house where it was always springtime outside seemed like a dream. Reading it now as a grownup, I realize it deals a lot more with the fear of what might happen than I had remembered. It's a nice and entertaining read for grades 4-6.… (altro)

The Champion of Merrimack County was either pretty good for a bad book, or pretty bad for a good book. Not sure which.
Drury writes well enough, and there are some real laugh-out-loud scenes, especially in the first third of the book.
O Crispin is a mouse, who rides a bicycle and plans to win the big race and become the Champion of Merrimack County. He is practicing in Mr. Berryfield's bathtub, when he has a wreck and is attended to by Mrs. Berryfield and her daughter Janet. Janet goes off to find someone to help by fixing the bicycle, while her mother heads off with the mouse, to get help for him.
The book a number of weaknesses though. There is very little actual plot. Mr. Berryfield is stubbornly unlikable. For a children's story, Janet has an unusually small role in the book. I assumed that the big race O Crispin was preparing for would be a highlight of the book, but it's not part of it at all. 2/3 of the book takes place before the race, and then it picks up a week after the race. The race isn't part of the story at all.
Entertaining in an extremely light-hearted way, but overall disappointing.… (altro)