Review: Fun for all the family!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2014
“Delilah Dusticle has a special gift,” a superpower perhaps, but one so sweetly humorous any child and parent will happily relate. She can dust, like magic. And she can make dust. This latter, of course, is a bit of a problem since dust falls like snow when she’s distracted.Delilah and Abi have started a great “dustbusting” business in post-war Britain, cleaning grand mansions for the no-longer-rich who can’t afford live-in staff. They’re advertised in all the best newspapers, and Delilah’s image can even be seen on a billboard in Piccadilly Circus. But are they ready to go international? Is it really safe for Delilah to travel to Transylvania and clean the Count’s castle?The story’s full of fun characters, perfectly suited to Bollywood, Hollywood and more. And the text has a nice read-aloud cadence, making this not just a fun middle-grade novel, but also a great story to read to groups of younger children (or at bedtime). Illustrations nicely interspersed with the text complement the narrative and add to the fun. I especially love the picture of Doris peeping over her well-wrapped scarf, but Ulrik’s washing is pretty cool too, as are assorted bats and spiders!And then there’s Count Dracula. But be ready for intriguing surprises, mystery and terror, all told with a nice quiet sense of humor as Delilah explores her dusty side. Imaginative, magical and fun, Delilah Dusticle’s Transylvanian Adventure will entice and amuse all ages, in the tradition of good old-fashioned fantastical storytelling. And the fact that its reluctant heroine is female, and cleans houses, is just a delightful added bonus.Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy by the author and I offer my honest review.