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Boys in
Control
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Delacorte Press 2003 |
The Hatford brothers become
enemies with the Malloy sisters when they rented their best friend's house for a
year while they lived in Georgia.
The championship baseball game was the same day as The Woman's Auxiliary of the
Buckman Fire Department's Treats and Treasures yard sale, and Mrs. Hatford was
incharge of it so she left her youngest son Wally in charge during the game. The
Buckman Badgers were undefeated so they went to the championship game but there
was some mischief and blackmail before and after the game.
The girls were cleaning out the basement when they found a photo album filled
with silly photos of the Hatford brothers and their friends. Caroline the
youngest Malloy sister used the pictures to get Wally to do a play with her in
front of their class. When Wally got home from school the same day two women
appeared at his house and asked if they could buy things from the yard sale
early, he said no and went to call his Mom. As he was on the phone the women
snuck in but got caught.
The day of the sale and championship came. Caroline stayed with Wally to help
watch the people that came early so they wouldn't steal anything. The two women
came back and purchased a picture even though the sale hadn't started. They
ended up getting caught. Caroline followed them and took the picture back. In
the back were a pair of bloomers and she put them on and brought the picture
back where it belonged, at the sale.
The bloomers had belonged to Amelia Bloomer who had made them herself then hid
them and passed the picture down the line. The game was over and everyone got
told about the bloomers! After the sale ended the boys did a little blackmail
themselves.
I really enjoyed reading this book because it was full of adventure that could
happen right at your house. I would recommend this book to middle school
students.
~Ashley Aldan, grade 6, Boardman Center Middle School