The Trolls

by Polly Horvath (Author)

The Trolls
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Aunt Sally is beyond any of Melissa, Amanda, and Pee Wee's expectations. She has come all the way from Vancouver Island, Canada, to take care of the children while their parents are away, and right from the start, Aunt Sally enchants them with tales of her childhood with their father.

Odd characters figure largely in the stories, like Maud, a hunter rumored to have killed eighty cougars; Great-uncle Louis, a health nut who insists everyone should gnaw on sticks for extra fiber; and Fat Little Mean Girl, the star of a cautionary tale involving witchcraft and candy.

All of Aunt Sally's reminiscences lead up to a crucial story about trolls, sinister creatures who supposedly lurked along the shore at night. The trolls had the power to change Aunt Sally's life forever, and their legacy may change the lives of the three present-day children as well.

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Publisher's Weekly

When the baby-sitter cancels at the last minute, Aunt Sally fills in and shares plenty of tall tales in this National Book Award finalist, about which PW said, "Horvath's dry humor runs like a current through the book, sweeping readers along in the breathless anticipation of the next bit of absurdity." Ages 8-12. 

Copyright 2001 Publisher’s Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Kirkus

An unconventional aunt blows in from Vancouver to pinch-hit as babysitter, and offers two sisters and their brother an entrancing view of family history . . . Most sections are . . . hilarious, as is the snappy and perfectly timed dialogue. After the last laugh, Aunt Sally's hard-won understanding of human nature will leave readers with plenty to ponder.

ALA/Booklist

Starred Review

Original and entertaining . . . [A] witty, clever, and involving book.

Review quotes

"Polly Horvath has produced a small gem. She knows just how to twist language to make readers sit up and take notice. . . . She draws her characters with such precision that they peak without ever going over the top." —New York Times Book Review

Polly Horvath
MRS. BUNNY lives in Rabbitville in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She is married to Mr. Bunny and has twelve children. This is her first book.

POLLY HORVATH is one of the most highly acclaimed authors writing today. Among her many books are The Canning Season (recipient of the National Book Award and the YA Canadian Book of the Year), Everything on a Waffle (Newbery Honor Book), The Trolls (National Book Award Finalist), My One Hundred Adventures (Amazon Best of 2008 and multiple best of the year lists), and most recently, Northward to the Moon (Oprah's Book Club Kid's Reading List, Parent's Choice Gold Award). Visit her at pollyhorvath.com.

SOPHIE BLACKALL received the Caldecott Medal for Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick. She is the illustrator of A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book; The Mighty Lalouche by Matthew Olshan, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; and Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges, an Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award winner. She has also illustrated the bestselling Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows. A native of Australia, she lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at SophieBlackall.com
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780312384197
Lexile Measure
810
Guided Reading Level
18
Publisher
St. Martins Press-3PL
Publication date
September 20, 2008
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
Library of Congress categories
-
ALA Notable Children's Books

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