Awards
1999 National Book Award Finalist
Boston Globe-Horn Book honor award for fiction
Booklist Editors' Choice
Synopses & Reviews
Laugh-out-loud stories within a story
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.
Review
"A surprisingly poignant undercurrent adds even greater depth to this skillfully written comic novel." Horn Book
Review
"[A] witty, clever, and involving book." Booklist (starred review)
Review
"A delightful and humorous book that you don't want to put down!" Shalini Murthy, Children's Literature
Review
"Polly Horvath has produced a small gem. She knows just how to twist language to make readers sit up and take notice....[S]he draws her characters with such precision that they peak without ever going over the top." The New York Times Book Review
Review
"Horvath's dry humor runs like a current through the book, sweeping readers along in the breathless anticipation of the next bit of absurdity." Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
Polly Horvath has written four previous hilarious novels, including
When the Circus Came to Town, which received a starred review in
School Library Journal. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.