What do you think?
Rate this book
The Adventures of Boone Barnaby
A novel about the adventures of three boys (and a flaky dog) chasing an arsonist while testing the limits of life, soccer, and garbage in their scrappy little town among the redwood trees of California. "This warmly engaging story is resplendent with humor, irony, thoughtful introspection, and well-paced plotting." —School Library Journal.
- GenresFiction
227 pages, Library Binding
First published November 1, 1990
3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 16, 2013
TREE HOUSE RULES
Set in 90's northern California, over the "hill" yet vaguely linked to Sillicon Valley, this story of three school boys in a hick town holds the reader's interest--even if you are only kids at heart. The plot revolves loosely around the efforts of the soccer team to earn money for a trip to Australia, while on the serious side, adults cope with the issue of recurring arson.
The conscientious author revives the world of the 60's for his young audience--a world of hippies, drugs, anti-war protest and civil disobedience. One wonders if he is reliving his own frustrated teenage/college years, or making sure that the lessons of that turbulent era will not be forgotten or ignored by another generation of young thinkers, for these three boys want answers and reasons for general world order.
Boone Barnaby comes of age that school year, as several town buildings burn down and the team comes up with an ingenious fundraiser. But when he needs to escape his problems, his favorite perch proves a high branch in a tall redwood, where he can overlook the distant valley, his own little town and even the local prison. And ponder why little birds fly in flocks...But what do the mighty redwoods and the mini dragonfly have in common?
Boone's underprivileged best pal, Danny, often challenges the traditional view of honesty with his selfish coping mechanism. Then the new kid, Babcock, is included in their tight friendship-providing new opportunities for lessons in loyalty. Struggling for decreasing parental surveillance, the young protagonist evaluates the actions of his father in the past, as well as his attitudes in the present. He struggles to understand the erratic and misanthropic behavior of both the town miser and the town drunk. How can a kid justify doing right in a world gone wrong, where few adults seem to play by the rules? Both boys learn to respect Babcock's House Rules, but how can they be modified for practical life in the big world? An interesting story despite the threads of many themes packaged along with it.
(Feb. 19, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
Set in 90's northern California, over the "hill" yet vaguely linked to Sillicon Valley, this story of three school boys in a hick town holds the reader's interest--even if you are only kids at heart. The plot revolves loosely around the efforts of the soccer team to earn money for a trip to Australia, while on the serious side, adults cope with the issue of recurring arson.
The conscientious author revives the world of the 60's for his young audience--a world of hippies, drugs, anti-war protest and civil disobedience. One wonders if he is reliving his own frustrated teenage/college years, or making sure that the lessons of that turbulent era will not be forgotten or ignored by another generation of young thinkers, for these three boys want answers and reasons for general world order.
Boone Barnaby comes of age that school year, as several town buildings burn down and the team comes up with an ingenious fundraiser. But when he needs to escape his problems, his favorite perch proves a high branch in a tall redwood, where he can overlook the distant valley, his own little town and even the local prison. And ponder why little birds fly in flocks...But what do the mighty redwoods and the mini dragonfly have in common?
Boone's underprivileged best pal, Danny, often challenges the traditional view of honesty with his selfish coping mechanism. Then the new kid, Babcock, is included in their tight friendship-providing new opportunities for lessons in loyalty. Struggling for decreasing parental surveillance, the young protagonist evaluates the actions of his father in the past, as well as his attitudes in the present. He struggles to understand the erratic and misanthropic behavior of both the town miser and the town drunk. How can a kid justify doing right in a world gone wrong, where few adults seem to play by the rules? Both boys learn to respect Babcock's House Rules, but how can they be modified for practical life in the big world? An interesting story despite the threads of many themes packaged along with it.
(Feb. 19, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
October 5, 2010
This book tals about a boy that has trouble in a small town. Then, to make matters worse, his father's in jail for what he didn't do, his soccer team had to stop playing, money was stolen, and his friend is getting evicted. All he has is his mind, his soul and his new dog. It's pretty funny, especially about the slugs. Oh, you don't know what I'm talking about? Then read it!
May 2, 2013
Joe Cottonwood could write a grocery list on a paper bag and it would be great. He is truly an unrecognized talent. I have had the pleasure of listening to some of his free podcasts and he has wonderful voice for narration. This is a guy who really understands and can write kid adventure stories. I highly recommend reading anything he writes.
October 27, 2012
An OK read.
April 22, 2013
My favorite from when I was a little girl.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews