One Final Firecracker

The Hamlet Chronicles #7

by Gregory Maguire, Elaine Clayton (Illustrator)

It's the end of the school year for Miss Earth's class. Everyone is sad to leave their favorite teacher, but there's also a lot to celebrate: the circus is in town, Miss Earth and Mayor Grass are getting married, and Fourth of July celebrations are about to begin. No one wants to be left out of the fun . . . not even a deadly Siberian snow spider, the ghost of a baby elephant, an alien elf (disguised as an angel), a stupid cupid, or a fire-breathing half-lizard-half-chicken-practically-dragon. Will all the unexpected guests bring the big top crashing down? One thing is certain—it will be a summer no one in Hamlet will ever forget!

Genres: Fantasy

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Gregory Maguire is an American author, whose novels are revisionist retellings of children's stories (such as L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz into Wicked). He received his Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Tufts University, and his B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany. He was a professor and co-director at the Simmons College Center for the Study of Children's Literature from 1979-1985. In 1987 he co-founded Children's Literature New England (a non-profit educational charity).

Maguire has served as artist-in-residence at the Blue Mountain Center, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Hambidge Center. He lives in Concord, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Jen (The Jenerator) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh...a little drawn out in my opinion.

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad conclusion to this fun series, but not as good as the previous two or three books. Monica warned us that things got a little weird in this one, and she was right; they did. Still, all in all, the Hamlet Chronicles were a nice diversion while waiting to continue with the Great Brain series. Now, onward!

[Mary]

I can't wait to read this book! Once I finish another book I'll read this one!

[Tacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series would best be read in order.