Book 7 in The Boys-Girls Battle Series A Newbery Award-winning Author It's spring break, and the Benson brothers are coming. It will be nonstop action as the Benson and Hatford boys make plans to scare the Malloy girls. Of course, the girls are hard at work plotting their own special welcome. (AR) For ages 8-12.
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor was born in Anderson, Indiana, US on January 4, 1933.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."
By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.
Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.
Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.
Thoroughly and completely enjoyed this series, which I read to my daughters through Nov & Dec at bedtime. Love, love, love Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for elementary aged readers. Love, love, love this series for the Brady-bunch era of hijinx between children... Love, love, love that neither the boys nor the girls are clear-case winners of the "war", though, my daughters do believe there was a winner. Whole-heartedly recommend as a family read and to all elementary-aged readers.
7th book in the Girls vs. Boys series by Naylor. Every book has at least two clever pranks or adventures that are interesting and engaging to read about. So far no book in the series has been a disappointment. Great for students grades 3-6 (in 6th it would be for lower readers).
One of the best ones yet - kids love the practical jokers in this series. So fun to see the Bensons return and help them kids catch the abaguchie. The kids LOVED it.
The Bensons come visit during Spring break and its gotten even more rowdy for more boys. I love that they tried to make the girls think their house is haunted.