Official Review: Hide and Panic Stations

[gali]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hide and Panic Stations" by Monty J McClaine.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Hide and Panic Stations is a charming children’s chapter book by Monty J McClain featuring Super Speed Sam, a basset hound with special abilities.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that children and dogs are an unbeatable combination and it certainly works here! This is the first installment in the Super Speed Sam series introducing the charming McClaine family and their four legged companion. The family is composed of mom, dad, six-year-old Jack, the baby Molly, who just learned to crawl, and of course the dog Sam. Sam isn’t a regular dog, but more about him later.

Young Jack loves to play hide and seek games with his dog Sam. One day, while Dad is tinkering with his car and Mom is busy in the kitchen with Molly, Jack decides to play his favorite game with Sam. Pretty soon the game escalates as the hide and seek game becomes the hide and panic game. It is Jack's turn to hide and he just found the perfect hiding spot, too perfect in fact. While hiding in there he finds a comic book and digs right in. He becomes so absorbed in the book that he forgets all about the game. Very cool! As a side note I liked it that he was lost in a book, a great message for kids.

Meanwhile our faithful Sam looks all over the place for Jack, to no avail. The parents join the search, but they can't find Jack either. Luckily for Jack, and the reader, Sam isn't an ordinary dog as he can move at super dog speed. He inherited his forefathers' powers and in the blink of an eye, well after reciting a really amusing chant, he can be transformed into a super speed dog. He also has other abilities, but I will keep mum about them. In any case he will need to use his powers to locate Jack and save the day before Jack's parents become unhinged. Incidentally if an adult is reading the story to a kid, he should take advantage of the opportunity to advise the kid about the dangers of hiding in closed places. After all, not all kids have super-power dog at their disposal…

I really loved this book because I'm a dog lover and have a dog as well. Also, it is a very sweet book. This imaginative tale will bewitch the hearts of its readers, young and old, as well as put a smile on their faces. The author’s writing style is very engaging and easy to read. This book is suited for younger readers as it combines an adventure story with themes of love and mutual devotion. I think it will capture a lot of hearts and imaginations! The story flowed beautifully as the search for Jack proceeded and emotions ran high. I could easily picture characters and the actions in my mind. A pity this lovely book lacks illustrations as young readers adore them. Also adding illustrations will enhance this magical book even further.

It was a sweet and fun read from start to finish, so I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this little book. I especially liked the wink to Sherlock Holmes stories (the way the dog played detective made me chuckle). I would recommend the book to children ages 8 through 12, even those who don't read much. This adorable book is sure to appeal to young readers who love “man's best friend"! Not only will you love the basset hound, but he will win your heart. It would be a perfect choice for a bedtime story, for beginner readers, and for kids with an interest in detection and animals. This is the beginning of a series, and it sure leaves the reader with high anticipation for the next episode!

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Hide and Panic Stations
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[bookowlie]

Another great review! I love any book that has a dog in it....cats, not so much. The dog acting like a detective is a nice bonus!

[gali]

Another great review! I love any book that has a dog in it....cats, not so much. The dog acting like a detective is a nice bonus!

Thank you. I also prefer dogs to cats.

[Heidi M Simone]

What a wonderful review, gali! Sounds like such a cute story. I also love that the dog is the detective and the hero for the day because they are pretty awesome and loyal pets!

[gali]

What a wonderful review, gali! Sounds like such a cute story. I also love that the dog is the detective and the hero for the day because they are pretty awesome and loyal pets!

Thank you for your kind words. It is a cute story!

[K_Kaori]

Hey Gali, another great review! I love to read children's book (it is always good to be young at heart ) The review has got me really intrigued about how the dog Sam really uses his super powers and stuff. Really enjoyed reading the review for this book. Thank you

[gali]

Hey Gali, another great review! I love to read children's book (it is always good to be young at heart ) The review has got me really intrigued about how the dog Sam really uses his super powers and stuff. Really enjoyed reading the review for this book. Thank you

Thank you for your kind words.

[K_Kaori]

Hey Gali, another great review! I love to read children's book (it is always good to be young at heart ) The review has got me really intrigued about how the dog Sam really uses his super powers and stuff. Really enjoyed reading the review for this book. Thank you

Thank you for your kind words.

You are Welcome

[kimmyschemy06]

Sounds like a very fascinating book with delightful characters. For some reasons, it reminds me of the movie 'Bolt' I can imagine the fun of reading about a dog with super powers. Great job on the review! Congratulations to Monty J McClaine.

[gali]

Sounds like a very fascinating book with delightful characters. For some reasons, it reminds me of the movie 'Bolt' I can imagine the fun of reading about a dog with super powers. Great job on the review! Congratulations to Monty J McClaine.

It is that. Thank you.

[barb429]

Great review, it sounds like a very cute book. I am also a "dog person" and I used to have a little basset hound, so I find this book especially interesting.

[gali]

Great review, it sounds like a very cute book. I am also a "dog person" and I used to have a little basset hound, so I find this book especially interesting.

It is. Thank you.

[tarafarah7]

Wow...great review! Thx!

[gali]

Wow...great review! Thx!

Thank you.

[LivreAmour217]

Very nice review! This sounds like a sweet book!