April 10th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

Before we get to this week's Book Beginnings and Friday 56, a brief bit of Blatant Self Promotion.  I just set up a page on Facebook for this blog.  If you would be so inclined, I'd love it if you'd check it out and like it.  Thanks.

And now, on with The Fantastic Family Whipple by Matthew Ward.

Yes, this is a Middle Grade book about a family that does nothing but break world records and the middle son who can't seem to break a single record.  There's some great comedy in it.  I was aiming to have it read in time for this week's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, but I don't quite see that happening.  I'm not quite half way through yet, and I don't think I'll have the time to finish it up.  So I'll just hold it a week.

So, shall we get to some quotes?  Here's how it begins.

All the members of the Whipple family had managed to be born in the same month on the same day: March the first.  All, of course, but one.

Moving ahead to page 56, we find:

Though the Crosley estate was horribly overgrown with gnarled trees and twisting vines, it was - at least so far - surprisingly ghost free.  This, of course, was no small comfort to Arthur.

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's bed time.