Three Times Lucky was a fun read, a Newbery Honor book in fact, full of great characters.
The sequel-- or perhaps companion is a better fit--THE GHOSTS OF TUPELO LANDING, features the same folks.
Moses LoBeau is a champion of one-liners.
Like this:
"Few people know it, but waitressing is like deep cover--with tips."
Describing a character, upon his entrance:
"From a distance, I didn't like him. Up close, I liked him less."
And strong verbs, like these:
We slipped into the living room, Queen Elizabeth ticking along behind, and settled on Miss Lana's old curlicue settee.
Also in the good verb list: blasted off and shoved.
Queen Elizabeth's the dog. That's another thing to love about this middle-grade novel. The character names.
And how's this for showing a lot about someone without telling much:
"I crossed to my Salvation Army desk and opened my top drawer. It sticks."
Writers could learn a lot from Sheila Turnage. Check out her website. She might even tell you where you can buy a signed copy!
