All through the book I found myself thinking that it would be much more fun to read aloud to little kids than it was to read to myself.  I would have enjoyed doing all the voices.  Just reading it to myself, though, I was ready to be done with it – and I could see where it was heading without even bothering to read the end – well before it was over.  Maybe because it’s a book for younger readers, it was just incredibly straightforward – maybe too much so.  Nothing unexpected happened – I thought the world of the book had lots of fun possibilities, and so few of them were explored.  Still, it’s a rather nice little book for younger kids, I enjoyed the characters, and I was pleased Lady Lamorna got her dress.  If only Gubble had been killed.

(We used to have a computer game called Gubble that my sister and I were addicted to.  You had to use different tools to collect all the nails, screws, bolts, etc., and avoid the monsters – I don’t remember what the monsters were, but you couldn’t kill them, you could only run from them.  I became fairly good at it, but it was the free version, so I never got to try my luck at higher levels.  The Robe of Skulls has made me totally nostalgic for that game.)

Other reviews (tell me if I missed yours!): Darla D at Books and Other Thoughts, Adventures in Reading, Charlotte’s Library, And Another Book Read, Presenting Lenore, Back to Books, Kiss the Book

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