Fun story, good for 10-11 year-olds
597536
This book was a really fun summer read for my rising fifth grader. It's about a family that lives in a motel, that needs to come up with money to save their home. Some funny and inventive shenanigans ensue. Not hard to read at all, my kid finished it in less than a week, and that's quicker than usual.
2561535
Really fun story to read, I am sure 10-12 yr olds would love it, and I happen to love it too.
It;s funny, it's exciting, it is gripping.  I read it at one sitting, Hard to put down.
4659668
This would make a fantastic read-aloud for kids, and would prompt some wonderful discussions.  The fact that it is based on a real story is only a bonus!  I wish that I taught elementary-age children, so that I could use it in the classroom.

It was somewhat of a struggle how to rate this.  For me, it was 3.5-4 stars.  A simple story, but beautiful, and I loved the characterizations.  Bob the dog was an especial favorite: how intelligent he was, yet purposefully nonchalant about it, and how he pretended to be rough and uncaring but utterly failed.  That's a lot for an author to show about a character that doesn't have that many lines and isn't really part of the action, and also happens to be a dog. Back to the point, though, as a read-aloud to 6-10 year old, I would give it five stars, so I went for the middle and gave it four.

I also enjoyed the illustrations, and went on to look up the paintings of the real Ivan (who just died in August of this year, by the way, at the Atlanta Zoo!).  The ones available through Google images are much more abstract than what is portrayed in this book, but have a lovely sense of composition :)

In any case, an all around good read. It's a children's book that is actually intended for children (unlike the current spate of YA fantasy that is bought by more As than YAs), though it can be enjoyed by adults as well.
1344289
My 7 year old really enjoyed having me read this story to her.  It is a cute storyline and has a nice flow to it.
4866549
Mo and his mother are soon to be homeless until a mysterious invitation is slipped under their door. They arrive at Monster Apartments. and the offer seems too good to be true. Soon they understand why.

 Mo is a twelve year old boy. Hes also the school bully. Nicknamed Monster by the other kids he takes pride in being just that. But what if there are real monsters? Ones bigger, meaner and more dangerous than Mo?

What a fun story. I didn't care much for Mo at first. He wasn't in a big hurry to change.  Even after meeting some real monsters that are his new neighbors. But theres one monster thats meaner and nastier than Mo and hes coming for him. Things got interesting when Mo tried to bully one particular monster. The consequences weren't good.

Soon after that, Mo started to win me over. He started to see what he was, desired to change in spite of himself, and was actually quite clever and funny.

There are some cool monsters. Big ones and small ones. Dragons, cyclops, fairies and more. And one very bad one. If I had to pick a favorite, Id choose the fairies. They are like tiny party gals. They like sparkly clothes and loud music, throwing parties every night.

Middle grade readers will have fun with this story. Plus, theres an important message about bullying. No matter what motivates the actions, theres always room for change. If you build it.friends will come.
1441509
I see some of the other reviewers didn't feel the book was appropriate for kids 8-13 and I agree to an extent. I think it does depend on the type of books the child normally is allowed to read. The "horror" aspect didn't seem any different than some of the other books my 9 yr old daughter has read. But the ghost story/sci-fi creepy genre seems to be her favorite as it was mine, so I liked this story. It's a clever mix of weird, scary, creepy & funny. I even caught my daughter laughing alot! I think if your child is more "mature" and "scary stories" are more your thing...this is a good book. Though it's written more simply for a younger audience I enjoyed the read along with my daughter. I think this story is best for kids in middle school or high school, but a more mature younger reader would enjoy it too.
3495843
Great story, works well with the kids imagination.
3861754
Thank-you to Goodreads and Bloomsbury Publishing for a free copy of this book. This is a fun and bit silly read and I think any child in its targeted age group (Age 8-12; Grades 3-6) would enjoy it. The plot has a quick pace and its filled with quirky characters. I wish there was a bit more magic and maybe more detail, at times it feels like it jumps from scene to scene and gives details in the wrong places. I would give a big shout out to the illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson as I think the pictures in the book really help the book and create a mood for the story. The illustrations also tie in nicely with the fashion theme and I think grade school girls would really love that. All-in-all I would recommend this book, mostly to Grades 3-6 girls as I know my son in Grade 4 would likely not be interested in the story.
4853719
Cassie finds a pair of glasses that allows her to see fairies. They seem to have a message for her, and she needs to figure it out what that message is. For middle grade readers who enjoy a simple fantasy story with fairies that is easy to relate to -- I know, right? A fantasy story to relate to? With fairies? Trust me on this one, and young readers will love this book if they like fairies. It's a relatively quick read with a simple plot but also some education information thrown in there as well. Light fairy mythology is included but doesn't drag down the story. Lots of room to continue with a series expanding the tales or jumping over to other characters. Another well done book from Emily Martha Sorensen.
3360491
Our 4th Grader enjoyed this book as well as it's sequels.  He liked the characters and the pacing of the story.  He did say that it was a very easy read and thought that younger kids would also enjoy reading the series without being lost or stuck.
1193206
I read this with my 10 year old daughter we both enjoyed it. The pictures really helped make the story come alive.
3498042
I am a 10 years old. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to kids younger than age 8.
this was a cute little story!
hashtag#lolbooks
4219413
I picked this book up for my 13 year old and we totally enjoyed reading this story. The author has conceived a charming story, including many elements that makes it an interesting read for kids 10 years of age and above. The story develops quickly and before you realize, you are at the end of the book and the plot is left open for the sequel. I look forward to reading more books from this author.
4685821
Well, this was just a plain fun read. I think young readers (10 and up) would easily be hooked by the story and characters. The writing style is easy and natural, and full of humor too. Kids will love the blend of exciting action, funny lines, and interesting plot.

Now, as an adult reader, I had a problem with the believability of the storyline...I mean, the novel is meant to be 'realistic' fiction, right? But regardless of my issues with the events of the story, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to recommend this one to kids who are looking for a fun and action-packed read.
4271325
My 10 year old son has enjoyed reading this. When his friends come over, they want to look through it too.
3370111
Fun story, great artwork, just long enough to feel like a story, but not so long that it takes forever to get through (maybe 10 minutes at a moderate pace). Kids enjoyed reading it with me. Recommended age is 3-7 years old.
966427
I bought this book for my 10-year old daughter, but my policy is that I have to vet what they read first, so I read it before giving it to her. I must say that I really enjoyed this story. It's quite in line with my Christian values and what I want my kids to learn. I had such a ball reading it that my daughter kept asking me when she could get her own book! She no doubt wanted it more when she saw how much fun I was having reading it.