Monday, June 10, 2024

Belated Sunday Book Review: Archie Brittle Saves the Play

Title: Archie Brittle Saves the Play

Author: Hil Gibb

Date: 2022

Publisher: Hillary Gibb

Quote: "Archie loved to sing, dance, and play make-believe."

Unfortunately, Archie's dyslexia makes it hard for him to read stage directions, so his disagreeable, perfectionist teacher casts him in the Christmas play as a sheep. Fortunately, Archie's ability to improvise when things go wrong in the play gets him filling in for both Balthazar and Mary as the children cast in those roles are moved offstage.

This is a goofy comedy. Archie has learned to clown, as many dyslexics do, and all the other characters serve as "straightmen," handing him one opportunity after another to say and do funny things. Children are likely to enjoy this book. I can even imagine them staging it as a frame for a traditional Christmas play.  

Apart from the focus on the Christmas play, is it a Christian book? I hesitated. I scheduled this review for Friday, first. However, there is a Christian message if you look for it. Archie comes to the rescue of a boy who's not been very nice to him. Since the play will trigger Christian-phobics anyway, let's count this one as yesterday's Sunday Book Review. 

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