Review: Humble Pie by Wanda E. Brunstetter

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Welcome to Holmes County, Ohio, where twins Mattie and Mark Miller get a taste of Humble Pie. When their out-of-control boasting begins to stir up trouble at every turn, will these energetic almost ten-year-olds learn the value of humility before it’s too late? You’ll fall in love with the fourth release in the Double Trouble series from bestselling author, Wanda E. Brunstetter.
Double Trouble Series:
Book 1 - What a Pair!
Book 2 - Bumpy Ride Ahead
Book 3 - Bubble Troubles
Book 4 - Green Fever
Book 5 - Humble Pie

MY TAKE:
I like books featuring twins and those that teach valuable lessons, so when I saw this book, I decided to give it a try.

In Humble Pie, Mark and Mattie are twins who, like most kids, can't resist bragging on occasion about the things that they think they're good at. Sometimes, their overconfidence backfires on them. They're told time and again to be mindful of their bragging, but they always seem to forget. Can they eventually learn how to start being humble?

I haven't read the other books in this series so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. I was surprised to see that Mark and Mattie's family was Amish. I don't have a problem with that, however. In fact, I found it quite interesting. There are no Amish people in my country, as far as I know, so what I know of their lifestyle comes from documentaries and the few Amish books I've read.

Mark and Mattie's lives sound fascinating. It must be fun to go fishing, gardening and baking on a regular basis. They have a lot of chores and work, though, so it seems tiring as well. It's the kind of life that would be fun to try at least once, but if you can't live without technology, you would probably get bored over time.

The central theme of the book is humility. The book shows several instances wherein Mattie and Mark brag about their abilities and before long, they get humbled. In real life, those kind of things don't usually happen that quickly, but it does serve to reiterate the lesson to children.

The overall vibe of the book, for me, was The Boxcar Children meets Seventh Heaven, emphasis on Seventh Heaven. If that's your type of book, you'll like this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shiloh Kidz for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. It teaches a good lesson.
2. Mark and Mattie's life is fascinating.
3. There's plenty of nice stories here. 

THE BAD:

1. Some may find the constant reiteration of the main theme a little annoying or unnecessary. 

READ IT IF:

1. You want to teach your child about humility.
2. You or your child are interested in learning about Amish lifestyle.
3. Your child tends to stop and start books so you're looking for a book that can be read in short bursts without losing much of the lesson or story.

RATING:


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