Margaret and the Moth Tree by Brit Trogen and Kari Trogen –NOT RECOMMENDED

Trogan, Brit and Trogen, Kari Margaret and the Moth Tree 176 pgs. Kids Can Press, Ltd, 2012. $13.71.  (Rating: PG)

After her parents die, a plain girl name Margaret goes through a series of homes and ends up in an orphanage. Horrible Miss Switch makes the children wait on her hand and foot. She mistreats them and punishes them for the smallest thing. Margaret hates her new home, but finds some distraction from her woes when she discovers that the moths in the garden not only talk but play. Margaret starts to become brave, pulling pranks on Miss Switch as payback. But what she really wants it for Miss Switch to be found out and stopped.

I don’t know why this orphan Annie theme is still so popular but I am sick to death of reading these kinds of books. Especially those ‘creative’ punishments doled out by the evil person running the orphanage, it just disgusts me. The revenge theme is also pretty negative. While the magical moths were an added/different element, the fact is that without, Margaret situation would not have changed. I prefer ingenuity and inner bravery and even luck over bizarre magical intervention.

Elementary – NOT RECOMMENDED Reviewer: Stephanie MLS graduate & Author.