Return to Howliday Inn (Bunnicula Series #5)

by James Howe, Alan Daniel (Illustrator)

Overview

HOW DID ROSEBUD CHECK OUT FROM HOWLIDAY INN?

The Monroes have gone on vacation, once again leaving Harold, Chester, and Howie at Chateau Bow-Wow, which Chester aptly dubbed "Howliday Inn" during their last stay there. The motley crew of boarders may have changed, but the creepy goings-on at Howliday Inn have not. A ghostly voice, buried bones, and a collar with the name "Rosebud" on it suggest that murder may have been added to the services offered at the kennel.

A pair of yuppie puppies from posh Upper Centerville, two cat burglars (sisters-in-crime) named Felony and Miss Demeanor, a melancholy Great Dane named Hamlet, and a weasel named, well, The Weasel, join the Monroe pets in getting to the bottom of the mysterious happenings. But will they be able to escape the fate that may have befallen Rosebud?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416939672
Publisher:	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	08/07/2007
Series:	Bunnicula Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 9.38(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

James Howe is the author of more than ninety books for young readers. Bunnicula, coauthored by his late wife Deborah and published in 1979, is considered a modern classic of children’s literature. The author has written six highly popular sequels, along with the spinoff series Tales from the House of Bunnicula and Bunnicula and Friends. Among his other books are picture books such as Horace and Morris but Mostly Dolores and beginning reader series that include the Pinky and Rex and Houndsley and Catina books. He has also written for older readers. The Misfits, published in 2001, inspired the nationwide antibullying initiative No Name-Calling Week, as well as three sequels, Totally Joe, Addie on the Inside, and Also Known as Elvis. A common theme in James Howe’s books from preschool through teens is the acceptance of difference and being true to oneself. Visit him online at JamesHowe.com.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

The Omen

It was the third straight day of rain. The third day of listening to Mr. Monroe whistle the score of The Phantom of the Opera through his teeth while indexing his collection of meatless soup recipes. The third day of Mrs. Monroe's saying, increasingly less cheerfully, "Channel Six says it's going to clear by morning." The third day of Pete whining about what a rotten summer it had been and Toby asking When was it going to stop because how could he try his new skateboard? and Were they going to go on vacation even if it kept raining? and Why couldn't they ever rent the movies he wanted at the video store?

Not that the Monroes were the only ones getting, shall we say, edgy. No, even we pets -- we who ordinarily exemplify a calm acceptance of fate to which humans can merely aspire -- even we were losing it. My first inkling of this came when I found Howie racing around the basement on his little dachshund legs going, "Vroom, vroom."

"Uh, Howie, what are you doing?" I asked.

"It's the challenge of my career, Uncle Harold," Howie panted excitedly. "I'm chasing hubcaps at the Indianapolis Five Hundred."

I would have had a little reality chat with Howie then and there if I hadn't caught myself that very morning gazing into the mirror on Mrs. Monroe's closet door and wondering if the time hadn't come for me to try something different with my hair.

Even Bunnicula, usually the calmest of us all, had taken to hopping around his cage as if the floor were covered with hottar and twitching his nose so rapidly you would have thought he'd suffer from whisker burnout.

Surprisingly, only Chester seemed unaffected by the elements. Or perhaps I should say that if he was affected, it was not in the way one would have anticipated. As the rest of us grew more irritable, Chester mellowed.

"How do you do it?" I moaned on the third night, as the rain continued to pelt the windows and I tried in vain to find an acceptable spot for settling down to sleep. At this point, every square inch of carpet looked the same and I was desperate for a change. Chester, meanwhile, was curled up happily shedding on his favorite brown velvet armchair, an open book in front of him and a contented-on-its-way-to-becoming-smug smile on his face.

"Why aren't you going crazy like everybody else?" I demanded. "What's your secret?"

His smile grew more knowing. "Books," he said, with a nod to the one in front of him, "are not only windows to the world, dear, Harold, they are pathways to inner peace."

I shook my head. "I've tried books," I said. "'Fifteen minutes and all I ended up with was cardboard breath."

"Try reading them instead of chewing them," Chester advised.

"Oh." This hadn't occurred to me.

Chester is a big reader. The problem is that his reading often gets us into trouble -- especially considering the kinds of books he likes to read.

"So what are you reading about now?" I asked. "The supernatural?"

"The paranormal," he said.

"Well, that's a relief. Pair of normal what?"

"No, Harold, not a 'pair of normal,' the paranormal. How shall I explain this? The paranormal are experiences that are...beyond explanation. Like Bunnicula, for example."

Chester believes our little bunny is a vampire.

"Or Howie."

"Howie?"

"I'm still convinced he's part werewolf. That's no ordinary howl on that dog."

"Uh-huh," I said.

"Or,"Chester went on, if I may use the expression with regard to a cat, doggedly, "haven't you ever felt that something was about to happen, you just knew it in your bones, and then, bam! it happened?"

A chill ran down my spine. "Chester!" I cried. "I had a paranormal experience just the other night."

Chester's eyes lit up. "Really? Tell me about it, Harold."

"Well, it was after dinner and I was lying over there by the sofa, where Howie's sleeping now and...I was yawning and I felt my eyes growing heavy..."

"Yes? Go on."

"And I had this overpowering feeling that I was about to..."

"What, Harold? Oh, this is really exciting. Go ahead."

"That I was about to fall asleep. And I did."

Chester looked at me for a long time without speaking. "And do you have the feeling that you're about to experience pain?" he asked at last.

"You mean right now? Well, no."

The book fell off the chair. It landed on my paw.

"Ow!" I cried.

"Never discount the paranormal," were Chester's parting words, and he jumped down and headed toward the kitchen in search of a midnight snack.

I wanted to whimper but no one was around or awake enough to hear. This made me ask myself the question, If a tree falls on a dog in the forest, does the dog make a sound? I was eager to share this provocative conversation starter with Chester when my gaze fell on the open pages at my feet. I began to read.

Harriet M. of Niskayuna, New York, reports the fascinating case of the phantom telephone conversation. "I had been talking with my sister, Shirley for seventeen minutes late one afternoon before I noticed that the phone plug was disconnected," she writes. "The next day I told Shirley what had happened and when. Stunned, she informed me that she had had oral surgery just two hours prior to the phantom conversation and her mouth was wired shut. She would have been incapable of speaking to me even if the phone had been hooked up!"

Incredibly, Harriet herself suffered such extreme tooth pain the following day that she too was forced to undergo emergency oral surgery. While under the effects of anesthesia, she recalled her sisters words during their nonexistent (??)...

Return to Howliday Inn. Copyright © by James Howe. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

Table of Contents

	Editor's Note	ix
1	The Omen	1
2	Gruel and Unusual Punishment	16
3	Things That Go Bark in the Night	33
4	Rosebud	53
5	The Meeting	65
6	The Secret of Chateau Bow-Wow	76
7	A New Arrival	89
8	Voices in the Night	102
9	Where Is Archie?	120
10	A Paranormal Experience	130
	Epilogue	151

Reading Group Guide

About the Book


“ . . . Hilarious and poignant . . . An upbeat and reassuring novel that encourages preteens and teens to celebrate their individuality.” —Publishers Weekly



« “Howe tells the truth about the pain and anger caused by jeers and name-calling in a fast, funny, tender story that will touch readers.” —Booklist, starred review



Bobby, Skeezie, Addie, and Joe are “the misfits.” Bobby is fat. Skeezie dresses like it’s 1957. Addie is tall, brainy, and outspoken. And Joe is gay. They’re used to being called names, but they know they’re better than the names they’re called.



Besides, they’ve always had each other when times got tough. And surviving seventh grade looks like it’s not going to be easy. Starting with Addie’s refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance and her insistence on creating a new political party to run for student council, the Gang of Five, as the four friends call themselves, is in for the year of their lives. It’s a year in which they learn about politics and popularity, love and loss, and what it means to be a misfit. After years of insults, the Gang of Five is determined to stop name-calling at their school. Finally, they are going to stand up and be seen—not as the one-word jokes their classmates have tried to reduce them to, but as the full, complicated human beings they are just beginning to discover they truly are.


Discussion Topics


• Why do you think the author chose the character of Bobby Goodspeed to tell the story of The Misfits? Could you see another character narrating the novel instead? How would the novel be different with another narrator? How is Bobby wise beyond his years?



• The Misfits is a uniquely written novel. Part of the story is written in prose and part of it is in a play format. Do you like this style of writing? Did it help you to learn more about the characters as you were reading?



• Celebrating one’s individuality is a strong theme throughout The Misfits. Which characters “celebrate their individuality” more than others?



• We don’t learn that Bobby’s mother has died until halfway through the novel. Does learning this important fact about Bobby’s life enable us to understand him better? Why do you think the author chose to withhold this information about Bobby until halfway through the story?



• Other characters in The Misfits have also endured a loss. These losses have shaped their personalities and have affected each of them differently. Discuss how this is so. Is there a “right” way to deal with loss?



• How do you feel about the character of Addie? Do you find her frustrating, or refreshingly honest? Would you be friends with Addie if you had the opportunity? Can you sympathize with Ms. Wyman regarding her feelings toward Addie? Do you think that Ms. Wyman was once a little like Addie when she was younger? And how is Addie ultimately like Ms. Wyman?



• Bobby, Skeezie, Addie, and Joe rebel against name-calling and base the platform for their new political party on banishing name-calling. However, they are guilty of calling people names themselves. Cite examples throughout the book where they fall into this trap. Do you think they realize that they are name-callers? Is name-calling a natural part of who we are or is it learned? Can name-calling ever be a positive thing?



• Examine and discuss the following pairings: Bobby and Mr. Kellerman, Addie and Ms. Wyman, Joe and Colin. How does each relationship demonstrate how people who seem outwardly very different can actually be very much alike?



• The role of family is significant in the development of each character in The Misfits. Talk about each character’s connection with his or her family. How do the families help to define each character?



• Bobby is surprised to discover that Pam was not popular when she was his age. How is this eye-opening and ultimately inspiring for Bobby? Do you think that Ms. Wyman, Mr. Kellerman and Bobby’s dad were “popular” when they were in seventh grade, or do you think they were more like the Gang of Five?



• Bobby tells his friends that his dad says, “It’s better to just get along [and] not make waves . . . [B]ringing attention can be a dangerous thing.” Why do you think he said this to Bobby?



• Mr. Kellerman makes the comment that “we’re all so ready to believe the worst about ourselves . . . we just accept them without even thinking about what they mean or even if they’re true.” Do you agree or disagree with him?



• Although the No-Name Party ultimately loses the student council election, Bobby puts the loss into perspective by saying “sometimes it is about winning something much bigger.” How does the No-Name Party “win” anyway? Can you think of other examples where something has been lost, but something much bigger has been won?



• The ending of The Misfits gives a glimpse into the Gang of Five’s future. What surprised you about the ending of the story? Can you try to predict how your circle of friends at school will end up one day? • After finishing the story, do you think Addie, Bobby, Skeezie, and Joe are really misfits?



• Does The Misfits present a realistic portrayal of life in middle school or junior high? Why or why not?



• After reading the book, do you wish that any of the characters were your friends? Who and why?



• Do you think it’s possible for two boys or two girls to go out together in your school? Why or why not?



• What do you think of the expression, “That’s so gay,” or “He/she is so gay”? Does being gay or not affect your opinion?



• Is your school and/or your community a safe place to be a “misfit”?



• What is the difference between seeing someone as “different” from you and “less than” you?



• Do you think it’s possible for a mixed-race couple to date in your school? Why or why not?



• Why does Addie refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance? What do you think of her position? Do you agree or disagree with the position of the principal, Mr. Kiley?



• Of all the characters in the book, who do you think shows the most courage and why?



• Do you think the resolution of the story is realistic or a fairy-tale ending? Is it better for fiction to reflect the way things are or point the way to how things could be?



• Is it possible for unpopular kids to be friends with—or go out with —popular kids? If not, what gets in the way of making this possible?



• Addie, Joe, Bobby, and Skeezie are strong characters. What are their strengths and how do these strengths help them?



• Addie makes assumptions about DuShawn. What are they and what does she learn that’s different from what she thought? Discuss other assumptions the characters make and what they’re based on. What assumptions do you make about groups or types of people?



• Discuss the character of Kelsey. What is it that makes someone “painfully” shy?


Activities and Research


• Research the history of name-calling. Did you know that in the past, people were jailed or even killed for calling people names? Research historical situations where this was an outcome of name-calling. Can name-calling still carry significant consequences in today’s world? When has name-calling been used to oppress people?



• Cite situations today where name-calling is used to ruin a person’s reputation. Provide current examples involving celebrities, members of the media, politicians, or local figures by reading the newspaper or scanning the Internet for several days or a week.



• Find out more about the different political parties that exist in the United States, other than the Republican and Democratic parties. Why and when were these political parties launched, and what do they stand for? What party would you join?



• If you had the opportunity to create a new political party for a school election, what would your platform be? How would you promote the party? Design several potential election posters with different logos and share them with your classmates.



• Talk with your parents, grandparents, a teacher, or an older sibling about their experiences in middle school or junior high. Do they reveal anything surprising? Did you have any preconceived notions about that time in their lives, only to find out that they were actually very different?



• Research the history of the Pledge of Allegiance and the controversies that have arisen over its use in schools and students’ refusal to participate in its recital.



• Research the experiences of gay students in the past and the present. An excellent resource is www.GLSEN.org, the website of GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network).



• Write about your own experiences of being a misfit, or what you imagine it is like for others who don’t fit into the mainstream in your school.



This reading group guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.

Editorial Reviews

"As scrumptiously silly as his critters' earlier adventures." — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Howe here brings back the amusingly articulate cast of animal characters introduced in Bunnicula and later featured in Howliday Inn , The Celery Stalks at Midnight and Nighty-Nightmare . The author generously peppers this caper with his trademark puns and snappy one-liners, which are all the more droll for coming from the mouths of canine narrator Harold, dachshund puppy Howie and quick-thinking Chester the cat. These pets spend the week of their owners' vacation at Chateau Bow-Wow, a boarding kennel where they meet up with Felony and Miss Demeanor, tough-talking ``cat burglars''; Bob and Linda, dogs sporting stylish caps; and Hamlet, a melancholy old Great Dane. Convinced that someone is about to do them in, this wacky menagerie masterminds a mass escape from the kennel and manages to reunite Hamlet with his lonely owner. Howe's fans will find this as scrumptiously silly as his critters' earlier adventures. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 2-5-Harold, Chester, and the gang are back in this audio version of James Howe's light-hearted children's mystery classic (Atheneum, 1992). Chester has been reading up on paranormal experiences and correctly predicts that the suitcases in the Monroe front hall can only mean the worst--a family vacation without the pets. Harold, Chester, and Howie are soon dropped off to board at the dreaded Chateau Bow-Wow, site of a previous infamous adventure. There they meet Hamlet, the melancholy Great Dane, the cat burglar sisters Felony and Miss Demeanor, and yuppie puppies Bob and Linda, who have arrived with their own nouvelle cuisine dog treats. The Monroe pets' dread is well-founded, and they work to solve a mystery that includes a buried dog collar, talking bones, and Hamlet's disappearance. Adults will enjoy the literary puns sprinkled throughout the work. Narrator Victor Garber gives a very enjoyable reading, and is particularly good with the characters' distinctive voices. This enjoyable performance will be an excellent addition to school and public library audiobook collections.-Maura Smith, Somerset Elementary School, Prairie Village, KS Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

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