The Wee Musketeers

An easy little read about three boys on a literary adventure, but the intended audience is unclear. The writing level is decidedly for children, but children without some knowledge of The Three Musketeers are bound to have quite a bit go over their heads. I guess they can always watch one of the many movies...

In some ways the writing was a bit too simple; a lot of cliche descriptive phrases appear throughout the book. Simple writing for children is one thing, but it's not great when you often know exactly how the next sentence will be written.

I also found myself wondering why everyone in 1626 Paris was speaking English, without comment from anyone, but I guess that can be explained away through the book they use being an English show more translation. show less

I read this book to my 9 year old niece. We both enjoyed it but felt that it was geared toward a younger crowd. It did make my niece interested in reading the Three Musketeers next. Grandpa Max can enter his copy of the three Musketeers and in doing so he changes the story. Now with the help for his grandson Bobby and Bobby's friends Fritzy and Keith they set things right. A fun book, my niece is looking forward to the next book.

This is a fantasy, in that the boys in it are able to travel into the story of The Three Musketeers and interact with the characters. I probably should have read the original by Dumas before reading this, but I can guarantee that I will read it now. If this story has the same effect on its young readers, then it is well worth the read. I found it to be a quickly paced story of some imagination and fun. Some of the dialog was clunky, and at times my mind balked at the scenarios or reactions of the characters, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the read. I am glad that the author set the book in the 1960s, it seemed more likely that boys of eleven would still be dressing up and playing the Musketeers back then.

This book is about 3 young modern American boys who "get into" The Three Musketeers along with the grandfather of one, Max, who has what are apparently magical copies of a number of well-known stories. Max had already gotten in and had accidentally led the Cardinal's Guards to the original 3 musketeers, so when the boys get in they find that Athos, Porthos and Aramis have been captured by the cardinal's men, and the boys must aid D'Artagnan in his quest to retrieve the queen's diamonds from the duke of Buckingham. This they duly do, fortunately aided by the original three musketeers who manage to escape the cardinal and join them. The writer is ingenious in inventing (relatively) believable ways for the boys to defeat the cardinal's show more guards, and he is also good at conveying the personalities of the original musketeers, especially the dashing D'Artagnan and the cheerful Porthos with his immense appetite for food and wine (some bottles of Spanish wine figure in the escape from the cardinal). A young girl, Jeanne, is also involved in the adventure and there are hints of incipient romance between her and one of the boys. The story is amusing, though if it is intended (as the "Get into the Classic" title suggests) to also be educational, it could be more careful--there are a few anachronisms -- gas lanterns and chocolate cake appear, which did not exist in 17th century France. It also stretches credibility that the boys can simply leap onto fiery horses and ride hard for days, even at the cost of realistically sore bottoms. Overall, however, it is fun, and might well succeed in luring more young readers into the original. show less

Bobby, Keith, and Fritzy are ordinary 11 year-old boys. also beginning the story are Bobby's constantly worried mother and his slightly eccentric grandfather, Max. The story really begins when Grandfather Max finally convinces Bobby that he can indeed travel into books to other times. This adventure leads them to France and through some of the adventures of The Three Musketeers.
I think the book is fairly well written although a few times you are left to wonder 'how did they get out of that?' Max and the boys make mistakes, face difficulties, fall in love, and even get hurt, but return home with great memories.

During the course of the book, you find out that special words are needed to get into and out of the story, the room spins and show more gets cold in the transition, wherever the boys go they automatically speak that language, and the boys gain no new skills just because they go to a new place.
This might be a way to intice younger readers to read some of the classics. As a reader, I am made to wonder what is next. Maybe we will find out soon. show less

I suspect that if a person wasn't already familiar with The Three Musketeers by Alexadre Dumas, this book would be somewhat confusing, or at least less meaningful. As a children's book, it is entertaining, but I doubt that children of the age for which this book is intended have actually already read The Three Musketeers.

Easy, delightful read. I enjoyed this book and would certainly read author's future publishings. It is certainly "light" reading but it may be just the thing to lure young, resistant readers to take on the "meatier" classic. I've given it to my 12 year old son to read and am anxious to hear what he thinks (will add his opinion later). I also am going to use this as a read-aloud for my 2nd and 1st and preschool children. I'll think they will enjoy it very much.