Mishmash and the Venus flytrap

Mishmash #5

by Molly Cone

As the owner of a Venus flytrap, Miss Patch becomes suspicious when her dog Mishmash disappears.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction

122 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Judy]

3.8

I rated this highly for two reasons.

1) It features a plant. Even though it's an exotic plant, its needs are described (albeit briefly), which is unusual in a book for this age group.
And 2) one of the characters is an 'elderly' woman who refuses to act her age -- she hitchhikes, goes fishing, and gets on the roof to fix the shingles.

But, of course, the focus of the story is the big black dog. (And an underlying message is that you can only change yourself, not someone else.)

[J]

This was a book that intrigued me first of all since of the cover illustration of Mishmash looking at the Venus flytrap and also since the book's title had the titular plant in it. Being the type of child who was attracted to nature when growing up and especially such unique species this would have most likely have caught my attention as a younger reader.

First of all the book itself is part of a series that explores I am guessing the events of living with a dog like Mishmash who is also a rather unique dog. Although the first book isn't necessary to reading this one there was plenty of hinting back to events, which more or less appeared in the first book of the series. As such the reader will find some strings disconnected such as why Pete had to give up the dog to Ms. Patch but that is only a small bit of the story.

Unfortunately to me the story just was written quite dully but then what can you think when the two main characters are named Peter Peters and Wanda Sparling. First of all these main characters really had no character development when it came to personalities but instead they were made to be driven by a constant conflict with each other that is akin to sibling rivalry while yet also knowing that once they get older it will become a romantic change of events. And talking about getting older the illustrations that were included were really quite vague since from the writing I don't envision teenager-aged characters but rather those of a much younger age.

At the same time other characters weren't quite well-favored either. Although Mrs. Berty's mother was one of the more interesting characters she was provided with no name whatsoever and of course we don't get to understand why the children are quite so intimate with their single teacher who at this point would no longer be their teacher if this book is taking place during the summer, which I am presuming given to the chain of events.

The major reason that I gave this book a two stars is since of the plant and the fact instructions that were provided on how to care for such a fragile species. And also the second star is for having such a fun and stereotype-bashing character as Ms. Berty's mother who proves you don't have to be young to go on adventures, be too single to not learn how to do things for yourself or too old to turn in your independence card as long as you can still think or do for yourself.

If I had been the much younger reader who would have been attracted by such books I may have enjoyed this one a little bit more but at this point I can clearly see why this didn't become a pass-on classic from parents to children.

[David Hensley]

Colorful characters and a rowdy dog. I remember fondly this book from my 1970's childhood.