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re v i e w b y te r r i sc h l i c h e n m e y e r
“School’s Out! Rachel Yoder —
Always Trouble Somewhere”
fr o m t h e s e c o n d y o u s t e p f o o t o u t -
s i d e t h e d o o r a t t h e e n d o f t h e s c h o o l
y e a r , y o u k n o W t h e n e x t f i r s t -d a y -o f -
s c h o o l W i l l a r r i v e a g a i n e v e n t u a l ly .
Part of the summer, you groan just thinking about it. But —
admit it — sometimes, you get a little excited about that first day
and all the new things you’ll see and do.
Right about now, at back-to-school time, summer’s only a mem-
ory. Was it a good one?
In the new audiobook “School’s Out! Rachel Yoder — Always
Trouble Somewhere” by Wanda E. Brunstetter, summer isn’t long
enough for one little girl, but you can bet she packed a lot into the
one she had!
What good is vacation when it rains all the time? Nine-year-old
Rachel Yoder wondered that as she glumly looked out the window
at the soggy Pennsylvania countryside. Summer is for picnics and
fun, not for rain and chores.
Rachel’s summer started out a-hopping. She found two frogs
down by the creek and she caught them, thinking she could race
them after church on Sunday. But when the frogs’ box accidentally
fell open right in the middle of service, Rachel knew she was in big
trouble.
It seemed, in fact, that trouble followed her all summer long.
When visiting a neighbor with Mom, Rachel got stuck in a storm
cellar with a cat and her kittens. She felt badly about the stir she
caused, but it turned out well when the neighbor gave Rachel her
own bussli. She named the kitten Cuddles and even though Mom
said the cat had to sleep in the barn, it always found a way to
snooze in Rachel’s bed.
Then there was the skateboard — three skateboards! — that
Rachel got for her birthday. And the times when the goose chased
her and bit her legs. And the day Pap’s barn burned and the entire “sC h o o l ’s ou T ! ra C h e l Yo d e r — al w a Y s Tr o u b l e so m e w h e r e ”
family had to save the animals. And then there was the runaway b Y wa N d a e. br u N s T e T T e r
buggy ride: Rachel was resting inside the buggy when the horse © 2009 br i l l i a N C e au d i o , r e a d b Y el l e N gr a f T o N
bolted and she couldn’t make him stop. Jacob, Rachel’s brother, $14.99, 3 Cds, j u s T o v e r 3 h o u r s
got the horse to whoa and he didn’t even call Rachel a bensel for
getting scared. That was when Rachel realized that Jacob wasn’t That makes this story — and all the Rachel Yoder books — as
such a bad brother. authentic as possible, right down to the Pennsylvania Dutch lan-
Turns out, she’d had a pretty good summer after all. guage. I loved the rascally Rachel and her brothers and sister, and I
Has your child raced through the “Little House on the Prairie” think it’s going to be nice to watch as the family evolves in future
series a time or three? If so, try “School’s Out!” It strongly books.
reminded me of that classic series. For kids (probably more so girls) ages 7 to 12 and for any
Author Wanda E. Brunstetter has Mennonite family members grown-up who longs for the good old days, this audiobook will be
and Amish friends, so she has close knowledge of Amish ways. a great back-to-school treat. “School’s Out!” is definitely in. 
Winter 2009 ♦ Southern Minnesota Magazine ♦ 13
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