Two buddies start a helping-people club, Angels Inc. Though Wendy and Zack have great intentions, they don't always actually do what is best, but in the end, they prove that even little helpers can make a big difference.

Angels Inc. is a very simple read, lots of potential as an easy reader or even picture book. Picture book form could even work better because more pictures may help flush out the rather piecemeal plot. It also seems to send a rather confusing message since the two children never seem to understand that they have caused problems for those they have tried to help; there are no consequences and the opportunity to learn a lesson is lost.

Read-a-likes: Ava Tree and the Tree Wishes ( )

I liked the premise of this book: two children form a club to help people who need it, but their good intentions cause problems. The execution, however, is rather choppy, making it difficult for the reader to identify with the children. I think this is a cute early reader, and the urge to do good provides ample discussion opportunities for parents to ask children to think about how they can help others. In a brief chapter book, there were really too many attempts to help others crammed in. There is some humor, but every scene is so brief and superficial that it's not very well developed. Further, the children's motives are unclear. Clueless Wendy decides out of the blue that she'd like to help people (which is commendable, but not explained) and Zach agrees to go along with her plan as long as he can eat ice cream every day. Zach appears to understand (in a way that Wendy does not) that their actions are causing problems rather than solving them, but he doesn't seem particularly bothered by that. A plotline about neighborhood thieves is thrown in near the end, which is so abrupt I checked to be sure my copy wasn't missing the final pages.

Source disclosure: I received a review copy of this book through LibraryThing. ( )

Two kids decide to form a club for doing good deeds. Unfortunately, their good deeds go awry and cause problems. In the end, they stop some thieves and the people they caused problems for forgive them. Sound choppy? Well, unfortunately so is the book. Some of the oddity of the story can be contributed to it being Canadian, such as school ending in April. But there are many more problematic elements in the book. The children's ages are never given, but they appear to be around 8 or 9. But they take the bus alone to a kind of public market, Granville Island and handle a lawn mower on their own. If they're supposed to be older, their behavior is extremely childish and the story as a whole would not appeal to an older audience. Wendy, who has the idea for the club and sticks to it even when her friend Zachary wants to quit, is unbelievably oblivious of the havoc she's causing. The sudden apprehension of the thieves is plopped into the plot without warning and the story ends so suddenly that I went back and checked the wrapping to see if a page was missing. The black and white illustrations are engaging, but not enough to redeem the flat storytelling and loose plot. The reading level seems to be beginning chapter book, but the storyline is more suited to an early reader audience. Not recommended.

Wendy and Zach decide to start a club to help others, called Angels Inc. after assisting their confused neighbor, crabby Mrs. Creech, cross the road. Thus begins their adventures in misinformed volunteerism, painting one neighbor's shed in multiple colors and dog-sitting for Mrs. Haddock's Pooky, managing to nearly lose him when he was chased by a Doberman. They revisit Mrs. Creech, suspecting that her kindly visitors with the truck are thieves, posing as helpers to senior citizens while really trying to take their valuables to resell for a profit. Mrs. Creech is none to happy to see them, informing them of all their misdeeds, but perhaps Wendy and Zach can still manage to save the day.

This story is certainly simplistic, as would be expected of an early reader for lower elementary students, but lacks the charm of others in the same genre. I miss the connection one feels between, say Henry and Mudge, Cynthia Rylant's creations, or even her Mr. Putter and Tabby. The humor feels hidden here -- as an adult reader, I can see the attempt to show that the children are misreading situations and not really helping with their attempts, but this would not be at all obvious to younger readers. ( )

Plucky Wendy and her friend Zachary are spending a sunny spring day together when they notice their crabby neighbor, Mrs. Creech. Wendy, who “wanted everyone in the world to be as happy as she was right now,” decides to help the elderly Mrs. Creech cross the street. The problem is that Mrs. Creech doesn’t want to cross the street, and protests the whole way. Thus begins Angels Inc., Wendy’s and Zachary’s well meaning attempts to help people who don’t want their help.
The premise is a good one, but it just doesn’t seem to work. Wendy wants to help people, while Zach seems to want to do nothing but eat ice cream. The dialogue seems too mature at times, with Wendy saying things like, “‘Music is the food of the soul.’” This book would almost work better as an easy reader, with more of the cute illustrations and less text. ( )

Wendy decides she wants to help people so she starts Angels Inc. with her friend Zach. But they keep messing up their good deeds. Along the way though they help catch some crooks.

This was a cute little chapter book and a good early reader. ( )

Angels Inc. is the club started by good friends, Wendy and Zach. Although their purpose is to be helpful, more often than not, their good deeds turn out disastrously. All is forgiven, however, when they help catch a pair of scam artists.

This is an easy reader, written for a Canadian audience. Young U.S. readers may find the occasional European spelling (neighbourhood, for example) confusing, and the use of the word, "sucker" puzzling, "Got the little sucker!"

"Sucker" isn't a word that one would usually find in a U.S. easy reader.

The plot of the story has great promise, but the delivery is a bit lacking. Some of the dialogue is not believable,

"At least your dad let you bring his new Supermow."
"He didn't know the Creech place is so overgrown. I just hope the digitally balanced rotors won't get damaged,"

and the concept of scam artists posing as donation-seeking members of the Helping Hand Foundation , in order to gain access to valuable antiques stored in garages, etc., is likely too complex for the book's target audience.

Still, the book has its funny moments, and the simple black-and-white drawings by Kim LaFave show great expression and add interest. The cover, also by Kim La Fave is very attractive and in full color. ( )

McBay, B. (2008). Angles Inc. Vancouver: Tradewink Books.

9781896580302

After feeling truly happy one day in her neighborhood, Wendy decides she wants everyone to be as happy as she is. Enlisting the help of her reluctant friend Zach, she decides to regularly help people in different ways whether they want her help or not. While the number of angry neighbors begins to add up, Wendy and Zach become more dedicated to their cause, forming Angels Inc. and planning to help someone each week. Little do Wendy and Zach know, they're close to discovering a greater good that they can do for their neighbors.

Angels Inc. touches on a sense of community and helpfullness that may seem foreign in many areas, but is nonetheless a sense that is inherently childlike and optimistic, although a little didactic in moments.

This would be a good book to offer to a child who is ready to read early chapter books on their own. An adult should probably remain close by though, since there are some difficult words (spluttered, squashed, wobbled, etc.) for readers still gaining their literacy confidence. But there are illustrations every few pages to help provide students with breaks.

Activities to Do with the Book:

Since there is so much description of setting incorporated into this short chapterbook, a teacher could take advantage of this and use it as an example in a lesson on setting. Students could then write about their own home, playground or city in response to McBay's example.

Also, at various points, Wendy misinterprets people's reactions to her good deeds, while these are meant to be humorous points in the story, they could also be used to trigger a discussion on how people generally express their emotions.

Students could also brainstorm their own ideas of how to help others, perhaps with a teacher emphasizing the fact that it would be good to check with people to make sure they want help. The could also brainstorm other club ideas.


Favorite Quotes:

“It was Saturday. The last Saturday in April. No school. A perfect spring day in Vancouver. The houses on Twenty-First Avenue were quickly drying off from the morning rain. Wendy Appleton walked along thinking of the people living there: Mr. and Mrs. Beale, Mrs. Creech and Mrs. Haddock. She thought it was funny the way houses start to look like their owners" (p. 7).

"Wendy wanted everyone in the world to be as happy as she was right now" (p. 9).

"What's the good of doing something for someone if it's not going to be appreciated?"
"An Angel shouldn't expect thanks. It should be..." Wendy searched for the right words.
"A pure act, selfless, without any reward?" suggested Zach.
"That's it. Pure act. I like that" (pp. 48-49).

Angels Inc is written with humor and the language kids in k-2 would relate to, especially Zach's focus on food, while Wendy attempts to help the neighbors. The kids are very relatable and the positive message of the book shines through. It would be a good book to inspire kids to help others with their permission of course, ( )

Angels Inc. is a beginning chapter book featuring two friends who try to help other people. The story is filled with humor as the good deeds often go wrong in unexpected ways.

I plan to hand this book to my seven year old daughter as she's currently reading beginning chapter books. The illustrations really help the reader along throughout the story and will maintain interest for those new to chapter books.

In the classroom, I would brainstorm a list of helpful deeds and students could choose one helpful deed to complete then report back to the class. It would be interesting to complete a chart showing the helpful deeds as they continue throughout the school year...did they increase or decrease as the year progressed and students experienced the joy of helping others. ( )

Delightful story. Illustrations work perfectly. Humor is great for kids and adults alike. Helping others is always a great thing for kids to read about. Highly recommended. ( )

Wendy decides she and her best friend Zach are going to help people. Unfortunately things seem to go wrong, though Wendy never sees it. This is a good book for reader's just starting chapter books since the chapters are short and the pictures still help to prompt the reader. The story ended a bit abruptly but young readers probably won't notice. Overall this is a decent book for early readers. ( )