A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing    by Avi & Tricia Tusa Order:  USA  Can Harcourt, 2008 (2008) Hardcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End, subtitled 'The Right Way to Write Writing,' is Avi's follow-up to his charming The End of the Beginning, his first tale featuring Avon the Snail and Edward the Ant. This thin but slightly longer volume is even more pun-filled than the first, showing that Avi is truly a master wordsmith. Having now had an adventure, Avon decides that he has enough experience to write a book. However, he has no clue where to begin. With Edward's help, he manages to write Something, but has trouble getting any farther than that. While Avon is trying to overcome his writer's block, ant and snail fall into a few more adventures, including defeating an anteater and getting swallowed by a fish. But by the end of these new adventures, Avon finally knows what to write. While The End of the Beginning was a simple book that children would enjoy sharing with adults, A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End is for anyone who loves words. Every chapter is filled with clever word twists that leave readers smiling. However, through all the fun, Avi also conveys a message of benefit to readers of all ages – you can accomplish anything with enough perseverance and the help of a good friend. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews