Hector is starving and cons Lyle into performing on stage again. When they earn enough money, they set off in search of Lyle's mother in a country far away. ( )

While I liked this book, I do not like it as much as the other books about Lyle. In this book, Hector P. Valenti is quite manipulative and crafty, and in the end, nothing bad happens, and he is not punished for his deceptive actions. My favorite part about the Lyle books is the great positive messages, but this one seemed to deviate. While there was a positive message about everything working out in the end, it seems as though Hector should have had something happen to him to show the children reading that this is not acceptable behavior. Other than that bad instance, I liked the rest of the book. It seemed less wordy than many of the other Lyle books, making it pleasurable to read. I think that the main message is that a happy ending can come from any sad beginning. ( )