Dither Farm

Summed up, the plot of this first novel seems amusing: when a brother and sister discover their great aunt's magic carpet, the boy is kidnapped by bad guys who want it for themselves. But there is so much bombast in this tall tale that the story doesn't take off until part two--even then the myriad extraneous characters and plot twists will deter all but the most patient readers from reaching the unsatisfying conclusion. With the book's lack of focus on any one character or age group and supercilious tone, its intended readership is unclear. Hite chronicles, in exhaustive detail, the daily doings of the populous Dither family and their neighbors in fictitious Willow County, Va. After many subplots and digressions, Matilda and Archibald Dither learn how to make Aunt Emma's magic carpet fly. Loathsome Crowley and his two dimwitted nephews kidnap the boy, who is rescued by his father and some helpers--and a bit of ESP. Matters wind up happily, of course, with many of the characters romantically paired. Ages 12-up. (May)