The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown - Book Report #257

I was happy to return to the warm world of The Wild Robot.

At the end of the last book, Roz was taken away to the factory where she was built to be studied and hopefully repaired.

But things do not go well for Roz and she escapes to try to return to her far-away island and her animal friends.  Because she has learned the language of animals she makes an interesting journey with the help of the new friends she meets along the way.

I was swept up, once again, by Peter Brown’s delightful prose and by his lovely artwork.  This is what books were like when I grew up and I do miss the blending of art and story in my readings as an adult.

Sure it’s a kid’s book but it is very intelligent and never talks down to the reader.  I was impressed by the author’s ability to challenge without intimidating a young reader.

This is the kind of book that you’ll want to purchase in paper-form.  It must be held to be enjoyed - and it must be shared.

Highly recommended.

Peter Brown's website - http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/

Peter Brown

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown - Book Report #247

Oh, what a warm and lovely story.

I stumbled across this title from a suggestion algorithm, I spotted the book cover at the bottom of my screen and clicked on it.

I've often mentioned how I wish novels came with some illustrations and I got my wish with this one.

Sure it's a kids book, aimed at the middle school years (grades 6 through 8) but don't let that deter you from reading it.  Honestly, it is well written and charming.  It is such a breath of fresh air.

The chapters are super small so I could dip in and out with ease but I kept finding myself reading "just one more chapter" often enough that I was swept up in it.

Roz the robot washes ashore having survived a stormy shipwreck.  A pack of otters inadvertently activate her and what comes next is a delightful story of a "monster" coming to terms with existence and deciding what her place in the world should be.

Because the book is aimed at pre and early teens the sentence structure is pretty basic but the story is complex and there is some real peril that younger kids would find upsetting.

Reading this as an adult, the plot is predictable.  But that's not where the joy lies; it's in the details and the charm of the writing.  I loved the illustrations, which were also done by Brown.  This book brought back the joy of reading to me.  More adult novels should be like this.

Highly recommended.

Peter Brown's website - http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/

Book Report #93 - When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket

Book 17 of 52
Page Count - 288

The second installment of the All The Wrong Questions series.

Snicket is proving himself to be an apt investigator.  After his adventures of the first book Lemony is making friends and forming alliances.  He may be twelve or thirteen years old but he is much smarter than his age would lead you to believe but, just like anybody, his lack of experience sometimes get the best of him.

In this adventure Snicket and his chaperone are tasked with finding a missing girl.  But is she truly missing?

More of this fantastic world is developed and a larger conspiracy is brought to light.  The twists and turns make this book such a treat, I really feel like I'm in a privileged position just being able follow in the author's imagination.  He is less concerned with the story making sense than creating something special.  The real treat is that the stories DO make sense, eventually, in their own way.

What fun.

Daniel Handler AKA Lemony Snicket

 

Book Report #92 - Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

Book 16 of 52
Page Count - 258

Book one of "All the Wrong Questions" series.

This is a very strange little book but, then again, what would you expect from Lemony Snicket? (AKA Daniel Handler)

I read him for the language and the wonderfully twisted worlds he creates.  It may be a children's book but he has never talked down to his audience and even makes his use of explaining more difficult words by throwing it in to the dialogue.  Handler is obviously a highly intelligent person and that comes through in his writing style.  I have never come across anybody who writes quite like him.

The plot is loosely follows Snicket's first adventure, he is an apprentice to a secret society, in the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea.  Stain'd-by-the-Sea is a dying, one-industry town, that used to make the world's best ink.  Snicket and his chaperone are assigned to recover a statue of the Bombinating Beast.

The Bombinating Beast

The assignment is not as important as the world building that takes place in the book.  In Snicket/Handler's hands I actually enjoy the exposition more than the plot.

Because it's a children's book it is also filled with illustrations, something that was much more common during the days of the pulps.  I would love to see them make a comeback in some way.

I really enjoyed this first installment.

Daniel Handler AKA Lemony Snicket