 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Whales on Stilts!
- By M.T. Anderson
- Genre: Science Fiction
Common Sense Media says
A fun and fantastic fish tale.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book, while silly, does feature solid messages about believing in yourself and loving your friends. There's some violence (whales set fire to houses with their laser-beam eyes, for example), but the bizarre backdrop makes it hard to take seriously.
What's the story?
Lily discovers that her dad's boss (a human/whale hybrid) is building stilts for whales so they can invade the land. She works with her two best friends to devise a plan to save the day.
Is it any good?
The plot here is fairly thin, but the characters and humorous details will appeal to kids (and parents and sophisticated readers, too). Lily's two friends, for example, are famous: Katie lives in a haunted neighborhood and faces off against zombies and werewolves, while Jasper is a "Boy Technonaut." Both have inspired their own series of books and have fan clubs. Fictional ads for their series' appear among the book's wonderful illustrations.
Readers will laugh out loud at the outlandish plot, Lily's clueless father (who doesn't guess his hooded boss's nature, even after watching him pour brine over his head), and the author's clever asides. It's the silliness that will sell this book. But the book really does have a heart, too: Lily, who "people didn't know was interesting," learns that she really is something special, and the friends work together, standing up for each other to the end.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the unique writing style. What genre would you put this in: science fiction, adventure, humor, coming-of-age? The author talks directly to the reader at times. Does that bother you or do you like it?
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AGE
One of the most creative, fun books to be read aloud
Excellent story about friends. Superb story to read aloud. All of MT Anderson's books in this series are fantastic reads for pre-teens to senior citizens.
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| Author: | M.T. Anderson |
| Illustrator: | Kurt Cyrus |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Publisher: | Harcourt |
| Publication date: | April 1, 2005 |
| Number of pages: | 208 |
| Hardcover price: | $15.00 |
| Read aloud: | 8 |
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