Review of Muddle Earth (Hardcover)

Poor Joe Jefferson. He has a noisy family, not enough time and an assignment to write an essay on "My Amazing Adventure." Given his boring life, he's not even sure what to write about --- but soon he'll have enough adventures to fill a whole book, not just a term paper.

Joe is about to be whisked away to the land of Muddle Earth by Randalf, a truly inept wizard who knows exactly one spell. Randalf and his sidekicks --- the ogre known as Norbert the Not-Very-Big and the bird named Veronica --- have summoned Joe (and his own sidekick, his dog Harry) to Muddle Earth in order to save the kingdom from the horrid ogre known as Engelbert the Enormous.

Joe is a reluctant warrior at best, and despite his new name of Joe the Barbarian, all he really wants is to fulfill his duties and get back home again. Before Joe can even approach the fearsome Engelbert, however, he has to be outfitted with the appropriate warrior garb: the Woolly Gloves of Determination, the Wellies of Power, the War-bonnet of Sarcasm and the Trident of Trickery (which, given Randalf's pitiful budget, are actually old gloves and boots, a saucepan and a toasting-fork).

Nevertheless, despite his apprehension, Joe turns out to be a most capable hero, even when confronted not only with fearsome ogres and trolls but even by dragons, rogue cutlery and the fiercest villain of all --- Doctor Cuddles of Giggle Glade, who vows to become Lord and Master of Muddle Earth. But will Randalf, whose only spell involves bringing questionable heroes to Muddle Earth, be able to return Joe to the place he wants to be most of all --- home?

Originally published in Great Britain in 2003 by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, the duo responsible for the hugely successful Edge Chronicles series, MUDDLE EARTH is now available to American readers for the first time. It is probably obvious from the title that MUDDLE EARTH is, in many ways, a parody of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. From its three-part structure to its detailed maps at the novel's opening to the names of its characters (Randalf = Gandalf, Joe = Frodo, Musty Mountains = Misty Mountains, etc.), it's clear that Stewart and Riddell are having a great deal of fun at the expense of Tolkien's enduringly popular series.

It is fortunate, however, that MUDDLE EARTH has much to recommend it beyond being simply a funny parody. Its humor will appeal to all fans of light-hearted, satirical fantasy, particularly those who enjoy the works of Terry Pratchett. The book manages to combine inventive storylines with tongue-in-cheek humor: "The following day dawned bright and early --- unlike the day before, when it had been an hour late, and the previous Wednesday when it hadn't dawned until one-twenty in the afternoon."

It's hard to say which aspect will hook readers first --- Joe's "Amazing Adventures" or the antics of Muddle Earth's achingly funny characters. Regardless, this is one fantasy destination that kids won't soon want to come home from.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl



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Review of Brand X: The Boyfriend Account (Hardcover)

One sick day changes Jordie's life. The day she's sick is the most important day for determining the required school internships. She really wants the newspaper intern, but misses out on the interviews. Instead she's offered one of the more unique internships, which comes directly from the principal's brother. He works for an advertising agency that makes toys for fast food meals. Fighting to let out her creative side, Jordie is happy to take the position. She just needs to get her mom on board.

Once the position is officially hers, Jordie's mouth gets her into a tad bit of trouble. She lets out some personal information about the "perfect" boy in her pre-calculus class. Convinced that she has a zero chance of dating him, she agrees to try different techniques her bosses suggest. Shared milkshakes, a sombrero, a fake pizza delivery, and a push-up bra episode all end up humiliating Jordie. Can she figure out a way to juggle both her personal life and her internship without becoming a social outcast?

BRAND X: THE BOYFRIEND ACCOUNT takes a typical internship and adds high school drama, creating a book not to be missed. In a strictly science and math school, Jordie struggles to fit in and accept her differences. In understanding herself better, Jordie's outlook on life gains a fresh perspective.

Reviewed by:Jennifer Rummel

Product Description
Landing an internship at an ad agency isn't what her principal or her mother wanted for Jordie Popkin, aspiring journalist. At sixteen, Jordie is glad of the chance to collect "real world" experience and finds working with the "creatives" at the agency a nice break from her math and science curriculum. And the team likes Jordie, too. When her new colleagues decide to make Jordie's business their business, Jordie is flattered but skeptical. They will come up with a plan to market Jordie to the hottest guy in her grade. From situation analysis to "sex sells," the team assures Jordie that they know what they're doing.She shouldn't get upset if their ideas cause her an embarassing moment or two. Jordie knows that the course of true love never did run smooth and that the ad game isn't a simple set of rules to follow but she can't help wondering about the advantages of letting professionals try to turn her from Brand X into a hot item. The principles of marketing might apply to a bar of soap, but finding the right guy...?

In this humorous novel, Laurie Gwen Shapiro reveals with candor how one girl who feels like "Brand X" not only learns the secret of a successful marketing campaign but also discovers how to assess her true market value to become the brand of choice.

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Review of Vampire High (Hardcover)

Vampire High is a rollicking delight from beginning to end.True, the ending is telegraphed waaaaay ahead of time, but in Rees's hands, it is the journey, not the destination that is important. Cody's awareness that having things handed to you on a silver platter is not a satisfying way to live life and his growing maturity as he navigates both adolescence and a vampire high school sends a very clear message to the readers without being didactic, heavy handed or dull.Rees knows his pacing, his humor and his subject well.The teens I have recommended this to came away laughing themselves silly while at the same time realizing that how you live your life and taking responsiblity for yourself is more important than the concerns of our status seeking, easy does it culture.Can't wait to read more by this author.



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