Module 15: Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman

Full Citation

Pilkey, Dav. Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman: the Fifth Epic Novel. New York: Scholastic, 2001. Print.

Summary

Tra-la-la! In the first book in this series, lovable troublemakers George Beard and Harold Hutchins accidentally used a 3-D Hypno Ring to change their dour principal Mr. Krupp into comic hero Captain Underpants. Now, the boys have used the same rings on their heinous teacher Ms. Tara Ribble in order to change their grades back after their latest crime of using their imaginations led them to getting their grades changed from B's and C's to F's and G's. However, its seems the ring has an opposite effect on women, because when they tell her NOT to become the evil villainous Wedgie Woman, she does! It's up to George, Harold, and Captain Underpants to save the town from the "woothless wevenge" of the wicked Wedgie Woman and her robot minions... if the dreaded spray starch doesn't sideline Captain Underpants first!

My Impressions

Okay, seriously, how is this series one of the most challenged books of the last decade? Yes, there is lots of bathroom humor and a general attitude of disrespect for authority (albeit one that stifles anything resembling  creativity or free expression), but not every book for children can (or should be) Dick and Jane. I didn't really know much about the series other that it was controversial, so I paged through this book in my library's children's section and I almost thought I was going to create a disturbance by my roaring laughter! There is a lot of bathroom humor, to be sure, but there's also a lot of fourth-wall breaking, pop culture references (A rabbi asks George and Harold to stay out of trouble, and the two reply: "Silly rabbi, tricks are for kids!"), and lots of good-natured ribbing at the superhero genre. Illustrations on every page keep the action moving fast, including an entire chapter utilizing a clever "flip-book" effect. I would have no problem with any children of mine reading these books someday.

What Other Reviewers Said

In the fifth "epic novel" about the extraordinary Captain Underpants--"faster than a speeding waistband... more powerful than boxer shorts"--the formidable superhero is under siege by a terrifying new enemy, the merciless bionic-powered Wedgie Woman. Will Captain Underpants overcome his fear of spray starch in time to save the world from the evil schemes of Wedgie Woman? No one knows... except maybe George and Harold, the imaginative fourth-grade troublemakers (imagination is not allowed at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School), who are also the creative minds behind Captain Underpants and Wedgie Woman. You see, it all started (as it usually does) with a comic strip drawn and illustrated by the boys. When their mean teacher Miss Ribble gets her hands on the comic book, their troubles really begin. Fans who have been eagerly awaiting Book 5 in the series, preceded by such gems as Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space and Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants, will heave a sigh of relief at the appearance of Pilkey's latest tongue-in-cheek superhero adventure novel. Goofier than ever, with plenty of boyish drawings and juvenile humor, this lightweight chapter book is the answer to reluctant (and avid) readers' dreams. If descriptions of Wedgie Woman's bionic hair and the "ubrupt" ending of the "happyness" on the planet of Underpantyworld don't turn grade-schoolers into bookworms, what will? By the way, don't let the quotation from Einstein at the front of the book mislead you; this is lowbrow humor at its very finest. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter (1)

Gr 2-5-Fans need not worry. Pilkey's imagination shows no sign of flagging here. When George and Harold's evil teacher announces her departure, she forces the class to write "Happy Retirement" cards for her. Instead, the two boys create a comic book in which they turn Ms. Ribble into the titular "Wicked Wedgie Woman." She sees the book, tells them that they are not allowed to use their imagination in school, and sends them posthaste to the principal. The two friends seize the opportunity to get him to sign a blank card to which they add his protestations of love for Ms. Ribble. Hilarious wedding high jinks ensue (but no marriage). To prevent the villainous woman from retaliating, the protagonists hypnotize her with their 3-D Hypno-Ring. Their plan backfires and a cosmic battle follows, complete with the familiar Flip-O-Rama feature. Among the highlights of this book is an alliterative post-wedding food fight in which, for example, the "creamy candied carrots clobbered the kindergarteners." There is a great deal of laugh-out-loud humor that will appeal to a wide audience. "Captain Underpants" is still one of the best series to get reluctant readers reading.- Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ (2)

 Suggested Activities

Have a special book discussion event for readers and their parents/caregivers where participants will promise to read Captain Underpants or another book from the ALA list above together. Encourage families to discuss what they liked and didn't like about the book in a rational and tolerant manner.

Other Citations

(1) Coulter, Emilie. Rev. of  "Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman." Amazon.com Review. Amazon.com: Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman. Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & More. Web. 5 Dec. 2010. <http://tinyurl.com/26jzvat>.

(2) Wadham, Tim. Rev. of  "Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman." School Library Journal. Amazon.com: Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman. Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & More. Web. 5 Dec. 2010. <http://tinyurl.com/26jzvat>.

Module 14: Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?

Full Citation

Glenn, Mel. Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: a Mystery in Poems. New York: Lodestar, 1996. Print.

Summary

The murder of English teacher Robert Chippendale sends a shock wave through Tower High. As police detective Harry Balinger and Tower High guidance counselor Angela Falcone try to find the culprit, students and other faculty express their admiration (or lack thereof) for the late teacher. In the process, secrets from Mr. Chippnedale's and other's lives are revealed. And, oh yes, all this is done in free verse poetry. 

My Impressions
 
I had reservations about this one, because I had read a few novels written in free verse in high school. It seemed like most authors just used the format as an excuse to churn out a quick read with little or no real emotion. Not so with Mr. Glenn, who made a good career out of this. The mystery itself gets the short shrift, but in the process the readers get to see the pure and understandable emotions as the people in Mr. Chippendale's sphere of influence try to make sense of it all. I especially like how Glenn's revealing through verse of those students who came to the realization of how "Mr. C"'s encouragement made them take chances in life for greater things.

What Other Reviewers Said

A bored student glances out of the classroom window. There's Mr. Chippendale jogging around the track as he does most days before his English classes meet. Nothing new here, she thinks. Then Mr. C. becomes the victim of a sniper on the school grounds. The police descend; suspects are questioned; the school grieves its toss. At first glance, this may seem to be just another mystery in a market glutted by the likes of Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine. However, veterans of YA literature know to expect great things from Glenn. His latest novel breaks new ground as a mystery in poems. Glenn's familiar format from his previous volumes of high school poems (Class Dismissed, 1982, Class Dismissed II, 1986, Back to Class, 1988; My Friend's Got This Problem, Mr. Candler, 1991, Clarion, HS) is in evidence as readers learn how the various members of the school community react to the news of Mr. C.'s murder. A "novel" concept to be sure, this is a great read-aloud and should serve as a powerful model in writing class. More, please, Mr. Glenn! (1)

Mr. Chippendale, a high school teacher, has been murdered. It happened in the morning as he was running on the school track. Someone shot him in the head from the roof of the school building and he was killed instantly. There is now an investigation taking place at the high school to try to find out who it was that took this fatal shot. This story is told entirely in poems, from the poems at the beginning describing how Mr. Chippendale was feeling at the start of his morning run, to poems from the points of view of various students, faculty and people in the neighborhood. Some students though Mr. Chippendale was the best teacher they'd ever had. He made a real difference in the lives of some of his students, encouraging them to be better than they thought they could be, to try harder and set higher goals for themselves. Other students saw him as boring, a lousy teacher who made them feel bad about themselves and never helped them at all. Mr. Chippendale's fellow teachers didn't seem to know him much better than his students did. He and one of the guidance counselors had a brief relationship, but even she feels like they never really had a connection. What could Mr. Chippendale have done to drive someone to murder? I thought the poem aspect was really interesting. It allowed the thoughts of the students and others to wander around the story and their impressions of Mr. Chippendale instead of having to explain things in a linear way. There was much left unanswered, though. I never got a really good grasp on who Mr. Chippendale was, and the secret of who the killer was seemed like it should have been better set up. There should have been more clues pointing to that person. (2)

Suggested Activity

For older readers, this book would be perfect for a teen mystery night. Teen volunteers can take the parts of the different characters and read their parts aloud. The ending can even be withheld long enough for the audience to vote on what they think is the most likely solution. For an added touch, this event could be held in April for National Poetry Month.

Other Citations 

(1) Lesesne, Teri S., and G. Kylene Beers. "Book review." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 40.3 (1996): 232. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 4 Dec. 2010. 

(2) Luciano, A. "Murder Investigation." Amazon.com: A. Luciano's Review of Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: A Mystery in ... 31 May 2007. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://tinyurl.com/28hq6f9>. 

Module 13: Rapunzel's Revenge

Full Citation

Hale, Shannon, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale. Rapunzel's Revenge. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2008. Print.

Summary

The classic tale is re-imagined in the Wild West by Shannon Hale, the author of the Newbery Honor-winning Princess Academy, along with her husband Dean and illustrator Nathan Hale (no relation.) Rapunzel lives in luxury with Mother Gothel, who controls the surrounding territory like a dictator with her "growth magic." When Rapunzel finds out the truth of where she came from and rebels against Gothel, Gothel traps her in the forest in a magic tree. The growth magic causes her hair to grow to its famous lengths, allowing Rapunzel to escape, not to mention giving her a rather useful weapon at her disposal, which will come in handy as she teams up with a bandit named Jack to save her birth mother and get her titular revenge on Gothel. 

My Impressions 

A clever retelling of the classic story that utilizes the western setting perfectly. Rapunzel's no damsel in distress here, and readers of all ages will be rooting for her and Jack. The Old West setting turns out to be the perfect setting for the fairy tale, as Rapunzel is able to use her long locks as a whip and a lasso. The graphic novel also turns out to be the perfect format for this story, as it keeps the action running and really sets the up the scenes for this adventure. If you're still on the fence about the value of graphic novels, as I once was, this may just be the book that wins you over. 

What Other Reviewers Said

The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside--a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. She recognizes a mine worker from a recurrent dream: it's her birth mother, from whom she was taken as punishment for her father's theft from Mother G.'s garden. Their brief reunion sets the plot in motion. Mother G. banishes Rapunzel to a forest treehouse, checking annually for repentance, which never comes. Rapunzel uses her brick-red braids first to escape, then like Indiana Jones with his whip, to knock out the villains whom she and her new sidekick, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), encounter as they navigate hostile territory to free Rapunzel's morn from peril. Illustrator Hale's detailed, candy-colored artwork demands close viewing, as it carries the action--Rapunzel's many scrapes are nearly wordless. With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody. Ages 10-up. (1)


Gr 5 Up-- This is the tale as you've never seen it before. After using her hair to free herself from her prison tower, this Rapunzel ignores the pompous prince and teams up with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) in an attempt to free her birth mother and an entire kingdom from the evil witch who once moonlighted as her "mother." Dogged by both the witch's henchman and Jack's outlaw past, the heroes travel across the map as they right wrongs, help the oppressed, and generally try to stay alive. Rapunzel is no damsel in distress-she wields her long braids as both rope and weapon-but she happily accepts Jack's teamwork and friendship. While the witch's castle is straight out of a fairy tale, the nearby mining camps and rugged surrounding countryside are a throwback to the Wild West and make sense in the world that the authors and illustrator have crafted. The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after. (2)


Suggested Activities

With Rapunzel taking center stage in theaters this week in Disney's latest animated feature Tangled, now is the perfect time for her to take center stage at your library or in your classroom, too! This article provides some ideas for a Rapunzel-themed display or book discussion time. 

Other Citations 

(1) "Rapunzel's Revenge." Publishers Weekly 255.31 (2008): 63. Vocational and Career Collection. EBSCO. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.

(2) von Wrangel Kinsey, Cara. "Rapunzel's Revenge." School Library Journal 54.9 (2008): 215. Vocational and Career Collection. EBSCO. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.

Module 12: Knucklehead

Full Citation

Scieszka, Jon. Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories about Growing up Scieszka. New York, NY: Viking, 2008. Print.

Summary


Jon Scieszka, the author of favorites such as The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs tells of his childhood growing up in Flint, Michigan. In brief chapters and photographs, Scieszka recounts various adventures in Catholic school, Cub Scouts, and growing up with his five brothers.

My Impressions


Both sweet and irreverent in equal measure, this book will definitely appeal to young readers, especially those with a high tolerance for toilet humor. I wish the book had gone beyond Sciezka's childhood into his early writing days, instead of summarizing it in an epilogue, though.


What Other Reviewers Said


In this arch, glib, unapologetically shamefree outing, Scieszka, who grew up as the second of six sons, has written an autobiography about boys, for boys and anyone else interested in baseball, fire, and peeing on stuff. The format of the book is perfectly suited to both casual and reluctant readers. The text is divided into two- to three-page nonsequential chapters and peppered with scrapbook snapshots and comic-book-ad reproductions. The accessibly irreverent language pushes the boundaries of moderation even as it reflects a sort of skewed wholesomeness. But the real testosterone payoff here is in the stories, which range from losing battles with fractious parochial-school nuns to taking turns “watching” little brothers (wherein the author watched brother number six eat a cigarette butt and charged neighborhood kids to watch him do it again). By themselves, the chapters entertain with abrupt, vulgar fun. Taken together, they offer a look at the makings of one very funny author—and a happy answer to the dreaded autobiography book report. - Thom Barthelmess (1)



Starred Review. Grade 3–6—Just try to keep kids away from this collection. Inspired book design makes the volume look like an old-school comic. The front cover features an elementary-aged Scieszka popping up out of a military tank, surrounded by explosions and bombers, while the back advertises a "Treasure Chest of Fun" and displays chapter titles and excerpts along with nostalgic graphics. Scieszka answers the oft-asked question, "Where do you get your ideas?" with a slew of childhood anecdotes and his family's escapades that have given him plenty of material from which to draw. Born in 1954, the second of six brothers, he writes about Catholic and military schools, buying gifts, chores, and hand-me-downs—all familiar experiences related with a specific Scieszka twist. His mother, a nurse, insisted that her sons use proper terms for anatomy ("rectum" rather than "butt") and bodily functions ("urinate" rather than "pee"), making way for several laugh-out-loud moments. Some stories are just amiably funny, such as wearing recycled Halloween costumes, while others help readers understand more about how the author developed his unique sense of humor. Although it includes the car trip story from Guys Write for Guys Read (Viking, 2005), Knucklehead is aimed at a younger audience. Family photographs and other period illustrations appear throughout. Entertaining and fast-moving, silly and sweet, this homage to family life is not to be missed.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA (2)

Suggested Activities

Have kids make a personal scrapbook using photographs and other memorabilia to tell their own funny or serious personal stories.


Other Citations


(1) Barthelmess, Thom. "Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka." Booklist 105.1 (2008): 92. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.

(2) Whitehurst, Lucinda S. Rev. of Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing up Scieszka. School Library Journal. Amazon.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://tinyurl.com/38eqsux>.

Module 11: Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11

Full Citation

Floca, Brian. Moonshot: the Flight of Apollo 11. New York: Atheneum for Young Readers, 2009. Print.


Summary


The story of Apollo 11 and the first moon landing, from lift-off to the first steps to the return to earth, is recounted with colorful illustrations and free-verse poetry.

My Impressions


This book is a perfect demonstration that "non-fiction" doesn't have to mean "reads like a textbook." Floca instead captures the feelings and the little moments that went into the historic first moon landing. The moon landing tops my list of historic events I regret not being born early enough to see, but this book helped me feel like I was there. Floca leaves an author's note at the end filling in the rest of the details.

What Other Reviewers Said


Grade 2–5—Large in trim size as well as topic, this stirring account retraces Apollo 11's historic mission in brief but precise detail, and also brilliantly captures the mighty scope and drama of the achievement. Rendered in delicate lines and subtly modulated watercolors, the eye-filling illustrations allow viewers to follow the three astronauts as they lumber aboard their spacecraft for the blastoff and ensuing weeklong journey ("…there's no fresh air outside the window;/after a week this small home will not smell so good./This is not why anyone/wants to be an astronaut"). They split up so that two can make their famous sortie, and then reunite for the return to "the good and lonely Earth,/glowing in the sky." Floca enhances his brief, poetic main text with an opening spread that illustrates each component of Apollo 11, and a lucid closing summary of the entire Apollo program that, among other enlightening facts, includes a comment from Neil Armstrong about what he said versus what he meant to say when he stepped onto the lunar surface. Consider this commemoration of the first Moon landing's 40th anniversary as a spectacular alternative for younger readers to Catherine Thimmesh's Team Moon (Houghton, 2006).- John Peters, New York Public Library (1)

Forty years after NASA’s Apollo 11 mission first landed astronauts on the moon, this striking nonfiction picture book takes young readers along for the ride. The moon shines down on Earth, where three men don spacesuits, climb into Columbia, and wait for liftoff. On a nearby beach, people gather to watch the rocket blast the astronauts into space. The astronauts fly to the moon, circle it, land on it, walk on its surface, and see “the good and lonely Earth, glowing in the sky.” After flying back to the orbiter, they return to Earth and splash down, “home at last.” An appended note discusses the mission in greater detail. Written with quiet dignity and a minimum of fuss, the main text is beautifully illustrated with line-and-wash artwork that provides human interest, technological details, and some visually stunning scenes. The book’s large format offers plenty of scope for double-page illustrations, and Floca makes the most of it, using the sequential nature of picture books to set up the more dramatic scenes and give them human context. The moving image of Earth seen from the moon, for instance, is preceded by a picture of a lone astronaut looking up. A handsome, intelligent book with a jacket that’s well-nigh irresistible. - Carolyn Phelan (2)

Suggested Activities


Take your own "trip" to the moon as a library or classroom. You can buy astronaut foods such as freeze-dried ice cream at various stores. (Here in North Texas, at least, you can find it at Fry's Electronics.) For older readers, be sure to check out The Dish (rated PG-13 for some strong language), the hilarious and heart-warming story of a small Australia town that played a crucial role in ensuring that TV viewers world-wide could see the first images of the moon landing.


Other Citations

(1) Peters, John. Rev. of Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11. School Library Journal. Amazon.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://tinyurl.com/35qkj22>.

(2) Phelan, Carolyn. "Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11." Booklist 105.12 (2009): 80. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.

Module 10: Boxes for Katje

Full Citation


Fleming, Candace, and Stacey Dressen-McQueen. Boxes for Katje. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003. Print.


Summary 


In 1945, as Europeans begin to deal with the devastation left by World War II, Katje, a girl from the Dutch town of Olst, receives a package with soap, new socks, a chocolate bar, and a note from Rosie Johnson in Mayfield, Illinois. Rosie sent the package through the Children's Aid Society, which was working to help children in Europe. When Katje writes Rosie back, it begins a correspondence that changes both Olst and Mayfield in exponential ways.

My Impressions


I've failed three times to get through this story without crying. It's a brief and beautiful story about the power of compassion and friendship. The illustrations perfectly bring the time and places to life. This historical fiction picture book (inspired by a true story from the author's mother) would be perfect for a variety of classroom activities, from an elementary lesson on charity to a high-school history classroom.


What Other Reviewers Said


Amidst the deprivations of life in post-WWII Holland, young Katje receives a care package from an American girl. Katje writes a thank-you note to Rosie, who, when she hears about Katje's generosity with the handful of gifts, begins recruiting friends and neighbors to help send bigger and bigger packages to Katje, who shares the bounty with her friends and neighbors. Fleming has carefully shaped her story so that Katje's heartfelt letters unintentionally inspire further gifts from Rosie (a clothing drive at Rosie's church results from Katje's innocent mention of how the box of food made everyone so happy they forgot about the holes in their shoes). The opening endpapers show Rosie's Indiana neighborhood in 1945; closing endpapers feature the same scene two years later, each yard overflowing with color--from the tulip bulbs Katje's community sends to express their gratitude. First-time illustrator Dressen-McQueen keeps the sentimentality of the story at bay with artwork that matter-of-factly presents Katje's poverty and Rosie's relative prosperity while, like the text, emphasizing their similarities: the secure warmth each experiences at home and their desire to help others. Reflecting the story's theme about friendship's ability to bridge long distances, the multimedia illustrations often overlay a scene from Katje's hometown with one of the girls' handwritten letters and a snapshot-like picture of Rosie's home. An author's note provides further information on the actual events that inspired Fleming's story. (1)


K-5 This well-written story set in post-World War II Holland is based on events that really happened. Charities such as the Children’s Aid Society encouraged American students to send boxes of needed items to Europe to offset the devastation left by the war. In this story, Katje, a young girl in Olst, Holland, is one of the lucky recipients. Rosie of Mayfield, Indiana, sends a box filled with a cake of soap, wool socks, and chocolate to her. Katje, in appreciation, writes a letter of thanks. This leads to the beginning of a correspondence, which in turn eventually triggers an outpouring of help from the people of Mayfield. Katje and her friends and family survive the harsh winter in large part due to the kindness of Rosie and the Mayfield community. The warm-colored pencil and oil pastel pictures complement the story reflecting the architecture, dress, and emotion beautifully. The story itself would be an excellent starting point for a discussion on the importance of giving and sharing. It shows that one person truly can make a difference. This is also a good book to read for Thanksgiving or even as a reminder during the study of war of the toll war takes on people in general. Recommended. - Bridget Slayden, Educational Reviewer, Fordland, Missouri (2)

Suggested Activities


Have children think of examples of "Katjes" today, both around the world as well  in their own hometowns. With the holidays fast approaching, now is the perfect time to implement a class-, school- or library-wide food and clothing drive for a local homeless shelter or community outreach.

Other Citations

(1) Brabander, Jennifer M. "Boxes for Katje." Horn Book Magazine 79.5 (2003): 596. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Nov. 2010.


(2) Fleming, Candace. "Boxes for Katje (Book)." Library Media Connection 22.6 (2004): 56. Computer Source. EBSCO. Web. 7 Nov. 2010.

Module 9: The London Eye Mystery

Full Citation

Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. Oxford: David Fickling, 2008. Print.


Summary

Ted knows almost everything there is to know about the weather. It's interacting with other people that he doesn't always get. When his aunt "Hurricane" Gloria and cousin Salim blow through London en route to relocating to New York from Manchester, Ted finds a kindred spirit in his cousin. The family takes Salim to the London Eye, where Ted and his sister Kat are given a ticket by a shady character which they in turn give to Salim. Salim goes in, his car goes up... but when it touches the ground again, Salim doesn't get out. Feeling responsible, Ted and Kat take it upon themselves to find Salim.

My Impressions

When it comes to mystery stories. I can always give or take the mystery. Its the characters and their surroundings that appeals to me, from Sherlock Holmes to Hawaii Five-0. All that to say that this novel is a very satisfying, well-written story with appealing characters. I was cheering for Ted the whole time as he learned in many ways to open himself to the world around him. The other family members are all fully-fleshed out as well. As for the mystery itself, it unfolds in a very believable way, something I especially appreciated given that it was an "amateur detective" story, a sub-genre that often lends itself to stretches of credibility. The payoff, both in the plot and of the character arcs, is very satisfying.

What Other Reviewers Said

When Ted's cousin Salim visits London, he insists on riding "The London Eye," an immense observation wheel. A stranger gives Salim a free ticket; Salim enters a passenger capsule; 30 minutes later, when the capsule returns from its rotation, Salim has vanished. What follows is an intricate mystery, related from the unique point of view of 12-year-old Ted, who has Asperger's Syndrome. Ted is a brilliant but literal thinker who sees things in things in terms of mathematical probabilities. His brain, though differently wired, is as efficient as a computer. It is precisely the logical mind needed to solve the mystery, and it saves Salim's life. This is a well-constructed puzzle, and mystery lovers will delight in connecting the clues, but what makes this a riveting read is Ted's voice. He is bright, honest, brave and very funny about his "syndrome" (his teacher has given him a cartoon code for recognizing the five basic emotions). The message, grippingly delivered, is that kids, even differently abled ones, are worth paying attention to. (Fiction. 9-14) (1)

A 12-year-old Londoner with something like Asperger's syndrome narrates this page-turner, which grabs readers from the beginning and doesn't let go. As Ted and his older sister Katrina watch, their visiting cousin Salim boards a "pod" for a ride on the London Eye, a towering tourist attraction with a 360-degree view of the city--but unlike his fellow passengers, Salim never comes down. He has vanished. At the outset Ted explains that he has cracked the case: "Having a funny brain that runs on a different operating system from other people's helped me to figure out what happened." The tension lies in the implicit challenge to solve the mystery ahead of Ted, who turns his intense observational powers on the known facts, transforming his unnamed disability into an investigative tool while the adults' emotions engulf them. Dowd ratchets up the stakes repeatedly: is a boy in the morgue Salim? Has he drowned? Been kidnapped? Katrina and Ted work together to solve the puzzle, developing new respect for each other. The author wryly locates the humor as Ted wrangles with his symptoms (learning to lie represents progress) but also allows Ted an ample measure of grace. Comparisons to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time are inevitable--this release was delayed when Mark Haddon's book (from the same publisher) became a bestseller--but Dowd makes clearer overtures to younger readers. Just as impressive as Dowd's recent debut, A Swift Pure Cry, and fresh cause to mourn her premature death this year. Ages 8-12. (2)

Suggested Activities


Older readers will definitely want to check out Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, another British mystery featuring a protagonist on the autism spectrum. The London Eye Mystery is the better of the two in my opinion but of course, there is always room for a healthy debate.

Other Citations

(1) "THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY." Kirkus Reviews 75.24 (2007): 1294. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 31 Oct. 2010.

(2) "The London Eye Mystery." Publishers Weekly 254.48 (2007): 70. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 31 Oct. 2010.