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wrentheblurry's review against another edition
4.0
Jasper Dash is not only a Boy Technonaut, he is a champion for his high school’s varsity Stare-Eyes team, where you lose if you blink. Jasper is joined in a quest to save a monk friend from peril in a bizarre version of Delaware by his fellow adventurers, the, sarcastic, love-struck Katie Mulligan and supportive, slower-moving Lily Gefelty. All three characters are present in two other Anderson books, though the reader does not need to be familiar with either of them to enjoy this story.
Humor and weirdness are the main draws here, and while some readers may not fully appreciate all of the jokes, they will find enough to keep them laughing out loud. Anderson uses self-reference in sprinklings throughout the book to great comedic effect, such as his admission that he has never been to Delaware and he hopes that he hasn’t printed anything incorrect: “Everything I say is simply an uneducated guess. You are not in good hands. You are in incredibly clumsy, incompetent hands.” The levels of weirdness rise as the trio reaches Delaware, and discover kangaroo-riding cannibals, schoolchildren in smiley-face masks, and a distinct shortage of vowels in many proper names.
This title will suit those who want something quirkily funny, or fans of Anderson’s work. The story does drag a bit in parts, though this does not detract from the overall experience. The world needs more books that seem like a really strange, yet hysterical dream.
Humor and weirdness are the main draws here, and while some readers may not fully appreciate all of the jokes, they will find enough to keep them laughing out loud. Anderson uses self-reference in sprinklings throughout the book to great comedic effect, such as his admission that he has never been to Delaware and he hopes that he hasn’t printed anything incorrect: “Everything I say is simply an uneducated guess. You are not in good hands. You are in incredibly clumsy, incompetent hands.” The levels of weirdness rise as the trio reaches Delaware, and discover kangaroo-riding cannibals, schoolchildren in smiley-face masks, and a distinct shortage of vowels in many proper names.
This title will suit those who want something quirkily funny, or fans of Anderson’s work. The story does drag a bit in parts, though this does not detract from the overall experience. The world needs more books that seem like a really strange, yet hysterical dream.
ashleyreadsanything's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ericaceae's review against another edition
4.0
This book, along with Anderson's others in the Pals In Peril series, are a lot of fun to read aloud with the kids.
and_it_spoke's review against another edition
3.0
Charming and clever, but a little too long and rambling. I’ve been reading the ‘Pals In Peril’ series with my oldest daughter, and the first two were absolutely pitch perfect send ups of kid’s books series. Thoughtful, weird and very funny. While the same can be said about ‘Jasper Dash and The Flame Pits of Delaware’, it doesn’t pack quite the same punch. A small stumble, but still a fun and intelligent series.
rizahw's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
5wamp_creature's review against another edition
4.0
It's a kids book. Grade school to early teens. But pretty darn much fun!
I haven't read Whales On Stilts so I might have come in a little behind the scene. This book has the rarity that it made me laugh out loud. At 400 pages it may turn off younger readers but it's not really that big.
A quick read for older persons but definitely right on for most any age.
Highly recommended!
I haven't read Whales On Stilts so I might have come in a little behind the scene. This book has the rarity that it made me laugh out loud. At 400 pages it may turn off younger readers but it's not really that big.
A quick read for older persons but definitely right on for most any age.
Highly recommended!
suzharold's review against another edition
2.0
Not sure what I think of this book. I loved WHALES ON STILTS and enjoyed LINOLEUM LEIDERHOSEN, but this one just didn't do it for me. It's very long, and seemed even more self-consciously silly than the others. I never became engrossed in the story or felt a drive to pick it back up and learn what happened next.
benedorm's review against another edition
5.0
As a grown adult, albeit one who grew up reading the sorts of books that Anderson uses to create his universe, this is still one of my favorite current series. The amazing thing about Anderson isn't just his ability to write uproariously funny prose, or note-perfect parodies, but rather, his gift for combining those things with heart-stopping tenderness, such as that found on the last four beautiful pages. Amazing, and highly recommended.
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