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bookstagramjo's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
briarsreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Middle grade imagination just hits different.
Whales on Stilts is one of the weirdest yet most delightful books I've read in a while! The title and cover alone... whales... on stilts? As soon as I saw it, I had to pick it up. I'm not opposed to reading middle grade books. Adult novels aren't always as adventurous as middle grade novels, and a good chunk of middle grade novels can be read by adults and not feel like you're reading a children's book.
This book definitely felt like I was reading a kids book, but I didn't care. It was fun, absolutely hilarious, and out of this world wild. Lily Gefelty goes to work with her Dad and just knows something is up. He works in an abandoned warehouse where they are making stilts for whales. As if that's just NORMAL. Her Dad is utterly clueless, but Lily knows something bad is going on. She teams up with Jasper Dash and Katie Mulligan, her best friends, and they begin to investigate... Of course, there's a mad scientist working there and he's going to be doing some bad things... Never mess with a middle grader!
Phenomenal. Honestly, I wish I had more fun books like this when I was younger. We had the same, boring books... and this book is old enough that it could have been in our library! What a waste! Books like this are why kids pick up a joy for reading. I'm so glad I had the chance to read it and I hope to pick up more of M.T. Anderson's middle grade books ASAP.
Five out of five stars.
Whales on Stilts is one of the weirdest yet most delightful books I've read in a while! The title and cover alone... whales... on stilts? As soon as I saw it, I had to pick it up. I'm not opposed to reading middle grade books. Adult novels aren't always as adventurous as middle grade novels, and a good chunk of middle grade novels can be read by adults and not feel like you're reading a children's book.
This book definitely felt like I was reading a kids book, but I didn't care. It was fun, absolutely hilarious, and out of this world wild. Lily Gefelty goes to work with her Dad and just knows something is up. He works in an abandoned warehouse where they are making stilts for whales. As if that's just NORMAL. Her Dad is utterly clueless, but Lily knows something bad is going on. She teams up with Jasper Dash and Katie Mulligan, her best friends, and they begin to investigate... Of course, there's a mad scientist working there and he's going to be doing some bad things... Never mess with a middle grader!
Phenomenal. Honestly, I wish I had more fun books like this when I was younger. We had the same, boring books... and this book is old enough that it could have been in our library! What a waste! Books like this are why kids pick up a joy for reading. I'm so glad I had the chance to read it and I hope to pick up more of M.T. Anderson's middle grade books ASAP.
Five out of five stars.
kelread's review against another edition
4.0
Quirky and delightful. Kind of like an old radio show in book form.
wrentheblurry's review against another edition
5.0
GENRE: Fiction, science-fiction, adventure, humor.
SUMMARY: After twelve-year-old Lily Gefelty visits the bizarre abandoned warehouse where her dad works, she suspects something sinister must be behind the secret manufacturing of stilts for whales. She enlists her two best friends, adventurous and daring Katie and ingenious yet quirky Jasper to help her uncover the mystery behind the warehouse. They learn that the boss of the company is planning to take over the world, using whales, and that they only have a few days to stop his dastardly plans!
EVALUATION: I loved this book. It was enjoyable as upending a can of whipped cream and spraying it into my mouth--not something I do regularly, but lots of fun once in a while. I laughed from the start all the way to the end. The book is loaded with adventure and suspense as well, but it was the ridiculous situations and the funny responses the characters would say that hooked me.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: I strongly believe that many, many tweens will thoroughly enjoy this book. It never takes itself seriously, and that is part of the charm. It is strange, weird, and as I said, extremely humorous. Put simply, this is an easy-to-read, highly entertaining and pleasurable book.
READER'S ANNOTATION: A trio of friends must enact a plan to save their town from whale domination, after a crazed scientist unleashes his army of whales on stilts.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• The Mayflower Project by Katherine Applegate.
• Heartlight by T.A. Barron.
• Off the Road by Nina Bawden.
• Windchaser by Scott Ciencin.
• The Marvelous Effect by Troy Cle.
SUMMARY: After twelve-year-old Lily Gefelty visits the bizarre abandoned warehouse where her dad works, she suspects something sinister must be behind the secret manufacturing of stilts for whales. She enlists her two best friends, adventurous and daring Katie and ingenious yet quirky Jasper to help her uncover the mystery behind the warehouse. They learn that the boss of the company is planning to take over the world, using whales, and that they only have a few days to stop his dastardly plans!
EVALUATION: I loved this book. It was enjoyable as upending a can of whipped cream and spraying it into my mouth--not something I do regularly, but lots of fun once in a while. I laughed from the start all the way to the end. The book is loaded with adventure and suspense as well, but it was the ridiculous situations and the funny responses the characters would say that hooked me.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: I strongly believe that many, many tweens will thoroughly enjoy this book. It never takes itself seriously, and that is part of the charm. It is strange, weird, and as I said, extremely humorous. Put simply, this is an easy-to-read, highly entertaining and pleasurable book.
READER'S ANNOTATION: A trio of friends must enact a plan to save their town from whale domination, after a crazed scientist unleashes his army of whales on stilts.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• The Mayflower Project by Katherine Applegate.
• Heartlight by T.A. Barron.
• Off the Road by Nina Bawden.
• Windchaser by Scott Ciencin.
• The Marvelous Effect by Troy Cle.
indu_mindu's review against another edition
5.0
This was fucking CRAZY!!! I don't care if this book was meant for twelve year olds, 22 year old me also wants to enjoy reading about whales on stilts with laser beams, half human half whale hybrids, magic bubbles, rocket cars, flying restaurants, sparkly jumpsuits, high speed roller-skate chases, moustache disguises and scuba diving to hijack a submarine. The narrator was hilarious, the story was wild and fast paced, yet they still gave me a time to feel heartache for the villain.
It did exactly what it was supposed to do. It's like Sharknado, and it gave me my fix.
It did exactly what it was supposed to do. It's like Sharknado, and it gave me my fix.
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a humorous, parodic, and pastiche little romp through noir detective novels and child serials such as Goosebumps. With its use of weirdly, extremely long footnotes, fake advertisements, over-exaggeration, and manners of speaking, this book makes for a funny little ride as Lily discovers that her father's boss is actually a half-human, half-whale hybrid bent on taking over the world. It should be noted that this book is definitely for middle grade audiences, and the humor likely reflects that as well (I'm an adult so...I can't totally attest for this). This didn't always hit my funny bone, but it definitely made for some laughs and some snorts. Also, it's worth noting that in the edition that I read, the cover is purposefully printed the wrong way, so you look as though you're reading it upside down in public. Definitely funny, definitely embarrassing.
Whales on Stilts is definitely worth reading if you like ridiculous plots, strange villains, and really blunt dialogue.
Review cross-listed here!
Whales on Stilts is definitely worth reading if you like ridiculous plots, strange villains, and really blunt dialogue.
Review cross-listed here!
lannthacker's review against another edition
3.0
J ANDERS - humor, mystery, book 1 of M T Anderson's Thrilling Tales
A parody of child detective novels featuring 3 crime solvers - Lily (the shy one), Jasper Dash (inventor), and Katie (Professional Crime Fighter). For some reason, these three kids are the only ones concerned that a walking, talking whale seems to be plotting the demise of their city. Short chapters 9 -12
A parody of child detective novels featuring 3 crime solvers - Lily (the shy one), Jasper Dash (inventor), and Katie (Professional Crime Fighter). For some reason, these three kids are the only ones concerned that a walking, talking whale seems to be plotting the demise of their city. Short chapters 9 -12
cathyatratedreads's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very funny, clever book. It's for teens/middle readers, and it's fairly short and sweet. Great tongue-in-cheek parody of comic books/superhero/adventure stories.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/whales-on-stilts-young-adult-clean-book-review/
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/whales-on-stilts-young-adult-clean-book-review/
kristenremenar's review against another edition
4.0
We used this for a Battle book for fifth graders one year. The tongue-in-cheek humor was a bit over most heads. For those of us who grew up reading corny books, this riff was great, but it doesn't play out as well with the elementary kids who haven't read the old stuff.
antisocial_auntie's review against another edition
4.0
This world is ridiculous but is written seriously, no explanation or side bar. That made it more enjoyable and as weird as the title.