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reanne's review against another edition
1.0
I'd pretty much written off James Patterson by now as a lazy author who just doesn't give a crap anymore... but I got a free ARC of this book at Comic-Con, and I was intrigued by the concept of an illustrated novel. Even for kids, I just don't read a lot of those. They seem to be something that's coming back into style, and I think that's a good thing. I don't have kids, but it does seem like it would help young kids transition from reading picture books to reading novels.
The tone of the book is a bit odd. It's written in a humorous, light-hearted sort of way, but it starts with the main characters losing their dad (as in, he's lost and assumed dead). They don't really show much emotional reaction to this. The tone doesn't really match with what's happening, which is a little off-putting. They have these 12-year-old kids threatening or planning to shoot people (they don't end up doing it, but the kids show no qualms about the apparent necessity), and it's still written in this weird, shallow, light-hearted style.
As I read this, I find that it really seems to be for younger kids than it thinks it is. On the ARC page at the front, it says for ages 8-12. When I was 12, I was reading sci-fi and fantasy novels written for adults. This book is, really, a chapter book along the lines of Bunnicula or Beverly Cleary when it comes to reading level. That's how it seems to me, anyway. It's hard for me to imagine a 12-year-old really being interested in it. And while I appreciate the idea of kids reading thick books, and a lot of this book is pictures, I wonder how eager kids who are still reading books that are at this level of writing and character/plot development would be to pick up such a thick book. Then again, some kids will probably like it. I suppose it depends on the kid. Still, a book with apparent parental death right off the bat, not to mention the various mention of piratical activity, seems a little too heavy for the level of writing. But, as I say, I could be wrong. I'm not a teacher or librarian or parent. There are also a lot of words and references that it doesn't seem like kids who are the target age for this book would get. Like describing something as the size of a box that graduation pens come in. Or kids using words like 'commode' for toilet. That term's too old-fashioned even for me. It's hardly something I'd expect to come out of a 12-year-old's mouth.
This book just confirms what I already knew: that James Patterson has stopped giving any kind of a crap about telling a good story, creating interesting characters, or writing books for any reason other than to make money. He's just coasting on his name at this point.
The tone of the book is a bit odd. It's written in a humorous, light-hearted sort of way, but it starts with the main characters losing their dad (as in, he's lost and assumed dead). They don't really show much emotional reaction to this. The tone doesn't really match with what's happening, which is a little off-putting. They have these 12-year-old kids threatening or planning to shoot people (they don't end up doing it, but the kids show no qualms about the apparent necessity), and it's still written in this weird, shallow, light-hearted style.
As I read this, I find that it really seems to be for younger kids than it thinks it is. On the ARC page at the front, it says for ages 8-12. When I was 12, I was reading sci-fi and fantasy novels written for adults. This book is, really, a chapter book along the lines of Bunnicula or Beverly Cleary when it comes to reading level. That's how it seems to me, anyway. It's hard for me to imagine a 12-year-old really being interested in it. And while I appreciate the idea of kids reading thick books, and a lot of this book is pictures, I wonder how eager kids who are still reading books that are at this level of writing and character/plot development would be to pick up such a thick book. Then again, some kids will probably like it. I suppose it depends on the kid. Still, a book with apparent parental death right off the bat, not to mention the various mention of piratical activity, seems a little too heavy for the level of writing. But, as I say, I could be wrong. I'm not a teacher or librarian or parent. There are also a lot of words and references that it doesn't seem like kids who are the target age for this book would get. Like describing something as the size of a box that graduation pens come in. Or kids using words like 'commode' for toilet. That term's too old-fashioned even for me. It's hardly something I'd expect to come out of a 12-year-old's mouth.
This book just confirms what I already knew: that James Patterson has stopped giving any kind of a crap about telling a good story, creating interesting characters, or writing books for any reason other than to make money. He's just coasting on his name at this point.
imzadirose's review against another edition
2.0
Completely silly, but cute-ish book about a family of 4 kids who are treasure hunters with their parents. It was cute, for what it was, nonsensical, whimsy and fun. I'm a fan of Grabenstein and really didn't feel much of his influence in it though, a little I guess.
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