Twins Emily and Erno Utz go on the run when they realize that an evil breakfast cereal company has been running experiments on them, their foster father, and a host of magical creatures. While Oliver Wyman provides a straightforward delivery of the narrative, he creates a range of accents for the dialogue of this fast-paced, utterly hilarious story. Portraying the children, Wyman reads in high-pitched, even tones, reserving an extra squeaky voice for super genius Emily. Their housekeeper, a gentle giant named Biggs, has a deep, booming voice. Wyman handles the magical creatures with ease, including a leprechaun with an Irish brogue and a rabbit-man with a jittery, slurred voice. Wyman brings this fun-filled adventure to life without letting it go over-the-top. E.N. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
Cold Cereal
Narrated by Oliver Wyman
Adam RexUnabridged — 9 hours, 32 minutes
Cold Cereal
Narrated by Oliver Wyman
Adam RexUnabridged — 9 hours, 32 minutes
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Overview
Cold Cereal Facts
Serving size 1 chapter
Number of servings 40
Primary human characters 3
Scottish Play Doe, aka Scottpossible changeling
Erno Utz genius
Emily Utz supergenius
Magical creatures at least 3
Mick Leprechaun (or Clurichaun)
Harvey Pooka (rabbit-man)
Biggs indeterminate origin (hairy, large)
Evil organizations 1
Goodco Cereal CompanyPurveyor of breakfast
foods aspiring to world domination
Adventure 75%
Diabolical Schemes 40%
Danger 57%
Legend 20%
Magic 68%
Humor 93%
Puzzles 35%
Mystery 49%
Not a significant source of vampires.
May contain nuts.
Daily values based on individual interest. Reader's estimation of value may be higher or lower, depending on your tolerance for this sort of thing.
Editorial Reviews
Mythology and magic collide with breakfast cereal in this dry-humored adventure from Rex (Fat Vampire), first in a planned trilogy. When sixth-grader Scottish Play Doe—who understandably prefers to be called Scott—moves to the small town of Goodborough, N.J., a community dominated by the Goodco Cereal Company, he starts seeing imaginary creatures. One of them, a world-weary “clurichaun” (akin to a leprechaun) named Mick, claims sanctuary with him, explaining that he’s trying to escape Goodco, which stole his magic. Teaming up with his new friends—superintelligent Emily and practical Erno—Scott investigates the mystery that is Goodco, soon learning the awful and bizarre truth behind the company’s origins and success. With talking rabbit-men, Bigfoot, riddles, and clever riffs on cereal company advertising, it all makes for an intriguing if convoluted tale. Rex takes his magically delicious premise seriously, though, finding the thin line between absurdity and comedy, while giving this story more gravitas and depth than might be expected. The inherent oddities are further played up in Rex’s frequent illustrations, not all seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Writers House. (Feb.)
Totally original and wholly brilliant. Adam Rex must be stopped.” — Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series
“With an off-the-wall sensibility that fans of the author’s True Meaning of Smekday will recognize with delight, Rex brings together unconventional allies to be hunted by agents of the huge Goodco Cereal Company.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Rex takes his magically delicious premise seriously, finding the thin line between absurdity and comedy, while giving this story more gravitas and depth than might be expected.” — Publishers Weekly
“The story is filled with wildly imaginative elements and clever wisecracks, but the humor is couched within a rich, complex plot that’s filled with engaging characters and concepts. Readers who enjoy fantasies that are equal parts hilarious and exciting will eagerly await the next two in the series.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“An expansive cast of colorful characters (including Merle Lynn, an accountant) keep the surprises coming. Reader interest and suspension of disbelief never flag in this humorous, consistently entertaining, well-spun yarn.” — The Horn Book
“Rex supports his centrifugal imagination with tight storytelling, effervescent characterization, and strong imagery and metaphor. . . . will leave readers anxious for the sequel.” — ALA Booklist
“The divinely demented Adam Rex strikes again! Cold Cereal is exciting, strange, and deliciously different. His deft mixing of myth with modernity is flat-out fabulous.” — Bruce Coville, author of My Teacher Is an Alien
“Warning—this book contains the following ingredients in dangerously high quantities: wild fantasy, dynamic action, great satire and silly jokes. It’s as addictive as one of Goodco’s sinister breakfast products—and a whole lot better for you. I loved it. Second helpings, please!” — Jonathan Stroud, bestselling author of the Bartimaeus Trilogy
An expansive cast of colorful characters (including Merle Lynn, an accountant) keep the surprises coming. Reader interest and suspension of disbelief never flag in this humorous, consistently entertaining, well-spun yarn.
Warning—this book contains the following ingredients in dangerously high quantities: wild fantasy, dynamic action, great satire and silly jokes. It’s as addictive as one of Goodco’s sinister breakfast products—and a whole lot better for you. I loved it. Second helpings, please!
The divinely demented Adam Rex strikes again! Cold Cereal is exciting, strange, and deliciously different. His deft mixing of myth with modernity is flat-out fabulous.
Totally original and wholly brilliant. Adam Rex must be stopped.
Rex supports his centrifugal imagination with tight storytelling, effervescent characterization, and strong imagery and metaphor. . . . will leave readers anxious for the sequel.
Gr 4–8—Like a wholesome breakfast cereal packed with tasty ingredients, Adam Rex's novel (Balzer + Bray, 2012) is chock-full of flakes, nuts, and more than a few artificial ingredients. Scott (Scottish Play Doe) moves with his mother and little sister, Polly, to Goodborough, home of the Goodco Cereal Company. There, Scott meets twins, Emily and Erno, who live with Mr. Wilson, the most current in a long string of foster parents. Wilson creates clever puzzles for his charges, pitting them against each other to see who can find the solution first. Scott convinces Erno that the puzzles are a bit strange, but nevertheless, embarks on a quest to help solve one. The two uncover a sinister and diabolical scheme involving Goodco, and as the plot thickens, the mix gets nuttier. A wizened little leprechaun named Mick, a rabbit-headed man, an alleged Bigfoot, unicorns, unicats, and others all combine to create a unique blend of magical goodness. Oliver Wyman's narration is brilliant, producing a sizeable cast of amazing character voices that create a wacky and wonderful fantasy world in the lucky listener's imagination. Read in Mick's lyrical Irish brogue, the folktale segments describing the history of the magical world of Pretannica are magically delicious. Have the book available so listeners can peruse Rex's delightful illustrations. With elements of mystery, fantasy, folktale, and humor, this quirky tale is a satisfying treat.—Lisa Hubler, Charles F. Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH
Gr 4–8—When Scott sees a guy with a rabbit's head on the way to school, he figures it's just another one of the odd hallucinations he occasionally experiences. It turns out that it's the first of many bizarre events that include a snarky leprechaun, a Bigfoot butler, and a plot to take over the world with breakfast cereal, among other oddities. The story is filled with wildly imaginative elements and clever wisecracks, but the humor is couched within a rich, complex plot that's filled with engaging characters and concepts. The narrative shifts easily between the present-day perils of Scott and his companions and the hefty backstory about the cereal company and the world of magical Fay creatures. The full scope of the multilayered plot unfolds with small and large surprises, incorporating alternate worlds, time travel, and Arthurian legend, along with the cereal cartoons and other silliness. There's humor peppered throughout, even in the action scenes, as when the leprechaun gripes about the 20 quid that Kris Kringle owes him in the midst of a daring rescue. This first book in a trilogy ends with a satisfying triumph for Scott and friends, but plenty of dangers lie ahead if they hope to save both the Fay world and their own. Readers who enjoy fantasies that are equal parts hilarious and exciting will eagerly await the next two in the series.—Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR
Twins Emily and Erno Utz go on the run when they realize that an evil breakfast cereal company has been running experiments on them, their foster father, and a host of magical creatures. While Oliver Wyman provides a straightforward delivery of the narrative, he creates a range of accents for the dialogue of this fast-paced, utterly hilarious story. Portraying the children, Wyman reads in high-pitched, even tones, reserving an extra squeaky voice for super genius Emily. Their housekeeper, a gentle giant named Biggs, has a deep, booming voice. Wyman handles the magical creatures with ease, including a leprechaun with an Irish brogue and a rabbit-man with a jittery, slurred voice. Wyman brings this fun-filled adventure to life without letting it go over-the-top. E.N. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
A motley assortment of human experimental subjects and faerie exiles take on a New Jersey cereal company run by eldritch management for nefarious purposes. With an off-the-wall sensibility that fans of the author's True Meaning of Smekday (2007) will recognize with delight, Rex kicks off a planned trilogy. He brings together sixth-grade outsider Scottish Play Doe (an actor's son, surprise), young genius Erno Utz and his even brighter supposed twin Emily, a crusty old leprechaun and like unconventional allies to be hunted by agents of the huge Goodco Cereal Company--producers of Burlap Crispâ„¢, Honey Frosted Snoxâ„¢. These and similar products enjoy a wild popularity that can be ascribed to the literal truth of the company motto: "There's a Little Bit of Magic in Every Box!" The author tucks in portrait illustrations and hilariously odd TV-commercial storyboards, along with a hooded Secret Society, figures from Arthurian legend, magical spells and potions, a certain amount of violence, many wonderful throwaway lines ("Yeh may have a tarnished glamour about yeh, sure. Like a celebrity's daughter.") and tests of character with often surprising outcomes. All in all, it's a mad scramble that culminates in the revelation of a dastardly plot that will require sequels to foil. A massive explosion at the end only sets that evil scheme back a bit; stay tuned for further strange and exhilarating developments. (Fantasy. 11-13)
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940170096961 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperCollins |
| Publication date: | 02/07/2012 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
| Age Range: | 8 - 11 Years |
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