Zorgamazoo

by Robert Paul Weston

Overview

Are You a Believer in Fanciful Things? In Pirates and Dragons and Creatures and Kings?

Then sit yourself down in a comfortable seat, with maybe some cocoa and something to eat, and I'll spin you the tale of Katrina Katrell, a girl full of courage (and daring, as well!), who down in the subway, under the ground, saw something fantastical roaming around . . .

What was it she saw? I'd rather not say. (Who's ever heard of a Zorgle, anyway?)

But if you are curious, clever and brave, if intrepid adventure is something you crave, then open this book and I'll leave it to you to uncover the secret of ZORGAMAZOO!

Join Morty the Zorgle and Katrina on a fantastically illustrated, you'll-wanna-read-every-word-aloud, sophisticated rhyming adventure for kids of all ages!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781595142955
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/02/2010
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	539,140
Product dimensions:	6.44(w) x 11.04(h) x 0.75(d)
Lexile:	700L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Robert Paul Weston's first novel was Zorgamazoo, a Booklist top ten debut of 2008. Born in the UK and raised in Canada, Robert Paul Weston lives in Toronto, where he currently teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto.

Editorial Reviews

. . . a natural descendant of the works of Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl while hewing close to the droll atmospherics of Edward Gorey and Lemony Snicket.

Booklist

A well-constructed story with fully realized characters and plenty of humor. The rhyme is almost flawless . . . Fancifully frightening illustrations and typographical trickery create an inviting visual package.

The Horn Book Magazine

Zorgamazoo is a story rich in clever wordplay, unusual characters, and fantastic circumstances...The book's illustrations are reminiscent of the oval-eyed, twiggish vulnerability of Tim Burton's creations, and the details of the story traverse some of the same dark territory.

Quill & Quire

Readers can make text-to-text connections to other quest stories such as Alice in Wonderland and even Homer's Iliad...What a wonderful way to re-awaken the enchantment of the imagination for readers - young and old!

Canadian Review of Materials

Preteen Katrina Katrell has always seen things others don't. Her bored and boring guardian Mrs. Krabone is so fed up she calls lobotomy specialist Dr. LeFang to take care of the problem. Katrina escapes but gets into further trouble, and reluctant adventurer Mortimer Yorgle, a Zorgle who lives in a parallel world beneath the ground with other fantasy beasts, comes to her rescue. The two set off to find the missing Zorgles of Zorgamazoo. What they discover is a nefarious plot from outer space to make Earth more boring by kidnapping fantastical beasts (which, by the way, are real) and upping the production of Tedium Steam. The planet behind the plot, Graybalon-Four, runs on the stuff. Much saving of the day ensues. Weston's debut fantasy in rhymed verse is at once silly and gross. If Seuss and Dahl collaborated early in their careers, something similar might have resulted. Though the language is often a slave to the rhyme, and that rhyme is sometimes a stretch, Snicket fans and reluctant readers not afraid of a peek at verse will likely feel right at home. (Fantasy. 9-11)

Kirkus Reviews

When Katrina Katrell's vivid imagination and keen intelligence become too much for her caretaker, she runs away to find a more exciting life. Meanwhile, mild-mannered Mortimer Yorgle wins the lottery and a chance to find some of his countrymen who have gone missing. After the pair meet by chance, they team up, combine their talents, and go on a wild adventure to find the missing Zorgles of Zorgamazoo. Alan Cumming has the difficult task of narrating this middle-grade novel written in rhymed couplets. Luckily, he finds a magical zone that mixes the right sense of drama and emotion with the perfect rhythm. This delightful reading will appeal to the whole family. C.B.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2011 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2010 - AudioFile