Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Humpty Dumpty Jr: Hardboiled Detective: The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop



Humpty Dumpty Jr: Hardboiled Detective: The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop by Nate Evans, Paul Hindman and Vince Evans.

This is the first in a new series of chapter books published by Sourcebooks. Humpty Dumpty Jr: Hardboiled Detective is a mystery-detective series that is pun-filled and silly. Here's how the first book starts off: "Once upon a crime: There was a detective. Me. Humpty Dumpty Jr., Hardboiled Detective. I'm a good egg who always cracks the case. One morning, sitting at my desk, I watched the sun rise out my grimy window. Dawn light played peek-a-boothrough the tall skyscrapers of the gritty city. My city. New Yolk City. A crazy, dangerous, beautiful town." In this book, Humpty Dumpty is on the case of a missing baker--Patty from Pat-a-Cake Bakery has been kidnapped. Can this egg solve the case in time? He just might if he teams up with a down-on-his-luck boy named Rat.

As an adult, I found the humor to be of the groaner variety. (Just consider the closing words: "You definitely crack me up, kid. And, in my case, that could be fatal. Case closed.") But these books aren't written for adults. They're written for kids. And there is an age where corny-groan-worthy humor reigns supreme. And that's something to keep in mind. Do I think there are kids out there who would like this book? I think so. I really do. And I do think this book and series will fill a need.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

1 comment:

Author Tony Peters said...

Sounds like it could be an interesting read for children. Might have to check the book out myself, to see if the kids at schools I sub in my like it. I myself am an author of a children's mystery. My book is called, Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping. Good luck with yor writing endeavours.

Tony Peters
Author of, Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsOnACase.hml