Friday, February 19, 2016

MG Fantasy/Adventure: The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt


25600503The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt
Illustrations by Ross Collins
Format: Paperback

Pages: 304
Release Date:  May 29th  2015  by Puffin Books
Genre:  MG Fantasy/Adventure with a girl pirate
Source:  A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Far away aboard the Feroshus Maggot is Captain Idryss Ebenezer Split, who while looking through his telescope into the "hooman world," spots Mabel about to perform "THE DEED."  Not any only deed.  The most horrible, disgusting deed.  She is about to pick her nose and ...yep.... eat it.  I know gross right?  If you perform the deed, you get yourself bound to the Captain.  And at this very minute, he is sending his trusty mate, Omynus Hussh, to sneak down and bag himself the snuglet.  Mabel tries really hard to be brave after being kidnapped, but this crew is rather "beastly." And, when Captain Split makes  the horrible discovery that Omynus bagged himself something so terrible, something for which  the word can't be used to describe, the pirates vow to make it walk "the greasy pole of certain death."  That is until Mabel reveals that she can do the one thing that they've been searching for, she can read.   Mabel is enlisted as an honoree' member of the crew, given a cutlass and a belt, and in exchange for a means to get back home, she will help them find the pieces of a key needed to unlock a treasure.  

I absolutely adored The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones, it was so, so very humorous with lines that had me snickering and laughing aloud   It has this adorable pajama wearing girl pirate, wonderful illustrations, an intrusive narrator, a lovely map, and creative writing fonts with words that cascade down the page. Think Snicket, Pseudonymous Bosch or even Carrie Ryan's book The Map to Everywhere. A great addition to the pirate stories already out there, which will delight with the antics that this crew get themselves into, and keep you in suspense when the crew is faced with peril after increasing peril.   Mabel is such a lovable character, despite her having performed "The Deed." And even though she makes a mistake early on in the story that costs someone dearly, making an enemy for awhile, she does apologize and wins their loving friendship. It is quite sweet.  The characters are zany and the adventures they go on to collect the pieces of the key are all quite amusing.  I especially enjoyed when Mabel challenges a bear named Bartok the Brute to a drinking contest (a milk drinking contest).  I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.   





3 comments:

  1. Looks simply adorable!!

    Thanks for letting us know about the book.

    Nice blog....I am stopping by from the Saturday Book Reviews Linkup.

    I hope you are having a nice day.

    Elizabeth
    Silver’s Reviews
    The Passenger by Lisa Lutz

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  2. I have not read this one, but I have seen it around. I am so glad I read your review. It sounds like a great book! Can't wait to read it. :)
    ~Jess

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    Replies
    1. It's defiantly quite humorous, if you enjoy silly humor.

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