Evangeline Mudd and the Great Mink Escapade [Hardcover]

David Elliott (Author), Andrea Wesson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

David Elliott's spirited heroine returns to join the fight for animal rights in this funny, fast-paced novel, whimsically illustrated by Andréa Wesson.

It seems like only yesterday that Evangeline Mudd was in the Ikkinasti Jungle, rubbing noses with a headhunter. Now, somehow, swinging from the branches of the old maples near her cozy New England bungalow isn't nearly exciting enough. But when a mysterious letter marked URGENT!!! arrives, Evangeline is reminded of a promise she needs to keep.

Going undercover as a newspaper reporter and with the help of Alexy Alexy, the world's highest-jumping dancer, Evangeline must make good on her vow to set free the animals at Mudd's Marvelous Minks. But can they avoid Alexy Alexy's dastardly guardian, Ratsputin? What if Melvin Mudd, her father's second cousin twice removed, recognizes her? And will Melvin's wife, the ditsy India Terpsichore, really go through with that crazy comeback ballet she's staging?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–A promise the protagonist made in Evangeline Mudd and the Golden-Haired Apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle (Candlewick, 2004) brings her back to Mudd Manor, the home of Melvin Mudd, her fathers second cousin twice removed. Her goal: to free the mink from Melvins Marvelous Mink farm before they can be turned into costumes for a ballet extravaganza featuring Melvins dance-obsessed wife, India Terpsichore. When the young heroine arrives at the mansion, she meets young dancer Alexy Alexy and his evil manager and learns of the young mans sad story. Now she has another goal: to free Alexy from Ratsputins clutches. In the end, both the mink and the dancer are freed from bondage and Evangeline even makes it back home in time for the birth of her baby brother. This madcap novel, which has an underlying theme of respect for all living creatures, also contains the humorous elements of Astrid Lindgrens Pippi Longstocking (Penguin) and the spirit of Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events (HarperCollins). Evangeline overcomes the obstacles set by evil adults and triumphs. Wessons amusing pen-and-ink illustrations illuminate this rollicking adventure.–Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Evangeline Mudd, last seen in Evangeline Mudd and the Golden-Haired Apes (2003), returns to star in another animal rescue mission. This time Evangeline is out to save a collection of minks, whose pelts have been marked for costumes for an extravagant ballet produced by Evangeline's distant cousin Melvin Mudd and prima ballerina India Terpsichore. Evangeline finds an ally in the famous dancer Alexy Alexy, who is under the wicked influence of his guardian and dance master, Ratsputin. Eventually, Alexy and Evangeline locate the minks, but their good deeds continue. Elliott doesn't miss any opportunity to toss bucketfuls of humor into his farcical plot. Occasionally, the gears grind and the high spirits become a tad relentless. Yet, the story moves so quickly that most readers won't notice the occasional clunker joke and will enjoy the zany, lighthearted adventure. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 185 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (February 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763622958
• ISBN-13: 978-0763622954
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,515,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Elliott is a NY Times bestselling children's author. His many titles include: And Here's to You!, The Transmogrification of Roscoe Wizzle, The Evangeline Mudd books, Finn Throws a Fit!, Jeremy Cabbage and the Living Museum, and most recently the picture book, In the Wild. Born in Ohio, David has worked as a singer, a cucumber washer, and a popsicle stick maker. Currently, he lives in New Hampshire with his wife and a three-footed dog. If you'd like to know more about David and his books, visit his blog/website at davidelliottbooks.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining wanted more scientific facts, October 5, 2010

By 

Homeschool Mom to 2 (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evangeline Mudd and the Great Mink Escapade (Hardcover)

I am 10 and I read it for school and thought it was good but the facts about minks are not real I think. Good for parents to read to kids who are still learing to read. I would think would be good for Ages 6 to 9.

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent book for young girls, June 26, 2006

By 

Diane S. Lance - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Evangeline Mudd and the Great Mink Escapade (Hardcover)

Not as good as the first - but my review stays the same ... Finally a book where the girl is not self-absorbed, shallow, or boy obsessed. The heroine loves her parents, is brave, and smart. A fun book to read to your child. Great political(ish) adult humor to keep us entertained.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun, silly, action-packed story, March 24, 2006

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evangeline Mudd and the Great Mink Escapade (Hardcover)

Evangeline Mudd is a sprightly 10-year-old who loves adventure. (Didn't she just return from saving her parents who were trapped in the Ikkinasti Jungle?) But now that she's back home in New England and passing the time swinging in the trees, she's bored. (Poor girl!) Just in the nick of time a letter arrives marked URGENT!!! It's from a friend of hers who's active in a "save-the-animals" group. She reminds Evangeline of a promise Evangeline made to her --- and now Evangeline needs to keep that promise.

As it turns out, Evangeline's father has a second cousin twice removed named Melvin Mudd. Being a not-so-nice man, he has a mink ranch called Mudd's Marvelous Minks. And he is about to turn all of his marvelous minks into marvelous ballet costumes! (I told you he wasn't nice.) And all because his weird wife, India Terpsichore, wants to put on a ballet starring herself! Evangeline must rescue the minks and turn them loose. But how? Melvin and India surely will recognize her when she appears at their door, having visited them before.

While on their very doorstep, Evangeline decides to disguise herself as a reporter. When the door to Melvin's house opens, the evil Ratsputin and Alexy Alexy, a boy about her age, appear. Ratsputin eyes her suspiciously and Alexy Alexy looks very sad (as you will see from the wonderful illustrations). Luckily, when India and Melvin meet Evangeline, now disguised as a reporter, they do not recognize her. But Ratsputin knows her real name and watches her like a beady-eyed hawk.

One night, Alexy Alexy suddenly appears outside Evangeline's window. He got there by simply jumping up from the ground floor! Alexy can jump higher then any other ballet dancer; Ratsputin has held Alexy practically in bondage, and makes him jump and dance all over the world. All the money, of course, goes to Ratsputin.

Evangeline and Alexy team up and hatch a wild plan to save the minks. Alexy leads Evangeline to the mink farm, but they find the cages open and empty! Where are the minks? They soon discover that mean Melvin Mudd has played a trick on them and the animal rights group. The minks are somewhere else. But where? Evangeline suddenly figures it out, and with Alexy, they find the mink ranch and free the minks. How they do all this makes for a funny, silly, action-packed story.

--- Reviewed by Robert Oksner