Customer Reviews

Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Basil

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am currently reading this book aloud at night to my 10 year old son who hates to read. He's a numbers kids, and likes facts, and history and geography, and it is difficult to find interesting historical fiction literature written to his age level. He is not a "Harry Potter" fan. We can't seem to get past the "Magic Treehouse" books which, I think, are a little too young for him, and not exactly great literature.

I picked this book up at our school's Scholastic Book Fair last week. He is completely sucked into it! It's an enthralling story of a boy, living in Maine and wishing for adventure in his ordinary life. It is set in 1899, and so far, I've hit pay dirt!. When I finished reading a section tonight, he asked if he could read ahead on his own! It is exciting, and extremely well written. It reminds me of a Roald Dahl novel, with inferences to historical events (World War I) and mythology (Atlantis). As you would expect from the author, the illustrations are fabulous. I highly recommend it. I predict it is going to be a huge hit -- the next "Holes". I can't wait to find out what happens next, but I, unlike my son, will have to wait until tomorrow night to find out.

"Peace Through World Domination!" The comics parrot many a dictator and well-intentioned freedom fighter, while making us laugh. That is the joy of Attack of the Volcano Monkeys.

Wiley Miller's "Non Sequitur" is one of my favorite comics as it segues from mundane to otherworldly each weekend in the Sunday comics. There, Lucille, Beatrice Pterosaur, and Basil Pepperell have adventures-and I want to tag along. Their worlds make sense as they mirror portions of our own. They come closest to the 1960s political Pogo that I can find. Besides, I enjoy Maine accents and lighthouses. In these monkeyshines, Basil returns home from his last crusade to leave immediately on another. He must save little Louise from forbidden Monkey Island, which is not an island l, but a ship that some government has disguised as an island with which to control its indigenous monkey nations. HG Wells, Tarzan, and Star Trek would like a word with that government.

Professor McGookin and his magic round submarine help Louise, Basil, and his resistance fighter monkey-friend Rathbone (Basil...Rathbone, a Holmesian nod) to defeat a dictator and restore liberty to intelligent monkeys. Evil Doctor Von Rottweil (vicious like the dog), by turns, saves Basil's life and is imprisoned by the moneys he has experimented on, but escapes to "evil-ize" something else in the future. This is "HMS Pinafore" meets "The Producers" in "Springtime for Hitler in Germany." It makes me laugh while I think, but is a rollicking good time.

Additional animals play major parts in this story. Bug-eyed owls hunt children and monkeys, but are swept from the sky by Beatrice Pterosaur. Illustrations of this and other events swim around and behind the text to comprise a jaunty nautical reading experience.

In the end, children are smart, democratic revolution can overthrow dictatorship and false idols, and we are not monkeys to be tricked. Moral character lives in the heroes and even its villains. Basil upholds freedom and honor, encourages compassion towards all, and provides an extraordinary good time all at once.

Armchair Interviews says: Readers of all ages will enjoy Attack of the Volcano Monkeys.

Kudos to Mr. Miller for this wonderful book. This was my 4-year-old's first chapter book and I was worried that it would not keep his attention. The first night we easily made it through the first chapter and after that, it was a struggle for him to let me put it down. Needless to say, he was disappointed that we have to wait for the next adventure. The characters were colorful (especially Bea for my little dinosaur lover) and the photos were fantastic.

Thank you for helping feed our imaginations!

My family read this as a chapter book, I read most of it, sometimes Mom read too. My favorite part of the book is the artwork, and how it works with the story. The story was very cool, because I've never heard a story like it, and my little brother loved the part where Basil goes into the bad guy's lab. We all enjoyed the book. My favorite part of the story is when Basil unlocks Louise with the magic flute. I recommend the book (highly) for kids my age (2nd grade), but my little brother (he's only 4) really liked it too. Talia Richards

Cartoonist Wiley Miller may be best known for his adult 'Non Sequiter' cartoons but his style lends well to children's stories and here his drawings bring to life the tale of a pre-teen who lives in a lighthouse in Maine. Basil's life is dull - until an eccentric professor who is steering a flying boat enters his world, bringing him to a magic floating city filled with inventions and wonders. Even reluctant readers in grades 4-6 will find the color drawings pair well with chapters of vivid adventure fantasy.

I read this book for a book report. If it wasn't an assignment I wouldn't have finished it. Some parts of the book are good and some aren't. I thought it was boring but some parts kept my interest, like the end of the book when the building blew up. Basil seemed like a kid that wanted adventure but his adventure didn't make sense to me.

...take off with Basil to the utopia of Helios, where your friend, the girl genius, gives you a ride on her pet pteranodon and demonstrates physics based on precise musical melodies. A great book to inspire reluctant readers to read on...and reluctant writers to create.

This book is great for kids age 8-11. Although an illustrated book, it has a lot of text and the concepts and vocabulary are challenging for this age group. It's great for reluctant readers who like gadget, adventure, humor, and beautiful watercolor illustrations. The Extraordinary Adventures or Ordinary Basil is the first in what is so far a series of two ordinary Basil books. I hope Mr Miller doesn't take too long with a next installment.

What a great book! Wish there were stories like this when I was a kid. Great imagination & lots of fun

My 7 year old boy and myself love this book. It is well written and keeps you wanting to read more for more adventures and surprises.

Children can relate easily to the adventures in the book and it can turn on their own imagination, as they themselves become part of the story.

Great work!

This is a truly WONDERFUL book for reading-aloud at bedtime. Both kids, ages 6 and 10, LOVED the adventures of Basil. Just enough illustrations to be captivating without detracting from the writing. Looking forward to the next book!