Fat Men from Space [Turtleback]

Daniel Manus Pinkwater (Author)

Product Details

• Turtleback
• Publisher: Demco Media (June 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606021124
• ISBN-13: 978-0606021128
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,031,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel Pinkwater lives with his wife, the illustrator and novelist Jill Pinkwater, and several dogs and cats in a very old farmhouse in New York's Hudson River Valley.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The work of a genius!, January 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fat Men From Space (Paperback)

Shortly after discovering such classics as Alan Mendelsohn: Boy From Mars and Lizard Music, I read Fat Men From Space. When I first picked it up, I was a bit disappointed, it seeming to be a book aimed toward children younger than me (I was twelve at the time). But I LOVED it! At several times I was laughing out loud! A short summary: a young boy, William, somehow gets radio transmissions in his tooth filling! He hears about space men coming, and no one is prepared when it actually happens....

Pinkwater's humor is out of this world! I have read this to my younger sister, my mom, and the kids I baby-sit for, and they all LOVE it! This is recommended to ANYONE who needs a good laugh!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very silly outer space invasion, April 1, 2002

By 

Zagnorch (Terra, Sol System) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fat Men From Space (Paperback)

I've been a reader of Daniel Pinkwater's books since grade school, and even enjoy reading them today. Along with `The Magic Moscow', this particular tale is one of the most memorable for me. Like just about all of the author's kiddie tomes, `Fat Men From Space' has no shortage of strange & bizarre yet lighthearted and gently humorous characters & situations.

What makes this particular story interesting is that there's no actual hero or heroes who save the day in the end. The main character, a boy whose new tooth filling picks up the aliens' radio transmissions, is merely a helpless witness to all of the unfortunate (yet strangely silly) goings-on. Fortunately, outside events play a part in the rotund ETs prematurely concluding their invasion, and the story ends on an upbeat & slightly sappy note.

Unfortunately, some folks might nowadays see this book's titular antagonists as being somewhat un-PC. You know, that whole `FAT Men..." thing and such. Well, all I can say about it is this: if you've ever seen a picture of the author, you might be a little less squeamish about his use of the word "fat", `cause he's a fairly hefty guy himself. The way I see it: if he can deal with it, so can the reader.

One more thing: `Fat Men From Space' is followed up by `Slaves of Spiegel', which I also recommend you take a look at. It too has plenty of the Pinkwater trademarks of silly situations and lighthearted & whimsical humor.

`Late

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top ten Pinkwater. Read this book., February 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Fat Men From Space (Paperback)

A classic, Fat Men From Space introduced me to the world of Pinkwater over 15 years ago. Everything has been a little bit better since. Read this book, and there will be no turning back. The Snarkout Boys, Hobokenites from the Old Country...Lizard Music will beckon..