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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eric Wight Does It Again, February 13, 2010
This past Sunday found my children waiting patiently at the Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, PA. They were there to get their hands on one of the world's first purchased copies of "Frankie Pickle and the Pine Run 3000." Well...they waited as patiently as a five and a three year old are able. "Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom" had dug its fantastic claws into my children's brains, and they needed more. And their father...me...was just as anxious to see what Frankie would be up to next.
Eric Wight has managed to pull off an almost impossible feat with this series of books. He has combined the chapter book and graphic novel formats to create stories that pull the reader (whether they be 31 or 3) along on an adventure that defies easy catagorization or description. One thing I can say as a parent is that I am rarely as interested in storytime as I am when Frankie Pickle is next on the pile.
Wight's language does not insult the intelligence of the young. Kids understand more than we think they do, and Wight knows it. His word choice often results in tongue twisting combinations of sounds and syllables that are every bit as much fun to read aloud as they are to see on the page. And just when you get comfortable with the story, Frankie's imagination takes control and we are treated to comic-style panels with outlandish depictions of the world as seen by the young protagonist.
I realize that I haven't said very much, specifically, about "Frankie Pickle and the Pine Run 3000" in this review, and I promise that this is intentional. I don't want to ruin anything for you. Trust me.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
We love this series!, April 9, 2010
Reason for Reading: Next in the series, read aloud to my son.
Summary: Frankie Pickle is the only member of his Possum Scout group who didn't earn enough points to move up to the next level so he decides to participate in the annual model car derby. If he can win he will earn enough points to move up with everyone else.
Comments: My son is really enjoying Frankie Pickle! Being a cub scout himself and participating each year in the cub car rally, he knew exactly what Frankie was facing. He laughed out loud when he saw the race tracks they had to run and found plenty of other moments to laugh as well. This book is a combination of text with graphic panels interwoven throughout. Frankie's imagination often runs away with him and in these instances the format will turn into a graphic novel as he becomes a magician, superhero, artist, race car driver, etc.
The story is a lot of fun from a kid's point of view but what I also like as a parent is the family dynamics of the Piccolini's. Frankie's parents are a vital part of the story, especially the dad this time, and Frankie is a respectful kid with no backtalk or whining. Frankie learns a lesson in the end about asking for help and being a good sportsman. This is a great follow up to Closet of Doom and we look forward to book 3 due out later this year, The Mathematical Menace.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun book for kids, parents will appreciate the moral of the story, April 21, 2010
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I picked up "Frankie Pickle and the Pine Run 3000" in the hopes of finding a fun book for my 4th grade son to read. The cover art reminded me a bit of "Speed Racer", which alot of kids enjoy. As an adult, I flew through the book quickly, as it's less than 90 pages.
In Eric Wight's book, we find Franklin Lorenzo Piccolini, a.k.a. "Frankie Pickle" participating in a local scout troop, working on merit badges and getting to the next level in their program. Frankie has a vivid imagination, frequently zoning out in to another cartoon-like world, a la the old "Calvin & Hobbes" cartoon strips.
Frankie decides to enter a pinewood derby-like race called the Pine Run 3000, which has been around for generations. His father relishes the idea of helping his son create the race car, but he backs off when Frankie wants to do it on his own. Later Frankie and his dad do come together to work on the project, and they have alot of fun doing it.
Frankie goes on to get into some interesting situations and learns a few lessons along the way. As a parent of two boys, I could really appreciate alot of the notes that were played in this book. I loved the teachable moments in the story, and I especially appreciated the lack of bathroom humor, frequently found in many Middle Grade level books. The closest thing to an offensive moment for me was when one character said, "I smell loser!" and Frankie replies with, "Must be your breath!"
Overall, this was a great little book. I'll certainly be passing this on to my son to read. It teaches honesty, good sportsmanship, good parenting, perseverance, youthful imagination and the value of family heritage, all in a fun, kid-friendly way. I definitely recommend this title.
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