The Greatest Show Off Earth [Audio Cassette]

Margaret Mahy (Author), Richard Mitchely (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1995

An out of this world space adventure featuring Delphinium and Jason, and their bizarre space odyssey to a flying space castle. 3 cassettes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The adventures of a 10-year-old girl on the Space Station Vulnik involve zipping around the galaxy, reviving a traveling space circus and battling pirates. PW found that "all the mad rushing about seems underexplained.... The scattershot results don't measure up to the standards of top-shelf Mahy." Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-On the gloomy Space Station Vulnik, fun is forbidden, but it's Delphinium's 10th birthday, and she wants it to be glorious. Pushing the forbidden "Danger" button, she launches herself, the inquisitive Jason, and the cowardly Mangold into hyperspace. They land in the middle of the Wonder Show, a traveling space circus that had mysteriously disappeared. Soon the friends find themselves battling space pirates led by La Mollerina (the Williwaw of the West), who is determined to stamp out all the fun in the world. In the end, of course, good triumphs over evil. With its clever title, unusual characters, and adventure-packed chapters, Mahy's story is sure to capture the interest of young science-fiction fans, but it may prove to be a somewhat difficult read for those unaccustomed to the genre. The pages are filled with invented vocabulary that generally is not explained, although some of the words can be inferred from context. The plot, while carefully constructed to tie together all the loose ends, is quite involved and sometimes difficult to follow. Another difficulty occurs when, at the end of the final chapter, the author suddenly switches tense-perhaps a device intended to bring the story from the past to the present, but jarring nonetheless. While its Dahl-like humor will appeal to those who enjoyed his The Witches (Farrar, 1983) or Matilda (Viking, 1988), this title is additional fare for fans of humorous sci-fi/fantasy.
Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, Wheeler School, Providence, RI
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Listening Library (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807275182
• ISBN-13: 978-0807275184
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,255,602 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Mahy lives in New Zealand and is internationally acknowledged as one of the most outstanding children's writers today. She is the author of more than two hundred books for children of all ages, two of which have received England's Carnegie Medal and others of which have garnered numerous citations from the American Library Association. She is also the recipient of An Order of New Zealand, the highest honor a citizen can receive. In 2006 she received the Hans Christian Andersen award for her contributions to international children's literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was great!, January 2, 1998

By 

Cat Biddle ([e-mail]) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Greatest Show off Earth (Paperback)

This book was one of the best I have ever read! Margaret Mahy's sense of humor is wonderful and made the book a delight to read. This book starts out with intriging pasts scattered by a huge explosion in an outer space laboratory, which come together, piece by piece, to create a hilarious and out of this world ending!

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my old favorites, September 23, 2008

By 

A. Dyer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Greatest Show off Earth (Paperback)

I had this book when I was very young, around 8 or so - and it was my absolutely favorite book. The story is a silly, sci-fi romp with an inventive (and funny) bent. It's lighthearted, but never saccharine; funny, but not full of fart humor. The drawings are also lively and cute. Overall, a great book for a child of the right age.