Groogleman [Hardcover]

Debra Doyle (Author), James D. Macdonald (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Believing that the grooglemen have taken Leezie the weller, her young student Dan Henchard accompanies the strange hunter, Joshua, on a quest to rescue her. By the authors of Knight's Wyrd.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Dan Henchard, 13, has shown signs of weller's blood-an immunity to the plague that killed his mother and a talent for healing the sick-so he is given the task of tending the stranger who falls ill in his family's farmhouse. Joshua recovers; and when Dan goes off with Leezie Johnson, the village weller, on his first trial to a neighboring plague-stricken village, Joshua follows. Dan and Leezie find death and destruction from disease, but even more from the dreaded grooglemen, who steal the heads of plague victims and burn their villages. When the grooglemen kidnap Leezie, Joshua and Dan rescue her. Along the way, Dan learns some unexpected truths about Joshua. Compared to John Christopher's "Tripods" trilogy (S & S), in which three related novels allow for much greater character and plot development, this book about a post-apocalyptic world is a less detailed, but still successful, example of the genre. Dan and Joshua quickly become sympathetic and interesting characters on a desperate journey through a foreboding landscape. Some readers will guess who the grooglemen might be; others will find an unexpected and though-provoking surprise at the end.
Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152002359
• ISBN-13: 978-0152002350
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,087,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Science Fiction? Fantasy? Excellent either way, June 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Groogleman (Hardcover)

Speaking as a middle grade teacher, I want to recommend this superlative book. Even reluctant readers will be drawn into this deceptively simple tale about a boy on a quest. It seems to be fantasy, but the reader comes to realize through subtle clues that it is actually set in a realistic far future. Beautifully symbolic, exciting, humorous, moral, it is a must for any school library--or personal library

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lyrical Fantasy, October 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Groogleman (Hardcover)

Both ethically aware and beautifully written, this book explores what it means to be human. The other themes interwoven in the adventurous plot include the bonds of kinship, and the moral dimesion of society -- helping others from kindness or from self-interest.

I recommend this book to anyone, child or adult, who ever wondered about the philosophy of loss and redemption. Don't let me scare you off, this book isn't dry moralizing, it's also exciting, colorful, and full of sharp and subtle characterizations. Get one for yourself, and one for a friend. You'll be glad you did.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Groogleman, March 27, 2000

By 

Ezat Nayeri (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Groogleman (Hardcover)

Groogleman is a great book for middle school kids. The authors did a great job on describing the details and creating the final plot. This book is so exciting that after the first few pages you would want to read more and more. You might not want to put the book down after you start it. There are so many events happening at the same time that it is so exciting and interesting. It is kind of a long story but made short into a small book with the main stuff only and with fine details. The way the authors describes the characters is just so awesome. They describe the Groogleman so good that it feels that you can see it. It feels so real when they describe it that you can understand it like a movie nad how the author was seeing it in their minds. The way the authors describes their personality, feelings, and looks is just so great. It feels like a movie but just with more details and you can assume what will happen next without having to stop the tape. I would suggest this book to people who like to read adveturous mystery and little horror. The setting and the plot are great for all those readers. It is such a good book that I think it deservers four stars. I have enjoyed this book and I think other readers will as well too.