Harry Newberry and the Raiders of the Red Drink [Hardcover]

Mel Gilden (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

Comic-book fan Harry becomes convinced that his mother is really the super hero Tuatara especially when he tries to help her fight the evil Bonnie Android.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-- In this superbly loony fantasy, comic-book fan Harry becomes convinced that his mother is really the superhero Tuatara when he discovers that the characters in his favorite comic are real. He becomes involved in helping his idol prevent her arch-rival Bonnie Android from destroying Harry's home town and from stealing the super-power bestowing red drink--invented by Harry's grandfather--to bribe the prospective conqueror of the planet Zambeeno. The story contains a stellar group of bizarre characters, including Harry's stodgy brother; unpleasantly bohemian Aunt Agnes (who might be Bonnie Android); the Tuatara's side-kick, Pennyperfect Leiberman; a meglomaniacal robot who can change himself into a vacuum cleaner; a wryly accurate bus-load of fans going to a science fiction convention; and a guest appearance by Watson Congruent, the protagonist of Gilden's The Return of Captain Conquer (Houghton, 1985). Food jokes play a major part as well. The heroes are aided by a pizza which is also a map; weapons shoot cheese blight and chili. While consistant within its premise, there is one loose end concerning the whereabouts of Aunt Agnes during the climax. Like Daniel Pinkwater, Gilden creates a wonderfully impossible reality that just might be lurking around the corner. Great for reluctant readers, and a primer for A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Crown, 1980) by Adams .
-Annette Curtis Klause, Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries, Md.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 151 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holth & Co (J); 1st edition (March 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805006982
• ISBN-13: 978-0805006988
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,932,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mel Gilden is the author of many children's books, some of which received rave reviews in such places as School Library Journal and Booklist. His multi-part stories for children appeared frequently in the Los Angeles Times. His popular novels and short stories for grown-ups have also received good reviews in the Washington Post and other publications. (See new publications under his name at the Kindle Store of Amazon.com.)
Licensed properties include adaptations of feature films, and of TV shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210; and NASCAR Racers. He has also written books based on video games and has written original stories based in the Star Trek universe. His short stories have appeared in many original and reprint anthologies.
He has written cartoons for TV, has developed new shows, and was assistant story editor for the DIC television production of The Real Ghostbusters. He consulted at Disney and Universal, helping develop theme park attractions. Gilden spent five years as co-host of the science-fiction interview show, Hour-25, on KPFK radio in Los Angeles.
Gilden lectures to school and library groups, and has been known to teach fiction writing. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where the debris meets the sea, and still hopes to be an astronaut when he grows up.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book will spark a seven year old's interest in reading, February 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Harry Newberry and the Raiders of the Red Drink (Hardcover)

This book was so funny. Here's a book that a parent can enjoy "reading to" while your child enjoys "listening to." Just wait til you see how much your child remembers as this book moves along. The blend of humor in this book (e.g. "Pete Zamansky, he maneuvers," runs a pizza in the form of maps store selling very useful day old pizza.) with a good working knowledge of the way mothers and sons relate, mixed with a superhero genre,is really rather unique. Picture Ray Bradbury meets Roald Dahl meets Superwoman. Please put this book back in print.

4.0 out of 5 stars superheroes, humour, and family dynamics, May 1, 2009

By 

Barbara Gordon "batgirl" (Victoria BC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harry Newberry and the Raiders of the Red Drink (Hardcover)

I read this book with my son, after we'd read all of Gilden's 5th Grade Monster series. We both enjoyed the quirky touches, like the delivery of day-old pizza (because it's better the next day) and the dreaded 'cheese blight' gun. The story works like one of the old Loony Tunes or Merry Melodies cartoons, with fast-paced wacky action in the foreground, and more subtle jokes in the background for the older or more thoughtful reader. Gilden deserves credit, too, for this early exploration of the angsty-superhero theme and the comic difficulties of saving the world while getting along with your family.
Not for everyone, but one of the rare fast-paced comic stories that repays a second reading.

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Harry Newberry and the Raiders of The Red Drink, February 10, 2000

By 

Jake (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harry Newberry and the Raiders of the Red Drink (Hardcover)

Harry Newberry and the Raiders of the Red Drink was a confusing book. Harry thought his mom was a super hero. I did not like the book because it made no sense at all. It was about super heroes who tried to conquer bad people by drinking "Red Drink." I didn't like the story because it seemed to be written by a kid for a kid. Like the author made up a character named, "Pete Zamansky, he maneuvers." Who worked at a pizza place, he made pizzas with toppings forming a map of some made up planet. Where did they come up with that? So the whole time Harry and his "Super Hero friends," are trying to find out who the evil people are and how they can defeat them. At the end they finally figure out who the people are, but I can't tell you anymore because that would ruin it for you. Then again, I kind of enjoyed the book a little bit because some of the stuff that was so crazy, like people's names that the author made up was kind of funny. So I think the book did have a good side. It was just my opinion that it wasn't the best book in the world, but you never know, you might like it.