Customer Reviews

Marveltown

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Inhabitants of Marveltown have used their extroaordinary creativity and engineering skills to develop their town into a futuristic place with the biggest, most enjoyable, and most efficient contraptions imaginable. People could drive through a special carwash at 80 miles per hour, fish from atop a mile-high tower, and turn a large area of farmland into a winter playground at the flip of a switch. The clever children learned quickly from their parents' ability to innovate, and free access to the supplies in the "Invent-o-Drome" gave the kids unrivaled opportunities to produce their own marvelous inventions.

When the parents built enormous electro-hydraulic robots to take over construction of the new airborne highway, they did not realize that a small electrical mishap could turn the robots into an army of menacing monsters. Can the children save Marveltown from destruction?

Bruce McCall tells a fascinating story that is centered around some important ideas in economics related to innovation and production. Namely, Marveltown's various inventions have allowed the residents to do things better and faster, enjoy new activities not imagined before, and improve their well-being. This lesson is woven into an action-packed account with intriguing illustrations. Hold onto your hats and go for an incredible ride into Marveltown.

I am a school librarian. I had around 100 1st graders read a group of 25 books published within the last year. This book was voted number one!

A delightful bit of froth from Mr McCall, the artist who lovingly keeps the magic of the Streamline age alive. I enjoyed it a lot more than his previous concept book: `The last Dream-O-Rama' which I thought was much too little in too much book. Marveltown is back to paintings that give you a return on many repeat viewings.

Nicely the book can be appreciated by teens and old geezers like me. Certainly worth a buy as is the best of McCall in 'Zany Afternoons' and 'All meat looks like South America'. These two books are gems because they reprint his magazine features over the last few decades.

###LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK BY CLICKING 'customer images' under the cover.

I bought this book for my seven year old nephew. He really enjoyed the illustrations - every page is full of incredible detail. We pointed at different things in the background and made up our own little stories about the inventions and things that were happening.

However, I have to say that the language was a bit difficult for a small child. And I can't imagine a child much older really enjoying this kind of a book. So it feels a little like it was written for hipsters who like a little irony and satire with their graphic novels.

But maybe that's not fair, it's possible that over time my nephew will explore the pages of the book and keep discovering and imagining new things on the edges of each page.

Giant electrohydraulic robots attempt to destroy the city of the future (future circa 1956)...what else do you need? The kids are all inventors, the future tech totally retro - geeky dads will love it, and maybe it will get them to read to their kids more (hint hint moms).

Marveltown is beautiful to look at and filled with fun ideas.It takes me back to being a child and getting lost in the pictures in my books. I bought this for my nephew and haven't heard wether or not he likes it.If I were eight (or younger) I'd like it.

I love Bruce McCall's writings and drawings in THE NEW YORKER. This is not him at his best.And I understand this is a young person's book.