Mush's Jazz Adventure [Library Binding]

Daniel Pinkwater (Author), Jill Pinkwater (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2002 | Series: Ready-for-Chapters

Now that Mush -- the talking, cooking, educated dog from space -- is part of the Mangiaro household, Kelly wants to know more about the planet Growf-Woof-Woof, and how her dog came to Earth. When the two of them go on a picnic, (which Kelly prepares carefully under Mush's supervision), Kelly asks Mush about her past. "Well, it's such a long story," says Mush...and soon, Kelly is hearing about Mush's old jazz band, The Hot Animals, and how they dealt with robbers who threatened to knock over their boss's jive joint!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-This beginning chapter book features a cooking, saxophone-playing, talking, alien dog who takes care of her owner, Kelly, while the child's parents are at work. On her home planet of Growl-Woof-Woof, where Man is Dog's best friend, Mush had a little girl as a pet. Explaining to Kelly how she happened to land on Earth (her spaceship ran out of gas and crash-landed), Mush launches into a story reminiscent of the "Traveling Musicians," in which she meets up with a donkey, a cat, and a chicken. They form a band and make their way to Chicago, where they play at Tutti Frutti's Pleasure Palace. Here they frighten a band of robbers and save the dance hall's owner from the thieves. The story, told in first person by Kelly and then Mush, is fast paced and funny and full of total improbabilities-a good bet for capturing the interest of beginning, or reluctant, young readers. Sketchy, black-and-white cartoon illustrations, many full page, pepper the text.
Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Daniel Pinkwater is the author of several bestselling children's

books as well as a popular commentator on National Public Radio. He writes

regular reviews on Contentville.com. Daniel lives in Hyde Park, New York. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 48 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin Library (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689845766
• ISBN-13: 978-0689845765
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,045,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel Pinkwater lives with his wife, the illustrator and novelist Jill Pinkwater, and several dogs and cats in a very old farmhouse in New York's Hudson River Valley.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The sequel to "Mush" - another quick, entertaining read, January 26, 2010

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Mush's Jazz Adventure (Paperback)

"Mush's Jazz Adventure"
Written by Daniel Pinkwater
Illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
(Simon & Schuster, 2001)
------------------------------------------
Another glib, goofy, fun-to-read super-silly book from Daniel Pinkwater. This is the second (of two) (so far) books about Mush, a self-possessed dog from outer space, and Mush's human, Kelly Mangiaro, who takes a mostly supporting role in this story-within-a-story book, wherein Mush tells us how she got to Earth, and what she did before she met Kelly. (Mush formed a trad-jazz band with some other animals, and went to Chicago to get famous. This is a good companion to the first volume -- if you felt thwarted in the first book by Mush's refusal to tell Kelly about how she came to Earth, well, now you'll know. As with the first book, this is another nice, quick read, full of Pinkwater's trademark goofy-silly narrative style -- it's not "great" literature, but it's funny and fun to read. Also, I like a book that has two female main characters, which is kind of a novelty at this age. A good, quick read that will leave you wanting more. (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain children's book reviews)

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite what I expected., December 16, 2004

By 

Karen K. Hart (Austin, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mush's Jazz Adventure (Library Binding)

I placed an order for a book which was just labeled as Mush. I was expecting Mush, a Dog from Space and got this book instead. Mush's Jazz Adventure, while entertaining, is not quite as funny as Mush, a Dog from Space. Also, the publisher printed the illustrations nearly all the way to the edges of the paper and the text almost as far out. While I am all for conserving resources, the tight binding makes it a bit difficult to see everything that is on the page.

There is nothing wrong with the writing here, and Jill Pinkwater's illustrations are inviting as well. The book just wasn't what I expected it to be when I placed my order.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected. . ., December 16, 2004

By 

Karen K. Hart (Austin, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mush's Jazz Adventure (School & Library Binding)

I thought when I ordered this book that I would be getting Mush, a Dog from Space (I believe that, then, the title just appeared as "Mush"). What I actually got was Mush's Jazz Adventure. Mush's Jazz Adventure, while entertaining, is not quite as funny as Mush, a Dog from Space. Also, the publisher printed the illustrations nearly all the way to the edges of the paper and the text almost as far out. While I am all for conserving resources, the tight binding makes it a bit difficult to see everything that is on the page.
There is nothing wrong with the writing here, and Jill Pinkwater's illustrations are inviting as well. The book just wasn't quite what I expected when I placed my order.