The Neddiad: How Neddie Took the Train, Went to Hollywood, and SavedCivilization [Paperback]

Daniel Pinkwater (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 2009 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Bestselling author Daniel Pinkwater's story of how Neddie, a shaman, a ghost, three pals, and a maneuver known as the French substitution determine the fate of the world.

Melvin the Shaman. Sandor Eucalyptus. Billy the Phantom Bellboy. Daniel Pinkwater's weird and wonderful tale of Neddie Wentworthstein's quest to save civilization features some of the most unique heroes and villains a reader could hope to meet. Despite the heavy responsibility that Neddie must carry (not every kid is charged with rescuing humankind from doom), his story is hilarious, warm, welcoming, and sweet.

Editorial Reviews

Review

* "Even if there were no quest at the heart of the tale (and there is a good one) this would be a highly entertaining road trip--thanks to Pinkwater's one-of-a-kind comic sensibility and his uncanny ability to access the language and mindset of boys." (Publishers Weekly, starred review )

"Pinkwater, master of nostalgia-tinged satire (or is it satire-tinged nostalgia?), sets this very funny encomium to the '40s in a swath of America stretching from Chicago to L.A....Neddie's pitch-perfect rendition of that '40s voice--a tad formal, a smidgen hardboiled, faintly tongue-in-cheek--should charm even the most jaded 12-year-old." (The Washington Post )

"The title of this book ought to give you an idea of its goofy wonderfulness....What makes this book so delightful--apart from the zaniness of the storyline--is the suthor's lively, humane wit." (The Wall Street Journal )

About the Author

Daniel Pinkwater is crazy about writing, and has been trying to learn how to do it for fifty years. He has written about a hundred books, all but two or three of them good. People who own radios may know Daniel Pinkwater as a popular commentator and children’s book reviewer on National Public Radio. At one time, he lived in Los Angeles, went to a fancy private school with the children of movie stars, and ate in The Hat numerous times. He 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.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper; Reprint edition (February 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547133677
• ISBN-13: 978-0547133676
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Turtles
  • #43 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Turtles

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

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice child's story, February 14, 2009

By 

Maureen Mielcarek "Tina Mielcarek" (Lancaster, California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Neddiad: How Neddie Took the Train, Went to Hollywood, and SavedCivilization (Paperback)

The Neddiad is the first book in an ongoing series about adventures of a group of young children.

The stories are well written with the innocence and curiosity of the young in mind. The stories move along at a nice pace and the complexity is kept to a minimum. There is danger lurking about, but there is no violence or bloodshed.

The characters are well developed and will become imaginary friends for the children who follow their adventures.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to start their child on a series of reading adventures (some what like Nancy Drew of an earlier era).

5.0 out of 5 stars Really dood book, April 11, 2011

By 

John McGreivey - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Neddiad: How Neddie Took the Train, Went to Hollywood, and SavedCivilization (Paperback)

I read this to my 7-year-old son, and we were rolling with laughter most of the time, as we usually do when we read a Pinkwater book. It's very wacky and surreal. It's sort of like Kurt Vonnegut for kids (but it's a great read even if you're not a kid).

It's not quite as crazy as Pinkwater's great novel Borgel (included in 4 Fantastic Novels), but it's close.

I also recommend the sequel, [[ASIN:9780547328652 The Yggyssey: How Iggy Wondered What Happened to All the Ghosts, Found Out Where They Went, and Went There]].

There's a sequel to the sequel, [[ASIN:9780547223247 Adventures of a Cat-Whiskered Girl]], which I haven't read yet, but I bet it's great, too.

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book!, February 8, 2011

By 

J. Olson "lgbt film fanatic" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Neddiad: How Neddie Took the Train, Went to Hollywood, and SavedCivilization (Paperback)

I read this with my daughter and we both loved it. Daniel Pinkwater's literary style is an absolute joy for kids and grown ups alike.