Suppose there were 12-year-old twins, a boy and girl named John and Abigail Templeton. Let's say John was pragmatic and played the drums, and Abigail was theoretical and solved cryptic crosswords. Now suppose their father was a brilliant, if sometimes confused, inventor. And suppose that another set of twins—adults—named Dean D. Dean and Dan D. Dean, kidnapped the Templeton twins and their ridiculous dog in order to get their father to turn over one of his genius (sort of) inventions. Yes, I said kidnapped. Wouldn't it be fun to read about that? Oh please. It would so. Luckily for you, this is just the first in a series perfect for boys and girls who are smart, clever, and funny (just like the twins), and enjoy reading adventurous stories (who doesn't?!).
The Templeton Twins Have an Idea
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"A great book for kids who love puzzles and humor. Weiner's narrators steal the show with their use of sarcasm and wit." - Halley Pucker, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"This entertaining series will win over word lovers, mystery and puzzle solvers, fans of gadgets and those who previously had not thought of themselves as readers" - Shelf Awareness, starred review
"This book is for those students who enjoy a little sarcasm with their humor." - Library Media Connection
"This book a) is extraordinarily snarky, b) has glorious illustrations, c) is sure to be a hit, d) all of the above?" - NerdyBookClub.com
"The scene-hogging narrator steals the show in this clever series opener." - Kirkus Reviews
"The narrator's antics are one of the book's great charms" - Time Out Chicago Kids, Best New Kit Lit Series of 2012
"The narrator plays as big a role (or bigger) as any of the characters, constantly wisecracking, setting up scenes and occasionally berating the reader." - SFGate.com
"The most prominent character is the self-satisfied and aggressively intrusive Narrator, whose banter with readers instantly sets a comedic, sarcastic tone" - Publishers Weekly
"Readers... will welcome this and the duo's future exploits." - Booklist
"Illustrations.play up the story's humor as well as highlighting the twins' ingenuity." - The Horn Book
"If you've got smart (or maybe smart-mouthed) kids, they'll get a kick out of The Templeton Twins" - Wired.com's GeekDads
"Anyone with a sly sense of humor is sure to love this book and cry out for "More, please!" " - Reading Today
"An irresistible start to a planned series" - Common Sense Media
"An entertaining start to a new series." - School Library Journal
"A rip roaring fun read that is a must share." - Shannon Messenger/Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
"A page-turning and funny tale." -Shelf Awareness for Readers, starred review
"A hilarious and clever adventure " - Education.com
"This entertaining series will win over word lovers, mystery and puzzle solvers, fans of gadgets and those who previously had not thought of themselves as readers" - Shelf Awareness, starred review
"This book is for those students who enjoy a little sarcasm with their humor." - Library Media Connection
"This book a) is extraordinarily snarky, b) has glorious illustrations, c) is sure to be a hit, d) all of the above?" - NerdyBookClub.com
"The scene-hogging narrator steals the show in this clever series opener." - Kirkus Reviews
"The narrator's antics are one of the book's great charms" - Time Out Chicago Kids, Best New Kit Lit Series of 2012
"The narrator plays as big a role (or bigger) as any of the characters, constantly wisecracking, setting up scenes and occasionally berating the reader." - SFGate.com
"The most prominent character is the self-satisfied and aggressively intrusive Narrator, whose banter with readers instantly sets a comedic, sarcastic tone" - Publishers Weekly
"Readers... will welcome this and the duo's future exploits." - Booklist
"Illustrations.play up the story's humor as well as highlighting the twins' ingenuity." - The Horn Book
"If you've got smart (or maybe smart-mouthed) kids, they'll get a kick out of The Templeton Twins" - Wired.com's GeekDads
"Anyone with a sly sense of humor is sure to love this book and cry out for "More, please!" " - Reading Today
"An irresistible start to a planned series" - Common Sense Media
"An entertaining start to a new series." - School Library Journal
"A rip roaring fun read that is a must share." - Shannon Messenger/Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
"A page-turning and funny tale." -Shelf Awareness for Readers, starred review
"A hilarious and clever adventure " - Education.com
About the Author
Ellis Weiner is a contributor to the New Yorker and a regular blogger for the Huffington Post. He is also the author of several books, including Yiddish with Dick and Jane, which he co-authored with his wife. He lives in southern California.
Jeremy Holmes is the creative mind behind Mutt Ink, a graphic design studio. His first book, There Was an Old Lady (also published by Chronicle), was awarded BolognaRazzi's Opera Prima award at the 2010 Bologna Book Fair. He lives in Pennsylvania.
Jeremy Holmes is the creative mind behind Mutt Ink, a graphic design studio. His first book, There Was an Old Lady (also published by Chronicle), was awarded BolognaRazzi's Opera Prima award at the 2010 Bologna Book Fair. He lives in Pennsylvania.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The Templeton Twins are your normal, average kids - with a professor for a father, a mother who died, a new dog...and a kidnapper. Actually, not one kidnapper, but two. And to get away, they will need their hobbies, their dog - and "an idea".
I enjoyed the book, for the most part. The story is told by a Narrator who breaks into the story on a regular basis for commentary of his/her own. It's fun, in a smart-alecky sort of way, though it can also be somewhat distracting as well. Breaking the flow of the reader, particularly younger readers, can be a risky move. Whether kids will appreciate it or not will depend on the individual reader. The Narrator did have quite the personality, and so that helped.
The chapters are fairly short - this is not War & Peace, that's for sure. Lots of diagrams and drawings, and even a recipe for meatloaf (it does tie in with the story). The story moves at a fairly fast pace, and while there is a definite resolution, it also leaves an opening for further books. I don't know that the book captured my interest enough to be anxious about any sequels, but again - depending on the individual reader, kids can be very loyal to a series that they enjoy. As a parent and a teacher, I did appreciate the language-based definitions and descriptions that were woven into the story. Any time you can help a child learn while they are enjoying a story is a bonus.
The age range for a stand-alone reader is probably from higher second grade to lower sixth grade. It's definitely not in the YA category - this is for the readers that fall between children's books and the YA section. This would also be a good read for those who have a hard time finishing longer books.
The Templeton Twins are certainly worth checking out.... Read more ›
I enjoyed the book, for the most part. The story is told by a Narrator who breaks into the story on a regular basis for commentary of his/her own. It's fun, in a smart-alecky sort of way, though it can also be somewhat distracting as well. Breaking the flow of the reader, particularly younger readers, can be a risky move. Whether kids will appreciate it or not will depend on the individual reader. The Narrator did have quite the personality, and so that helped.
The chapters are fairly short - this is not War & Peace, that's for sure. Lots of diagrams and drawings, and even a recipe for meatloaf (it does tie in with the story). The story moves at a fairly fast pace, and while there is a definite resolution, it also leaves an opening for further books. I don't know that the book captured my interest enough to be anxious about any sequels, but again - depending on the individual reader, kids can be very loyal to a series that they enjoy. As a parent and a teacher, I did appreciate the language-based definitions and descriptions that were woven into the story. Any time you can help a child learn while they are enjoying a story is a bonus.
The age range for a stand-alone reader is probably from higher second grade to lower sixth grade. It's definitely not in the YA category - this is for the readers that fall between children's books and the YA section. This would also be a good read for those who have a hard time finishing longer books.
The Templeton Twins are certainly worth checking out.... Read more ›
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
When I was a kid, I loved mystery stories. I loved solving puzzles, figuring things out. When I was the parent of a young reader, my son loved the same kind of book.Both of us would recommend this highly, to our elementary school selves.
The characters are quirky and funny. The narrator is quirky and funny. The twins are smart, well-developed leads, who defy gender stereotypes without being preachy about it. The threat posed by the bad guys is real enough to push the plot forward, but not so scary that it distracts from the jokes.
Can't wait for the next one.
The characters are quirky and funny. The narrator is quirky and funny. The twins are smart, well-developed leads, who defy gender stereotypes without being preachy about it. The threat posed by the bad guys is real enough to push the plot forward, but not so scary that it distracts from the jokes.
Can't wait for the next one.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This book is a fun read and very entertaing book. It reminds me alot of the Lemony Snicket "Series of Unfortunate Events" books. It has a narrator who tells the story and stops to explain everything in a joking kind of way. He explains words and why people do things. This kind of gets a little old after awhile though. Their are also a few funny questions at the end of the chapter that are just for fun like asking a multiple choice question and giving different varations of the same answer for the choices or asking you to write a 50,000 word story in French explaining what you thought about something. The story overall is pretty entertaing but does drag along a little bit after all of the stopping by the narrator to explain things.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Big Dave
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I really wanted to like this book, but just couldn't. It has very little plot, protagonists without personality, and lots and lots AND LOTS of shtick with narrative voice. Think Lemony Snicket, only not the bright, fresh, cutting Lemony Snicket of the first book, but the tired, bored, self-indulgent Lemony Snicket of the later books. And instead of "this tale is terrifying so I don't want to tell it to you," the shtick is "I am distracted and anti-social and I have attention deficit disorder, so I can barely be bothered to talk to you at all." And there's very little in the way of plot or character, so the shtick swells to fill most of the book. Ack. I'll give it two stars for some fun stuff about crossword puzzles, but I won't be reading the sequel.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The story line was ok. The author got on my nerves too much to appreciate the story. Maybe the targeted age group wouldn't mind?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Overall, as a book, I enjoyed reading The Templeton Twins Have an Idea: Book One. It reminded me of the Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. The writing style was similar, and the interruptions by the narrator were alike. But, because I found the Snicket series as being fantastic reads, I had high expectations for this book. The story itself was well-written and appeals completely to a middle-school aged audience. My major criticism is the narrator's role. I enjoyed the funny intermissions provided by the narrator, but I feel that most of the story consisted of the narrator preparing the reader for what will happen next. I know that when I was at this age-range, I was able to read and infer what would happen next, without someone else telling me what will happen. Therefore, I think the narrator's participation in the story should be a bit more limited.
I loved the random bits and pieces the book had to offer though, including the humorous "Questions for Review" and the recipe for meatloaf. These pieces helped the book in it's individuality--for instance, I know that I'll remember this book in a year by remembering the recipe and the random inventions the professor created.
I am though, looking forward to the next book--this book left a reader hanging, but not in a way that the reader is upset about it's abrupt stop, but rather in the way that the reader is excited for the next book and for the new adventures that it will hold.
I loved the random bits and pieces the book had to offer though, including the humorous "Questions for Review" and the recipe for meatloaf. These pieces helped the book in it's individuality--for instance, I know that I'll remember this book in a year by remembering the recipe and the random inventions the professor created.
I am though, looking forward to the next book--this book left a reader hanging, but not in a way that the reader is upset about it's abrupt stop, but rather in the way that the reader is excited for the next book and for the new adventures that it will hold.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for getting kids hooked on reading
The book starts out with a prolonged prologue - very funny and intriguing with unusual illustrations. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Y. R. Wu
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quirky Characters
(I received this book as a gift in exchange for an honest review)
I have pretty good kid readers in my house, so this one was read by a 2nd and a 4th grader It was... Read more
I have pretty good kid readers in my house, so this one was read by a 2nd and a 4th grader It was... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Beccaboney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can't wait for the next book!
The Templeton house is a sad place. The Templeton twins, John and Abigail are dealing with the death of their mother. Read more
Published 2 months ago by This Kid Reviews Books
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
My son thought it was a really good book. He thought it was quite funny. I loved the introduction and prologue.
Published 3 months ago by Lisa J Bernstein
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best book ever!!!!!!!!!!
I love this book. I can't wait for the next one to come out. The Narrator is so funny, and he is also annoying but that's what makes it funny!
Published 3 months ago by petty and perfect
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good storyline, awkward storytelling
I had high hopes for this book. The plot looked fun and the main characters seemed interesting and smart. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Beth E. Settje
1.0 out of 5 stars
Waste of your time!
This book isn't even a book at all. I would give a zero star rating if I could. It is just a load of gibberish copied from the style of Lemony Snicket's quirky narration. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Amazonbooklover
5.0 out of 5 stars
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the best book ever. It is very suspenseful. This is a book all readers should read. You should read it.
Published 4 months ago by CTfeather
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very clever and funny
For fans of Lemony Snicket, here's a new series that should tickle your fancy. I loved the "questions at the end of the chapter". Read more
Published 5 months ago by P. Hamm
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Templeton Twins
I loved this book and I think my students will love it as much as I did. In an age where we test our students to death, any book that throws jabs at testing is going to be loved. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Sandra K. Stiles
