Tingleberries, Tuckertubs and Telephones Pb [Paperback]

Margaret Mahy (Author)

Book Description

Saracen Hobday lives on a lonely island with his granny, who was once a detective inspector. When Granny hears that her erstwhile pirate captive has escaped, she sets off to recapture him. However, Saracen discovers that he is able to capture Grudge-Gallows all by himself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A shy boy finds love and ice cream when his spry granny goes off to fight her nemesis, a theatrical pirate out to steal a golden telephone. "As zippy?and often as alliterative?as its title," said PW. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Saracen Hobday, a painfully shy and reclusive boy, lives with his grandmother on lonely Breakfast Island. He spends his days gardening and listening to the bossy woman tell about the great days when she was a detective inspector. When Granny is called back into service to catch the evil pirate Grudge-Gallows, Saracen stays on and fends for himself. Then one day, she sends him a rare tingleberry plant that changes his life. He discovers that to care for it properly, he must make contact with the world. From the moment he picks up the phone, Saracen finds excitement, fortune, and love in a series of madcap events that lead to his soaring self-esteem and the villain's capture. In this 20th-century pirate yarn, Mahy pokes gentle fun at the trappings and treasures of the modern world. Her nonstop, zany plot is filled with lively language punctuated by metaphors, puns, wordplay, and poetry. Staermose's pen-and-ink drawings match Mahy's tone and extend the humor and action of the text. While the piratical cover and undemanding format will attract beginning chapter-book readers, the story's language, pacing, and humor will also make it a terrific read-aloud.?Maggie McEwen, Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, ME
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Puffin Books (February 27, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140377220
• ISBN-13: 978-0140377224
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Margaret Mahy lives in New Zealand and is internationally acknowledged as one of the most outstanding children's writers today. She is the author of more than two hundred books for children of all ages, two of which have received England's Carnegie Medal and others of which have garnered numerous citations from the American Library Association. She is also the recipient of An Order of New Zealand, the highest honor a citizen can receive. In 2006 she received the Hans Christian Andersen award for her contributions to international children's literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tingleberries a Hit with 5th Graders, September 26, 2000

By 

Joyce Link (Atlantic, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tingleberries, Tuckertubs and Telephones (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a 5th grade teacher and I just finished reading this book aloud to my class. They could hardly stand for me to stop reading each day. It was a valuable resource for asking the students to predict what the next chapter would hold, for reviewing previous events, and for introducing them to figurative language. The chapter titles are great discussion starters as well. Humorous characters, interesting vocabulary and just a plain good story with a few suprises make this a great book to use at 4th, 5th grade levels. We are hoping the author will write a sequel!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yum!, June 24, 2000

By 

[e-mail] - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tingleberries, Tuckertubs and Telephones (Mass Market Paperback)

Gran is an ex-policewoman who captured the infamous Blackbeard the pirate. Blackbeard escapes from prison and it's Gran to the rescue! Who would think that Blackbeard would come to their house to steal Tingleberries, a kind of plant that produces ice-cream and grows big when refrigerated. Gran and her grandson make lots of money which lures Blackbeard over. Discover the ending by ordering it over Amazon.com!