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Howard O'Brien

The Impulsive Imp Paperback – February 28, 2007

by Howard O'Brien (Author)

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A lot happens to the Impulsive Imp on his way from the living room to the kitchen; he steals from the cookie jar and jousts with the cat. However, Roddy and Alice teach the Imp that there are missions in life more important than mischief.

Print length

154 pages
Language

English
Publication date

February 28, 2007
Dimensions

5.25 x 0.35 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

1419661167
ISBN-13

978-1419661167
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Editorial Reviews

Review

A tiny troublemaker wreaks havoc on a mystified household in this charming children's fable. He's as tall as a pencil, with a doorknob-shaped nose, a long tail with a barbed tip that makes a fine grappling hook, and a voice "as loud as the ticking of a grandfather clock." When he springs into existence in a chimney knothole, the titular Imp has a personality that's finely balanced between self-pity and egotism--he considers himself the "loneliest" and "the smartest imp in the whole world"--and a paranoid conviction that the world is full of enemies that's reinforced when he singes his tail in the fireplace. In his nocturnal wanderings through the house, he's motivated only by curiosity, hunger and a need to protect himself against the looming threats he perceives everywhere. But to the rest of the household, especially the hard-hearted housekeeper Septuagesima, the aftermath--pilfered cookie jars, spilled cereal boxes, oversalted soup--seem like works of malicious pranksters. The family's young children, Alan and Alice, take the blame and begin to develop "complexes" from their undeserved punishment, but as the impishness escalates to missing shoes, sprung mousetraps and a flooded kitchen Septuagesima starts to suspect their father of madness. Meanwhile, as the Imp and a loquacious mouse confront the danger posed by the housecat Drip and the totalitarian menace of brown rats bent on world domination, the mischief shades toward destruction with serious consequences. In this superbly crafted children's story, the Imp is a charismatic protagonist, neurotic but appealing in his diminutive grandiosity. His hilarious misadventures, nicely episodic to facilitate bedtime storytelling, are cunningly choreographed and flow organically from the predicaments imposed on small, uncomprehending figures by a big, oblivious world. The result--an imaginative, beautifully written fantasy with overtones of Dr. Seuss, Lemony Snicket and George Orwell--is a comic gem. --Kirkus Discoveries October 14, 2009

About the Author

A native New Orleanian, Howard O'Brien loved red beans and rice. He was a purist about the dish. He added no meat, no secret ingredients. He soaked the beans, simmered them with a couple of dried bay leaves, served them over freshly steamed rice, and shook lots of pepper on top. --Tamara Tinker

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ BookSurge Publishing (February 28, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 154 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1419661167
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1419661167
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.35 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #5,188,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,915 in Children's Values Books
- #58,398 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books
- #902,267 in Romance (Books)

Customer Reviews:
17 ratings

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Georgie Pendragon

Are you sure you're alone?

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2009

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God help me, but I have impossibly fallen head over madness for the fairy story known as The Impulsive Imp. I am reminded of some of my favourite tales by George MacDonald, a pioneer in the realm of the child-based fantasy novel. There lingers a special appeal and honour of an innocence discovering it's place in the world and yet not forgetting itself. There is definitely an audience that needs to be awoken to this particular charm and styling.

This meticulously preserved and finitely edited tale is a sure fire medicine for the whimsical palate of the modern reader. Author Howard O'brien, shows his sincere moxie for story-telling and fans of his daughters..none other than the world renowned Anne Rice and Alice Borchardt...mistresses of the supernatural themselves, will be delighted to find the concentrated seeds of their inherited and parentally-promoted literary talent, and recognize the familial gift with a nifty immediacy.

Once immersed in the tale of the Imp, it is close to watching a Disney-Pixar film. Such a fine method for description is employed that the words define a magical visual essence. Definite food for a busy mind as we are led from the birthplace of The Imp, an animated wooden splinter come to life in a chimney crevice whose every movement and fancy elevate us to giddiness...through his adventures through a huge world comepletely oblivious to his wily existence.

Don't we all feel that way sometimes? We can learn a lot from this little Imp. From his technique for dealing with a monstrosity of a landscape and certainly from his exquisitely wrought character.

Do yourself a favour and fall in love with the Imp, and let the intrigue and charm carry you anon.

I would also advise encountering the amazing literary talents of his daughters Anne Rice and Alice Borchardt (who were actually entertained by their father's Imp tale as children), also his son-in-law, the poet/painter Stan Rice and grandson Christopher Rice. This is a family of writers, poets and painters to be reckoned with.

12 people found this helpful

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Sumiko Saulson

An Undiscovered Treasure

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2013

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Howard O'Brien's "The Impulsive Imp" is an entertaining romp with an angry little imp bought into existence as the mystical revenant of a tragic event. The well-written narrative, with it's use of vividly descriptive language and imaginative reworking of the fairytale universe is at once wistfully poignant and wickedly funny. Born full grown from the enchanted splinter of a tree, this mischievous imp isn't evil - he's just misunderstood.

"The Impulsive Imp" demonstrates a mastery of lyrical prose that is consistent with a story written for reading aloud. The clever alliteration was clearly written to keep the fantastic adventure entertaining to the ears of the young children to which he repeatedly read the tale. In that, this book shares a legacy with Frank L. Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", and C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia", each of which were written over the course of time as a part of an oral story told to children known to the author. Like these books, "The Impulsive Imp" has benefited from the process. The finely crafted language is an entertainment in and of itself, apart from the very funny and sometimes moving story of a household haunted by a sometimes lonely, self-pitying, attention-seeking imp with an amazing back story.

What separates it from these other examples of children's literature is that of course, the children it was being read to included Alice Borchardt and Anne Rice, who would grow up to become authors themselves. It is impossible to separate the book from the two future authors he was reading it to: O'Brien excels at witty character dialog in a way that would bring apt comparison to Lewis Carroll, but his attention to detail when describing the appearances of the characters and their settings undoubtedly did have an influence on his daughter Anne Rice, the gothic horror novelist.

All in all, this is a clever children's book, filled with beautiful language that evokes the period in which it was written. It was written back when books for children did not talk down to them or by using overly simplified language. It was written in a time when children's books sought to enrich the child's vocabulary while entertaining, and in both these matters it succeeds.

The book stands on it's own: even if he had not been the father of two successful authors (and the grandfather of another) this book would stand as an excellent example of children's literature in it's heyday, and had it been published in the 40s or 50s I'm sure it would stand as one of the classics today.

Although it seems to be written for 8 to 12 year olds, it is a lovely story that has enough twist and turns to keep the grown ups entertained, and I can highly recommend for readers of all ages.

4 people found this helpful

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Aaron Alan Mclean

Wonderful, old fashioned bed time story telling

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2010

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This is truly a delightful story from beginning to end. The adventures of a little imp, dangers around every corner, narrowly escaping certain destruction and dodging his enemies at every turn. And in the process making his first friend. Although my first read of this wonderful gem was for my own benefit I look forward to reading it to my neices and nephews who I know will love it as much as I do. Definitely a book to be read aloud and slowly in chapters one by one!

4 people found this helpful

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Anne Rice

A Daughter's Review

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2009

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My father, Howard O'Brien, wrote this novel when I was a small child living on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. And I remember my father reading chapters of the book, as he wrote it, to my sister, Alice Borchardt, and me. Both of us grew up to be novelists, and when I pick up the Impulsive Imp today, I can see its undoubted influence on my own fictional style. It is a richly imagined and unforgettable story. Thanks to the efforts of Tamara Tinker, the Imp is now available to a wide readership, and I think it will delight children of all ages, just as it delighted the author's daughters so many years ago. An enchanting read. Highly recommended.

66 people found this helpful

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C. Kelly

Very very good!

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2013

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My 8 year old granddaughter is reading this and seems to find it very enjoyable. Some words are unknown to either of us but then it was written shortly after WWII. Nice to have her see a glimpse of how folks lived in the past. O'Brien had quite an imagination.

4 people found this helpful

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TonyaT

Not just for kids

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2012

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I read this book in one day and talked to Anne Rice about her father writing this book. He wrote and read to Anne and her sister Alice every night. This book is enchanting.

2 people found this helpful

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Marie

Loved

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2015

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Great book for kids in their early teens.

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Sheree L. Knotts

INCREDIBLE!

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2013

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This was the best book. I found it totally charming and enchanting. The imp won my heart with his incredible dialogue and big heart. This is one of those books that I wish would never end. It was absolutely amazing. I would recommend it to anyone with an imagination. I have already passed it on to a friend.

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Top reviews from other countries

Dotty Dot Kingman

she said it was brilliant. Thank you

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2014

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This was a gift for my Daughter, she said it was brilliant. Thank you.

Heather Allan

So glad i found it.

Reviewed in Canada on December 15, 2018

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Best price and speed of delivery for this limited run book.

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The Impulsive Imp Paperback – February 28, 2007

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About the author

Howard O'Brien

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