Zeb and the Great Ruckus

There's A Fine Line Between Fantastical and Twee

The author manages to walk that line, but every now and then he threatens to wander into precious territory. Fortunately, and I assume intentionally, every time we start to get a bit too sugary the author adds a few drops of vinegar to keep us interested.

Zeb and Flip are on a quest to find Smokey Waters and return music to the land. Some fantasy creatures try to help; some creatures and humans oppose them. This is "Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles" territory, but that's fine, especially when the allegorical adventure is punctuated by action, inventiveness, and some dry and sly adult humor.

So, on one hand you have a gently demented Mom who speaks only in rhyming couplets and you have magical rabbit creatures who "eat" music through their ears. On the other hand you have menacing Admonisher enforcers and Trojans, useless consumer items that are used to captivate and distract villagers.

The whole theme based on the banning of music, (and by extension the issue of totalitarian control), is an interesting addition to the usual quest/magical item genre, and the author goes in a lot of new and unexpected directions without abandoning or making fun of the larger quest/adventure tradition. So, you get something new and different, but you still have a dependable plot and story frame.

There is a lot of snappy and witty dialogue here, and some very funny grace notes and throwaway lines. At first you suspect that this book is going to be very earnest and obvious and very heavy going. But, and especially once the quest to find Smokey gets going, it picks up the pace, lightens up and opens up. This is also the point at which Zeb's companion Flip comes in to her own, and the narrative moves away from third person and relies more on the interactions between Zeb and Flip. Since both kids are smart, funny and observant, and both have a bit of a deadpan sense of humor, this adds additional energy to the story.

I guess the upshot is that the book starts fine but gets even better as it goes along; the characters grow on you, and you begin to appreciate how well the author is doing what he's doing. This certainly feels like it would be a nice change of pace and sort of mellow addition to the family book shelf.

Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

Zeb lives in a land much like ours. Kids go to school. Mothers create questionable recipes. Homework and chores exist. Bullies and quirky kids clash. Leaders abuse their power. Then again, Zeb's world is very different from ours. You never know what clay and music combined will get you. Birds can be your average run of the mill birds or made or clockwork. Animals can create magical music.

At it's core the story is simple - one extinct creature suddenly reappears. At the same time Zeb is turning twelve and receiving messages his father had written as he was dying, to be given to Zeb on his twelfth birthday Combined, the two events lead Zeb on the adventure of a lifetime. An adventure where he's seeking answers both for himself (about what kind of person his father was) and potentially his whole world ( surely and extinct musical being comimg back means something for all of them given the czar has banned music?).

It's a short book targeted at the children's market but adults will love it just as much as any child will. Short or not, it would be a fast read because it's perfectly paced and even the darkest times keep a cheery tone that keep you wanting to trot onward, hopefully to a sing song happily ever after.

^Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for a review. I received nothing in the way of compensation beyond the free book. They received nothing beyond my word that I'd read it and review it honestly.

Crazy. Nutty. Completely wacky. Fantastically unique!

I absolutely loved this story. Books like this are the reason I read.

While the plot is nothing spectacular (it is a basic quest plot), it is the way
the book is written that makes it so appealing. It is a brilliant new take on an old story. The characters are vibrant and lively, each with a distinct personality that makes them loveable and memorable.

To say that I was pleasantly surprised by this story would be an understatement. I was completely overjoyed when I realized that I was reading something entirely cooky and crazy. Zeb and the Great Ruckus was an addictive novel that felt like a cross between Dr. Seuss and Catherynne M. Valente. Josh Donellan has all of Valente's unique story telling ability while infusing it with Seuss's wackiness.

From the way that Zeb's mother speaks only in rhyme, to Flip's distracted obsession with food, and the way Smokey thinks of his guitar as a daughter, this story was full of surprises and bits of fun craziness. I sincerely hope to see many more books from this author.

The Cover: I can't really decide what to think about the cover. I love the artwork, and it goes very well with the story, but it doesn't stand out in any way. It was one of those books that I almost passed over (but I'm SO glad I didn't!).

My thoughts: A Totally Awesome and Magical Book

This book reminded me of some of my favorite children’s book written for adults J - ‘The Three Fat Men’ and ‘Haroun and the Sea of Stories’. The book talks about unjust governments, weird and unfair rules, and the citizens who stand up against wrongs. Yet it is a fun read with laughs in every page. How Josh accomplishes it is part of the magic of the book.

Metaphors and similes are scattered all over this book – in every page, in fact – like pearls in a beautiful ocean, like the stars in the perfect sky! They are musical,
magical!

Zeb and his best friend Flip set off on a magical adventure and meet fantastical creatures like Alephs and Bewilderbeasts. Their mission – use the power of love and music to free their land from the tyrannical ruler. They are aided in this by Serena (Zeb’s mom who only talks in rhyme), Mr.Hemingdrake (their teacher), and Smokey (a talented musician and a great friend).

The children are clever, mischievous, and imaginative. I especially love Flip – I think she is my favorite character in this book. The adults (mentioned here) are just the type of adult I would love to be. The illustrations are perfect for the book.

My son is already reading it the second time around by the time I finished it :) and now I am tempted to read it once more, already, and I just put it down. (I actually am reading it again!). I am also going to read the first book by Josh (not a children’s book) and look forward to more from him.

Rating: A+
Reading Level: ages 8 – 99 and above Reread Level: 5/5

Disclaimer:Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a digital review copy of the book above. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book was in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal opinions formed when I read the book.