This was a funny, gross, charming, delightful and high adventurous tale. Have this book on my shelf for some time. Really glad I gave this a ago. ( )

THE UNLIKELY ADVENTURES OF MABEL JONES is an action-packed, pirate adventure with a huge cast of animal and "hooman" characters. From haunted cities to magical portals, Mabel Jones faces many dangers before finding what she needs to return home. With plenty of kid-friendly humour and a crucial riddle to solve, this book is well-suited for younger middle grade readers.

I read this with my eight year old who enjoyed the fun, slightly spooky pirate situations and always asked for just a few more pages to see what happened next. He was able to read most of it, but due to the length, appreciated a bit of parent reading too. ( )

My Thoughts:
If you (or a loved one) likes Lemony Snicket, Roald Dahl, or Captain Underpants, this one’s for you! There’s very little serious about this book, but it’s a lot of fun in the way that kids of the target age group like it best. Silly situations, caricatures of characters, adventure, peril, perilous adventure, a treasure to find—it’s all here.

Mabel Jones is plucky and resourceful as she helps the crew of the Feroshus Maggot find their treasure—which, incidentally, will open a portal for her to return home. (That’s probably the most serious element of this story, that Mabel really would like to go home.)

Along the way, Mabel makes friends and continues to think her way out of danger.

The ARC I received still had art to come, but the illustrations it did contain were fun line drawings. Likewise, there are some fun typographic tricks to keep young readers engaged.

I loved the names for the various characters—Omynus Hush being my favorite. The captain is just a stereotypical meanie, but other characters have more endearing qualities.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Nose picking. Cartoonish violence. Lack of parental presence. If you are offended by Dahl or Pilkey, don’t go here.

Who Might Like This Book:
Kids from six to 106. You need a sense of humor and fun. If you think Captain Underpants should be removed from libraries, this is NOT a book for you. Lexile Measure: 750

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. ( )