A stunning sequel to a storytelling classic, with a contemporary twist
Michael Pine is a boy with no direction in life. Mixed up in gangs, he is headed straight for a juvenile detention center. Until he is given a second chance and discovers a world beyond his imagination. A world of Lilliputians - people the mere size of a thumb. But this is a world in terrible danger, and they need Michael's help. But Michael has some trouble of his own - ...
A stunning sequel to a storytelling classic, with a contemporary twist
Michael Pine is a boy with no direction in life. Mixed up in gangs, he is headed straight for a juvenile detention center. Until he is given a second chance and discovers a world beyond his imagination. A world of Lilliputians - people the mere size of a thumb. But this is a world in terrible danger, and they need Michael's help. But Michael has some trouble of his own - he's been framed for theft and it appears his second chance is about to expire. He needs to do what he can to save the Lilliputians from certain death. But how can he save them if he's locked up for a crime he didn't commit?
Using elements of the original Gulliver's Travels, Carter Crocker has created an exciting and enchanting story perfect for kids today.
This story is a contemporary follow-up to the classic Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift that captivated generations of young readers. When the Lilliputians from this classic enter the troubled life of twelve-year-old Michael Pine, these Little People truly become his salvation. Michael's attempt to escape from the related gang activities as he does his community service is a driving force in the story. His efforts to aid the threatened Lilliputians also help him to save himself. Michael's actions show his character development well as he copes with the events swirling around him. The satirical elements of the Lilliputians' society (i.e. the Little People's useless war) may be lost on young readers since they would probably not relate these elements to a contemporary adult society. It is still, however, a very engaging and creative story with many other elements that will enchant young readers. Some knowledge of Gulliver's Travels would provide important background information and insight when reading this novel. This information would clarify the establishment of the world of the Lilliputians as stated in the letter from 1725. Reviewer: Annie Laura Smith
School Library Journal
Gr 5–8—The wind has been blowing as long as anyone can remember in Moss-on-Stone. Orphaned Michael Pine is 12 years old, directionless, and vulnerable to the demands of the local gang leader. "It's your time, Michael," Nick says, unknowingly communicating a greater fate than either boy could possibly imagine. When Michael discovers a village of little people (Lilliputians) living behind crazy old Lemuel Gulliver's cottage, his purpose in life becomes clear—he must protect these small folk from the dangers of the outside world. This becomes more challenging after Lemuel leaves to reunite with an old flame and Michael is framed for theft at the market where he works. He recruits his new friend Jane, a parochial-school girl looking to break free from her father's vigilant eye, to assist him. On the one hand, this follow-up to Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels serves as a fantasy adventure with a fresh, relatable protagonist to those unfamiliar with the classic. On the other hand, it's a smart, sophisticated nod to Swift's satirical original. Using the omniscient third-person point of view, Crocker develops Michael's character through the boy's actions and dialogue as well as the observations of others. With a deft hand, he shows readers that Michael is not as lost as he is believed to be, and that perhaps it's the leaders of the villages—both big and small—who should be concerned about the way their lives are blowing. Timely.—Alison O'Reilly, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, NY
Kirkus Reviews
Young readers won't need to have read Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels to enjoy this fantasy about a contemporary kid who comes across a village of Lilliputians by accident. Twelve-year-old Michael Pine suffers from a lack of imagination, and who could blame him? His uncle shows no interest in him except for his stipend for caring for the boy, the local gang presses him to complete an initiation by robbing a store and he doesn't otherwise see much hope for the future. That is, until he stumbles upon a tiny village in the backyard of the town eccentric, Lemuel Gulliver. Michael's struggles to cope with accusations (some false, some true), keep his job at a grocery store and avoid the gang become compounded by his taking the responsibility of protecting the Lilliputians. Swiftian satire isn't completely absent here (the Lilliputian community devolves into a useless war, while the people in Michael's world experience their own power struggles), but the focus is more on character development than political commentary. Michael is the one character everyone else in the story relies on (Mr. Fenn at the store, his uncle who needs the stipend, the Lilliputians and even the gang, whose members lack smarts), and it's satisfying when he comes into his own to save the little people, sticking up for himself in the process. Fast-paced action, a sympathetic main character and appealing alternate reality combine here for a kid-friendly introduction to a classic. (Magical adventure. 10-14)
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Overview
Michael Pine is a boy with no direction in life. Mixed up in gangs, he is headed straight for a juvenile detention center. Until he is given a second chance and discovers a world beyond his imagination. A world of Lilliputians - people the mere size of a thumb. But this is a world in terrible danger, and they need Michael's help. But Michael has some trouble of his own - ...