King of the Mole People (King of the Mole People Series #1)

by Paul Gilligan, Paul Gilligan (Illustrator)

Overview

Paul Gilligan's smart and funny illustrated middle grade series stars Doug, King of the Mole People, who struggles to balance chaos both in school and in the underworld.

"The Wimpy Kid's got nothing on the King of the Mole People—he's got more laughs and more mud."—Kirkus Reviews

Doug Underbelly is doing his best to be normal. It's not easy: he's bad at jokes, he's lousy at sports, and he lives in a creaky old mansion surrounded by gravestones. Also Magda, the weird girl at school, won't leave him alone. And if that weren’t enough, he recently got crowned King of an underground race of Mole People.

Doug didn't ask to be king—it's a job he can't really avoid, like the eel sandwiches his dad makes for him (with love). If he thought dealing with seventh grade was tricky, it's nothing compared to navigating the feud between Mole People, Slug People, Mushroom Folk and Stone Goons, not to mention preventing giant worms from rising up and destroying everything. How will Doug restore order? It's all a matter of diplomacy!

Christy Ottaviano Books

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250171344
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	08/27/2019
Series:	King of the Mole People Series , #1
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Paul Gilligan is the creator of the syndicated comic strip Pooch Cafe and has won awards for both illustration and design for such publications as Entertainment Weekly, the Wall Street Journal, and MAD magazine. He lives in Toronto, Canada, with his family.

Paul Gilligan is the creator of the syndicated comic strip Pooch Cafe and has won awards for both illustration and design for such publications as Entertainment Weekly, the Wall Street Journal, and MAD magazine. He lives in Toronto, Canada, with his family.

Editorial Reviews

"The Wimpy Kid's got nothing on the King of the Mole People—he's got more laughs and more mud."—Kirkus Reviews

"Filled with sly humor and featuring a relatable narrator for any kid who’s ever felt like a total loser. Will appeal to those who enjoy Max Brallier’s “Last Kids on Earth” series."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2019-06-19
Being "a normal, average kid" is next to impossible when you're a total weird magnet.

Doug Underbelly is on a quest to rise from the bottom of the school social order, which requires the appearance of normality. He and his father live in a creepy old house surrounded by graves (some open), so Doug pretends he lives in the quaint house next door. Crushes on girls are normal, so he fakes one. Everyone has a best friend; that must be Simon, who once gave him a stick of gum. But Doug has a supercolossal weird secret: He's King of the Mole People. That's why he's always covered with mud and, often, grubs. Their former king Zoooooooooooooooog (lots of O's means high rank in Mole country) had been deposed for not enforcing Mole laws. The Royal Guard and the people like Doug, but Croogoolooth the Royal Advisor seems to be up to something. When a crisis inside the Earth threatens the surface, is there any hope Doug can achieve his goals? In his middle-grade debut, Gilligan, creator of the comic strip "Pooch Cafe," communicates the myth of "normal" with goofy (and often slimy) good humor. His many cartoons and goggle-eyed illustrations make for added laughs. Characters appear white (or various shades of green).

The Wimpy Kid's got nothing on the King of the Mole People—he's got more laughs and more mud. (Fantasy. 7-12)

Kirkus Reviews