The Curse of the Werepenguin

by Allan Woodrow, Scott Brown (Illustrator)

Overview

"Young Frankenstein meets The Princess Bride in the most hysterically hilarious book I've read in years."—Chris Grabenstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author

All orphan Bolt Wattle has ever wanted was to find his true family. When a mysterious baron in far-off Brugaria sends for Bolt, he wonders if he's getting closer to finding his long-lost parents. But Baron Chordata appears to be a twelve-year-old boy who wears tuxedos all the time, shouts at everyone, and forbids Bolt from asking questions. Things couldn't get any worse . . . until midnight, when the Baron bites Bolt and turns him into a half boy, half penguin. Then things really couldn't get worse— nope, wait, they get a lot worse. With the help and hindrance of a plucky girl who just might be the world's greatest bandit, a whale cult led by a man whose weapon is a stale loaf of French bread, and a sinister but friendly fortune-teller who can't stop cackling, Bolt's on a quest to reverse the curse, return to human form, and stop the Baron from taking over the country of Brugaria with his army of mind-controlled penguins in what might be the weirdest—and funniest—middle-grade novel you've ever read.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780451480460
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/28/2020
Series:	Werepenguin , #1
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Allan Woodrow is the author of many books including The Pet War, Class Dismissed, Unschooled, Field Tripped, and now, inspired by Dracula, old werewolf movies, Young Frankenstein, and an odd affection for fish sticks, The Curse of the Werepenguin. When Allan isn't writing, or noshing on breading-coated seafood, he's often presenting to schools, libraries, and conferences. You can learn more about Allan at allanwoodrow.com

Scott has produced work for television commercials, magazines, toys and comics. He spends his free time at his drafting board working on creations of his own. Originally from the seaport of Gloucester, Massachusetts, Scott currently resides on the South-west gulf coast of Florida (he can't stand living too far from the ocean) with his wife, two daughters and a rather affable pug named Linus Van Pelt.

Editorial Reviews

An NPR Best Book!

"Imagine Mary Shelley had a preoccupation with zoos, a sense of humor and bad allergies, then commiserated with Roald Dahl and Mel Brooks to write a story for upper elementary school kids, and you would have The Curse of the Werepenguin."—NPR 

"Young Frankenstein meets The Princess Bride in the most hysterically hilarious book I’ve read in years." —Chris Grabenstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A bonkers delight that will make you laugh out loud." —Adam Rex, New York Times bestselling author

"Delightfully wacky, cleverly absurd, and frighteningly hilarious. This book is so much fun you’re guaranteed to have a blast reading it!" —Chris Rylander, New York Times bestselling author

"This series opener's overall outrageous sense of humor has a high appeal. As irreverent, sarcastic, and strange as murderous, barking penguins." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

08/01/2019

Gr 3–6—Bolt Wattle has lived at a miserable orphanage for as long as he can remember, but he dreams that his parents will someday return for him. When he is abruptly adopted by Baron Chordata and sent to far-away Brugaria, he wonders if his family is claiming him at last. In Brugaria, all is not well: Bolt arrives at a dusty, crumbling castle after an alarming encounter with some villagers, and bands of rogue penguins roam the landscape. Worse, far from the father figure Bolt has dreamed of, Baron Chordata appears to be a boy no older than Bolt himself. At the stroke of midnight the Baron bites Bolt in the neck, and Bolt discovers the Baron's terrible secret: he is a werepenguin, and now, so is Bolt. Bolt has three days to reverse the transformation and stop the Baron from leading the penguins into battle against the villagers, or he will be cursed to remain a werepenguin forever. This slapstick story is light on horror, character development, and logic, but heavy on gross-out humor and fish stick jokes. Bolt is occasionally assisted by Annika, the world's fiercest bandit whom nobody has ever heard of, but neither she nor any other character experiences significant growth. Readers who enjoy the trappings of horror without any genuine chills or thrills are the best audience for this story. VERDICT An additional purchase where goofy humor circulates well.—Misti Tidman, Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, OH

School Library Journal

2019-04-28
An unwanted orphan awakens to his destined werepenguin powers and faces an evil immortal threatening war and domination under penguin rule.

Twelve-year-old boy Humboldt thinks his only talent is bolting under beds until he's adopted by Baron Chordata of Volgelplatz, Brugaria. In Volgelplatz, where the full moon shines every night, penguins terrorize the villagers for fish sticks under the baron's tyrannical leadership. Like the baron, Bolt has the ability to understand penguin thoughts and transform under the light of the moon, but all he wants is a family. His dream may never come true if he fails to defeat the baron as foretold in prophecy. Woodrow presents Bolt's adventure as a story within a story, narrated by the penguin caretaker at the St. Aves Zoo. Illustrations accompany the text, highlighting moments of drama and action. While Bolt's story forms the central thread of the tale, the narrator shifts the focus among characters, including Annika, a 12-year-old bandit. All the strands of the story tie neatly together in the resolution. Apart from two minor characters (a bandit and a witchy fortuneteller) the cast of characters is white. Although there's nothing unique about the chosen-one plot, this series opener's overall outrageous sense of humor has a high appeal.

As irreverent, sarcastic, and strange as murderous, barking penguins. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews