LitPick Review
Harlan Banana, an 11 year-old boy and his 7 year- old sister Ainsley have divorced parents. What starts as a normal day on the beach for the two, turns into a dangerous quest after they meet a frongle, a hard-working, fairylike creature. At the beach, Ainsley Banana makes a wish upon a dandelion, which then allows the siblings to make another wish. After much consideration, they choose to wish for an also-mom . This woman would keep their lonely dad happy. Unfortunately, this wish is known as a Kazillion Wish and it is unable to be granted without completing some tasks first. The siblings must prove themselves in order for their wish to come true. With the unreasonable, unreliable Zucchini Spacetation as their guide, the three embark on the assigned quest of the frongle. During the trip the kids are almost eaten by a chocolate loving lion, nearly killed by falling into the stratosphere along with two zany Martians, and then must fight a war against a race of human fish known as fish-face. All of this while collecting words to solve a riddle.
Opinion:
I did really enjoy this book, but it was a very easy read aimed more towards a younger set of readers (perhaps grades 3-5). The fantasy plot was easy to follow but way out there. Too many unlikely scenarios made it hard for me to relate the story to my own life. The author uses familiar references such as Harry Potter, Dexter's Laboratory, and The Teletubbies to help the reader feel connected and not get too lost in the fantasy. Even so, the storyline seemed a bit absurd at times. The main characters were diverse in nature and personality. The sarcasm of Harlan to Zucchini was amusing and I often caught myself laughing. Place wrote a good fantasy storybook and while I was entertained, this book is for pleasure reading only. You won't be challenging yourself if your reading level is above grade 5.
