Long Live the Queen

Description

For Elspeth Pule, life is dull and lonely in the real world, where she misses her good friends, Humpty Dumpty, Bo Peep, and Rodney, a giant talking wheel of cheese. So when she gets a surprise visit and a desperate plea for help from Georgie Porgie and Gene the blabbermouth stick, Elspeth agrees immediately. After holding her breath until she is blue in the face, Elspeth opens her eyes and finds herself back in a land where storybook characters are real. Here she learns that a horrible witch named Mary Mary Quite Contrary has kidnapped King William the Umpteenth's wife and taken her into a dark forest. To free her, Elspeth and her ragtag crew will have to pay the witch's ransom . . . or else. Can Elspeth use her bravery, smarts, and just a little bit of ill temper to thwart the evil witch and rescue her friend? Told with a hilarious irreverent voice, this rambunctious tale is perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Pseudonymous Bosch.

Gerry Swallow is the author of Blue in the Face and its sequel Long Live the Queen, along with, A Whole Nother Story--which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and was an Al Roker Today Show pick--and its sequels Another Whole Nother Story and No Other Story, all written under the pseudonym Dr. Cuthbert Soup. He began his career as a stand-up comic, making numerous appearances on NBC's Tonight Show. He then turned his attention to writing movies, including the blockbuster hit, Ice Age: The Meltdown. He lives in Victoria, Canada. www.awholenotherbook.com Valerio Fabbretti is the author and illustrator of children's books and comic books in both the USA and Italy. He was born in Rome and currently lives in San Francisco. www.valeriofabbretti.com

A fun read for students . . . who like fantasy and adventure. * School Library Connection * A rambunctious cast of irreverent nursery-rhyme characters who don't quite fit their traditional roles, a liberal dose of twisted rewritten nursery rhymes, and lively cartoon art add witty dimension to Elspeth's harrowing second adventure as she straddles two worlds. Clever, humorous sequel with a 'take-charge, kick-butt' heroine. * Kirkus Reviews * Swallow again takes well-known nursery rhyme characters, creates retellings of the rhymes, and weaves them into a humorous story of a middle-school girl caught between her everyday world and the magical one in which she is a heroine. * Booklist * The world-building of New Winkieland is imaginative and tongue-in-cheek. Kids will enjoy recognizing well-known nursery characters in these warped forms. . . . Give this dark and funny novel to fans of fractured fairy tales such as Adam Gidwitz's "The Sisters Grimm." * School Library Journal * Familiar nursery-rhyme characters assume arresting new personas in this witty, clever story of personal transformation. Rewritten rhymes and cartoonlike illustrations add humor. A surprising heroine fulfills her destiny in this rollicking version of Mother Goose. * Kirkus Reviews on BLUE IN THE FACE: A STORY OF RISK, RHYME, AND REBELLION * Each chapter is introduced with an authentic nursery rhyme, and Swallow interweaves familiar characters (e.g., Humpty Dumpty and Jack Horner) with Elspeth's fantasy adventure to engage readers in a creative way. * Booklist on BLUE IN THE FACE: A STORY OF RISK, RHYME, AND REBELLION * Fans of wordplay, puns, and fractured fairy tales should be right at home. * Publishers Weekly on BLUE IN THE FACE: A STORY OF RISK, RHYME, AND REBELLION * A grand escapade centered around a close family of smart, helpful, likable characters. Great fun. -- starred review * Kirkus Reviews on A WHOLE NOTHER STORY * Those who enjoyed Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events will find some of the same surreal qualities in this first book in a series--and a bit more warmth besides. * School Library Journal on A WHOLE NOTHER STORY * The storytelling, which merges deadpan narration with an absurdist sense of humor, is the real star of this fast-paced adventure. * Publishers Weekly on A WHOLE NOTHER STORY * If Lemony Snicket and Dave Barry got married and had a baby, this book would be it. * Critiquing the World on A WHOLE NOTHER STORY * Fans of baroque misadventures, bumbling villains, heroic rescues, cliffhangers and especially sarcastic repartee - not to mention intrusive narrators - will be charmed anew. * Kirkus Reviews on ANOTHER WHOLE NOTHER STORY * If the kids are waiting for the next Wimpy Kid book, hand them this. * San Francisco Chronicle on A WHOLE NOTHER STORY * His comedic experience makes this a fun read for students. This would be a great title for students who like fantasy and adventure. * School Library Connection *