Product Description

In this eagerly awaited sequel to A House Called Awful End, Eddie Dickens narrowly avoids being blown up, trampled by horses, hit by a hot-air balloon, and arrested--only to find himself falling head over heels for a girl with a face like a camel's and into the hands of a murderous gang of escaped convicts, up on the misty moors, who have a "little job" for him to do.

All the old favorites are here--including Mad Uncle Jack and Malcolm (or is it Sally?) the stuffed stoat--along with some worrying-looking new ones. Beware!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1660657 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .36" h x 5.32" w x 7.74" l, .22 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 128 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6--The sequel (Holt, 2003) to Philip Ardagh's A House Called Awful End (Holt, 2002) retains the arch tone of the first, with Victorian-era boy hero Eddie Dickens once again in peril. It all begins when an accidental explosion at Eddie's house leads to the appearance of a renowned escapologist named The Great Zucchini. Due to this encounter, Eddie meets and is enchanted by the "camel-faced" Daniella, kidnapped by escaped convicts with names like Bonecrusher, spends a night in jail, digs up part of a graveyard, and helps to solve a mystery. The plot moves quickly and characters such as Mad Aunt Maud are colorful, but the story depends entirely on its humor. Listeners will either go along with it or find it really annoying. Many references to events in the first book may be confusing to those who have not read it, but will not detract significantly from understanding this one. Actor Martin Rayner gives a spirited reading, employing a number of voices and British accents, while maintaining a jocular, winking tone throughout. Those familiar with Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events titles (HarperCollins) will recognize many similarities between the two series. This is not an essential purchase although it may appeal to reluctant readers.--B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY
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From AudioFile
Ardagh reintroduces Eddie Dickens (no relation to Charles) and the motley gang from his previous work, A HOUSE CALLED AWFUL. Eddie is up to his usual antics as he narrowly averts disaster dealing with his troublesome relatives, such as Mad Uncle Jack, and the equally riotous friends he makes along the way in Victorian England. Martin Rayner keeps Ardagh's sprightly work lively as he delivers puns, author asides, and jokes aplenty. In addition to enjoying a nutty story, young listeners will add to their vocabularies by listening to words used and defined within the story. Also, quite cleverly, Listening Library notes that a glossary from the book can be found on its Web site. The perfect learning tool. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. The second book in the Eddie Dickens trilogy finds the 12-year-old encountering yet another series of odd events and characters. First, he is awakened by an electric eel and Mad Uncle Jack asking him to help reload a coffin. A gas explosion, a meeting with the Great Zucchini (a magician, not a vegetable), and an encounter with escaped convicts follow. Then there are interactions with Even Madder Aunt Maude and Eddie's offbeat parents, with the whole shebang coming together in unexpected ways. Set in Victorian times, this sequel to A House Called Awful End [BKL N 1 02] once again features straight man Eddie, who is swept into absurdity and mayhem. Ardagh's prose is a blend of archaic elegance, silly puns, and direct address, with playful author and plot digressions: a character appears unexpectedly; story lines are dropped and picked up at whim; there are footnotes; and more. Black-and-white drawings with a touch of the macabre add further period flavor and farce. This will be great for series fans, but it will also stand alone. Shelle Rosenfeld
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