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90th out of 476 books
—
794 voters
Whales on Stilts: M.T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales (Pals in Peril #1)
Lily Gefelty is just an average twelve-year-old girl. But her dad–a normal-enough seeming guy–just so happens to work for an evil genius who plans to unleash an army of extremely cranky, stilt-walking, laser-beam-eyed whales upon the world. Lucky for Lily, her two best friends are anything but average. Both of them are famous for their adventures. Jasper Dash, Boy Technona...more
Audio CD, 3 pages
Published
April 11th 2006
by Listening Library (Audio)
(first published 2005)
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I picked this up for my kid at the library, flipped through it real quick to scan for possible emotional potholes and decided that it was so ironic and tongue-in-cheek that it would be fine.
And it was. My son laughed and laughed and laughed. Then I read it and laughed and laughed and laughed. MT Anderson is funny. And funny in a way that appeals to a seven year old and his jaded mother. Both.
This is not one of those books that tries too hard to be clever. This is one of those books that just sim...more
And it was. My son laughed and laughed and laughed. Then I read it and laughed and laughed and laughed. MT Anderson is funny. And funny in a way that appeals to a seven year old and his jaded mother. Both.
This is not one of those books that tries too hard to be clever. This is one of those books that just sim...more
M.T. ANDERSON
What a silly book! haha seriously it's about whales on stilts and 3 kids who save the world, and I loved it. I admit I'm a little past that stage in my reading, but MT Anderson is so clever; there are jokes for all ages of readers. I especially loved the spoof on "Ovaltine", which I drink every morning. "Gargletine" didn't sound so bad! I recommend this for any age--from grade school up to anyone who wants a really quick and very entertaining read! Super clever, super giggly, and I'...more
What a silly book! haha seriously it's about whales on stilts and 3 kids who save the world, and I loved it. I admit I'm a little past that stage in my reading, but MT Anderson is so clever; there are jokes for all ages of readers. I especially loved the spoof on "Ovaltine", which I drink every morning. "Gargletine" didn't sound so bad! I recommend this for any age--from grade school up to anyone who wants a really quick and very entertaining read! Super clever, super giggly, and I'...more
Here's a kind of a different little story--I found it quite funny and amusing, and a neat spoof on B movies. Amongst the silliness of whales on stilts taking over the world, though, there are also some more thoughtful points, like how the heroine is not as flashy or brilliant or outgoing as her friends are--yet she still saves the day. Also there are one or two really beautiful passages that are kind of startling, coming as they do sandwiched in between the humor.
I also liked the hilarious "que...more
I also liked the hilarious "que...more
2 likes · like · see review
Can an ordinary girl save the world? In Whales on Stilts, the first in M.T. Anderson’s Thrilling Tales series, readers first meet Lily as she accompanies her father to work and discovers that he works for a mad scientist whose mission it is to create stilts for whales. And why do whales need stilts? To conquer the world of course! Although adults in the novel remain clueless of the nefarious plot that Larry (Lily’s father’s boss and half whale, half human hybrid) is hatching, Lily and her two ko...more
This was such a fun and creative...strangely bazaar book. I don't know if I could have predicted anything that happened in it. I don't know who the narrator was but they were very active in including the readers in the narration- we never find out who it is. The narrator talks about his/her own adventures and, conversation style, will retreat into old, unconnected memories while he/she is telling the story of the Whales On Stilts. That could be a possible reason for teaching this book. It could...more
Lily thinks of her self as an average twelve year old and why wouldnt she when her two best friends--Katie Mulligan of Horror Hollow and Jasper Dash, Boy Tecnonaut-- are famous for the daring adventurous adventures which they both have series on. But Lily's averageness chnages when she finds out that her dad works for an evil scientist who plans on taking over the world with whales, on stilts! Katie uses her smarts along with the help of her two pals to save the world and her grandma from this w...more
Whales on Stilts is actually about whales on stilts who come to invade the world. Lily finds out about the plan when she realizes her dad works for the evil genius who decides to control the world by having whales who have laser vision attack the world. Lily and her friends are then faced with saving the world. The book is a fun satire on classic adventure stories and superheros. Many of the satiric elements were particularly successful, such as the satire of series books, such as Nancy Drew, an...more
Holding the book in my hand, I just wasn't sure it was for me. The cover seemed a little to science fiction for my taste and I struggled to get myself to open it. In laid a case of "don't judge a book by it's cover." Though the book seems science fictiony - the truth is it's rather funny. I chuckled several times. The premise is silly but then so are so many other stories that fall into this category.
Lily goes to work with her father one day to discover his boss is really a human whale hybrid an...more
Lily goes to work with her father one day to discover his boss is really a human whale hybrid an...more
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I'm not really familiar with M.T. Anderson's work as a whole; a couple of his more traditionally Young Adult novels have caught my eye from time to time, but Whales on Stilts! is the first book of his that I've actually read through and, I have to say, it did not make me anxious to pick up his other books in a hurry.
It's hard to say where exactly this book goes wrong. One major problem is that, instead of a straightforward story, the author decides to go all post-modern on our assess, featuring...more
It's hard to say where exactly this book goes wrong. One major problem is that, instead of a straightforward story, the author decides to go all post-modern on our assess, featuring...more
1. Genre: Modern Fantasy Junior Book
2. Summary: Lily, an average girl, figures out her father's boss' plot to take over the world and saves her town from destruction with the help from her two best friends, Jasper Dash and Katie Mulligan, who are known for their action-packed adventures.
3. Critique:
a) The greatest part of this book is the plot and the characters and situations that happen in the story.
b) The events in the story are imaginative while also being logical to the world where the st...more
2. Summary: Lily, an average girl, figures out her father's boss' plot to take over the world and saves her town from destruction with the help from her two best friends, Jasper Dash and Katie Mulligan, who are known for their action-packed adventures.
3. Critique:
a) The greatest part of this book is the plot and the characters and situations that happen in the story.
b) The events in the story are imaginative while also being logical to the world where the st...more
When Lily accompanies her father to work on career day, she meets his boss, Larry, who has blue hands, dumps a bucket of brine water over his head regularly, wears a grain sack over his head...oh ya, and is a whale-human hybrid (though that's a secret no body seems able to figure out but Lily). Lily, being the conniving, observant little girl, realizes this suspicious character, paired with the secret laboratory he runs and his admission of planning to take over the world, decides to put a stop...more
This has to be the strangest book I've ever read. I picked it up because M.T. Anderson (*feed*) had written it. What did I learn?
A. M.T. Anderson is not consitent at all when writing books.
B. M.T. Anderson likes carrot cake.
C. A rhinoplasty is another word for a cosmetic surgery (according to M.T.)
D. Whales. Are. Scary.
No further comment.
A. M.T. Anderson is not consitent at all when writing books.
B. M.T. Anderson likes carrot cake.
C. A rhinoplasty is another word for a cosmetic surgery (according to M.T.)
D. Whales. Are. Scary.
No further comment.
3 likes · like · see review
This book is absolutely hilarious, but don't take it from me. Take it from the third-grade book club I read it with at Booker T. Washington Elementary School. They are now enthralled with whales, mad scientists, and goofy gadgets. They're also planning how to fight an army of laser-eyed whales on stilts: kickboxing robots will save us from the impending Whalepocalypse.
M.T. Anderson’s science fiction book Whales on Stilts! is a great example of why students should read stories to elaborate on their inventive imaginations! Lily, Katie and Jasper embark on the adventure of a lifetime. The three friends discover the secret plan of the half-whale, half-person boss of Lily’s father. Will Larry succeed with his plans to take over the world by placing whales on stilts, or will the three tough friends be able to stop this evasion to save the world?
a.) The creativity...more
a.) The creativity...more
Needed to read before I meet MT Anderson at the end of this month, but I actually thought it was kind of stupid (altho I won't tell that opinion to the author!). Captain Underpants fans would probably like it, but that's about it. A mad scientist is equipping whales with stilts and laser beam eyes, so they can walk on land and destroy the humans. Snore...
M.T. ANDERSON
In this book, Lily and her amazing superheroesque friends take on whales who attach on stilts with laser beams attached to their eyes. Lily's father is a scientist and he works for a man named Larry. When Lily goes to visit her dad's work for career day, she discovers that Larry may be trying to take over the world and that Lily's dad has unknowingly been creating stilts and lasers to help Larry take over the world. Lily gets her friends to help her thwart Larry's plot, and although...more
In this book, Lily and her amazing superheroesque friends take on whales who attach on stilts with laser beams attached to their eyes. Lily's father is a scientist and he works for a man named Larry. When Lily goes to visit her dad's work for career day, she discovers that Larry may be trying to take over the world and that Lily's dad has unknowingly been creating stilts and lasers to help Larry take over the world. Lily gets her friends to help her thwart Larry's plot, and although...more
Lily is the most boring one in her group of friends, Katie battles zombies and has her own fan club, and Dash can invent anything but Lily's life suddenly changes when her dad takes her to work one day. She discovers that Larry, his boss, is a half human half whale making plans to take over the world. Lily and her friends must stop Larry before it is too late. This is a hilarious book that i believe an adolescent would enjoy reading. At first i was a bit skeptical and it just sounded really weir...more
Oct 08, 2011
Tricia
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-chapter,
read-aloud
Like Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware, this story is hilarious in its absurdity and crazy tangents. But unlike Flame Pits, it doesn't get dragged down by the absurdity and length. In fact, I almost thought it was too short (until I remembered my criticism of JD&TFPOD). It quickly moves from crisis to denouement to end. The story hangs together well - as well, that is, as any story about whales on stilts taking over the world. I liked that Lily was the brains behind this operation -...more
Whales on Stilts - just the title tells you this book is not going to be serious. Lily visits her dad's work and figures out something strange is going on when his boss has his head covered and pours brine all over himself. When she talks to her dad, he simply explains that everything is fine, Larry is shy, and they just build prosthetics and accessories for whales. So Lily calls her friends in to help out, Kate (who has her own set of adventures) and Jasper Dash boy technonaut and together they...more
M.T. ANDERSON CATEGORY
Whales on Stilts is certainly a departure from Anderson's typical YA fare, but it is entertaining nonetheless. We follow the crazy adventures of three teenagers as they try to thwart the evil plot of a half man/ half whale to take over the world with whales that have laser beams and move with giant stilts. When I commenced reading this book, I was a bit put off by its entirely zany nature. However, as I time went on, I began to let Anderson do his thing and just roll with t...more
Whales on Stilts is certainly a departure from Anderson's typical YA fare, but it is entertaining nonetheless. We follow the crazy adventures of three teenagers as they try to thwart the evil plot of a half man/ half whale to take over the world with whales that have laser beams and move with giant stilts. When I commenced reading this book, I was a bit put off by its entirely zany nature. However, as I time went on, I began to let Anderson do his thing and just roll with t...more
You have to be in the right mood to get this one: satire, satire, satire. And funny.
And if your boss has blue flippers and wears a potato sack on his head, this can be a real eye-opener.
And if your boss has blue flippers and wears a potato sack on his head, this can be a real eye-opener.
As far as children's books go, I would give this one 3.5 stars. The audio I would give 3 stars to.
This story is kind of random and ridiculous (an evil human/whale hybrid makes stilts for the whales so they can take over the world) but it was fun. The characters are fun. Jasper is probably my favorite. For example, he creates a rocket fuel car in order for them to get away, but he won't go over 30 miles an hour when they're running away because he can't legally drive anything faster than a tracto...more
This story is kind of random and ridiculous (an evil human/whale hybrid makes stilts for the whales so they can take over the world) but it was fun. The characters are fun. Jasper is probably my favorite. For example, he creates a rocket fuel car in order for them to get away, but he won't go over 30 miles an hour when they're running away because he can't legally drive anything faster than a tracto...more
Lily's dad works for a human-whale hybrid mad scientist intent on taking over the world, but he thinks his boss's business it totally legit. Fortunately Lily sees the danger and enlists the help of her friends Jasper Dash,Boy Technonaut and Katie who was a renowned author with her own horror series based on her true life misadventures which were run of the mill for herself and other residents of Horror Hollow. M. T. Anderson's taste for the absurd is used so skillfully here to fully develop an e...more
JF And
grades 4-8
Lily is just a normal girl. Her best friends are anything but normal. One is Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut. He can invent anything! Her other best friend is a super hero that has her own series of book and active fan club. Lily leads a normal life until one day she visits her father's office as part of a school assignment. While there she makes a startling discovery! Her father's company is making stilts for evil robotic whales that plan to take over the word. It's all up to Lily...more
grades 4-8
Lily is just a normal girl. Her best friends are anything but normal. One is Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut. He can invent anything! Her other best friend is a super hero that has her own series of book and active fan club. Lily leads a normal life until one day she visits her father's office as part of a school assignment. While there she makes a startling discovery! Her father's company is making stilts for evil robotic whales that plan to take over the word. It's all up to Lily...more
I liked this book a lot. I think that M.T Anderson is a great writer and that he put a load of effort into this book.
This book has reference of guards pointing/aiming guns at twelve year old children, whales attacking cities ( It kinda shows it on the cover of the book ), and evil plots to take over the world, which, I don't think is to mature for a children's book, or it doesn't freak me out. In my opinion, as far as violence goes, the whole "evil guards, pointing guns at innocent children" is...more
This book has reference of guards pointing/aiming guns at twelve year old children, whales attacking cities ( It kinda shows it on the cover of the book ), and evil plots to take over the world, which, I don't think is to mature for a children's book, or it doesn't freak me out. In my opinion, as far as violence goes, the whole "evil guards, pointing guns at innocent children" is...more
Lily has always been the most boring one in her group of friends. She has friends who are capable of all things. Katie Mulligan battles zombies and flesh-eating viruses and has her own fan club. Jasper Dash can invent anything, is in his own adventure novels and even has a product endorsement deal. One day, Lily visits her dad's office for Career Day and begins her own adventure. Lily, Katie, and Jasper have created a plan to spy on Larry, her dad's boss who is very mysterious. Lily has to figur...more
Apr 20, 2013
Anna Hight
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People of all ages so long as they have a sense of humor regarding the absurd
My 9 year old picked this randomly off the shelf at the library, and it didn't look objectionable, so I said we could listen to it together. I was quite surprised to find that for a book with such a ridiculous title, the contents were correspondingly absurd but also engaging and amusing. Unusually, this book also engaged my 5 year old. And the solution to the slightly insane problem (megalomaniac whales on stilts) was slightly ingenious but simultaneously satisfying. Warning: This book is neithe...more
My school librarian recommended to me as a read aloud. According to her, she didn't really care for it but the kids really liked it. So, we've been plodding our way through it. Some kids seem to be interested, but I think most of them could care less. I've tried to make it seem exciting in all the ways I can think of, but I HATE IT!! I just want to be done with it. My recommendation is, if you have a good reader, average 3rd grade level or high 2nd, or low 4th, give this to them to read on their...more
This novel by MT ANDERSON was lighthearted and witty. Its about average, every-day Lily who doesn't see herself as a hero--not compared to her amazing friends, each who have a book series written about them, Jasper and Katie. But when she goes with her Dad to work and notices some strange things--like that her Dad's boss is inhuman and a mad scientist bent on taking over the world by creating giant stilts for whales so they can come out on land and (with their new laser-shooting eye technology)...more
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Matthew Tobin Anderson (M. T. Anderson), (1968- ) is an author, primarily of picture books for children and novels for young adults. Anderson lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
His picture books include Handel Who Knew What He Liked; Strange Mr. Satie; The Serpent Came to Gloucester; and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World. He has written such young adult books as Thirsty, Burger Wuss, Feed, The...more
More about M.T. Anderson...
His picture books include Handel Who Knew What He Liked; Strange Mr. Satie; The Serpent Came to Gloucester; and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World. He has written such young adult books as Thirsty, Burger Wuss, Feed, The...more
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“There are times when friendship feels like running down a hill together as fast as you can, jumping over things, spinning around, and you don't care where you're going, and you don't care where you've come from, because all that matters is speed, and the hands holding your hands.”
—
175 people liked it
“Lily told her about what had happened so far. (If you're interested, you can go back to the beginning of the book and read all the way through to this point again.)”
—
4 people liked it
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Nov 12, 2007 08:47am