Thatcher Hill is bored stiff of his summer job dusting the fake mermaids and shrunken heads at his uncle's seaside Museum of Curiosities. But w... read full description
reviews
Aug 14, 2010
Kater
rated it: 
This middle-grade novel was fresh and delightful, and more charming than I expected. It's a little like Percy Jackson, except that it's more creative and doesn't take itself so seriously.
Eekhout sets the story in Los Huesos, a rather grim and macabre seaside town in California. Thatcher is sent to live with his great uncle Griswald, and his job is to help maintain Griswald's museum of curiosities. When one of the curiosities gets stolen, Thatcher and his new friend Trudy become i More...
Eekhout sets the story in Los Huesos, a rather grim and macabre seaside town in California. Thatcher is sent to live with his great uncle Griswald, and his job is to help maintain Griswald's museum of curiosities. When one of the curiosities gets stolen, Thatcher and his new friend Trudy become i More...
Jun 10, 2010
Theo
rated it: 
This book is really really really wonderful because it is fun to read and hilarious. The plot was probably the most creative plot that you will read this year. For example, that everybody turns out to be happy, instead of one victory. It's not just good guys versus bad guys.
Books usually have two characters, but this one has three main characters, Thatcher is the main-main character, Trudy is important, and Shoal is quite important, too. Trudy is a bit of a hero; she's the one sayin More...
Books usually have two characters, but this one has three main characters, Thatcher is the main-main character, Trudy is important, and Shoal is quite important, too. Trudy is a bit of a hero; she's the one sayin More...
May 19, 2010
Catherine
rated it:
I haven't had this much fun with a book in a long, long time.
Van Eekhout's Kid Vs Squid manages to return kids of any age to that sweet spot in their imagination that their childhood favorite reads take them to. KvS is all out adventure and humor. Three kids--Thatcher, Shoal and Trudy--bond in ways that only 3 Musketeers on a life-threatening adventure can.
And then there's the weirdness. Uncle Griswold runs a museum for oddities of the sea. Cursed carnies return to th More...
Van Eekhout's Kid Vs Squid manages to return kids of any age to that sweet spot in their imagination that their childhood favorite reads take them to. KvS is all out adventure and humor. Three kids--Thatcher, Shoal and Trudy--bond in ways that only 3 Musketeers on a life-threatening adventure can.
And then there's the weirdness. Uncle Griswold runs a museum for oddities of the sea. Cursed carnies return to th More...
Sep 18, 2011
David
rated it:
Imaginative, fun, engaging, and thrilling.
KID VS SQUID blows Percy Jackson out of the water. The voice of the kid narrator here is pitch perfect. Thatcher is wry, witty, and smart without coming off like an obnoxious jerk (see: Jackson, P.). The action is intense and though the plot is outlandish it never descends into goofiness. This is a book that treats its readers with respect and a sense of adventure.
There are two unfortunate items holding this book back: the title, an More...
KID VS SQUID blows Percy Jackson out of the water. The voice of the kid narrator here is pitch perfect. Thatcher is wry, witty, and smart without coming off like an obnoxious jerk (see: Jackson, P.). The action is intense and though the plot is outlandish it never descends into goofiness. This is a book that treats its readers with respect and a sense of adventure.
There are two unfortunate items holding this book back: the title, an More...
Jul 21, 2011
Monica
rated it: 
Middle schooler Thatcher Hill goes to live with his uncle in a small seaside town in California for the summer. His job is to take care of odd objects at the Museum of Curiosities, which includes a mysterious shrunken head in a box. A young girl steals this mysterious object from the museum and things soon turn bizarre as Thatcher, in his pursuit of this thief, gets caught up in a ages-old battle between an evil witch and the people of the lost city of Atlantis. He gets chased by jelly-fish boys
More...
Mar 29, 2010
Laura
rated it:
This is a book with a lot to live up to. First off, it’s called Kid Vs. Squid. Is it possible to come up with an awesomer title for a middle grade book? I’ve tried, and until I’m presented with evidence to the contrary I’m going to assume that this is the awesomest middle grade title of all time. After considering the title, we move on to the cover. A young man who looks like he probably has his own show on the Disney Channel leans nonchalantly on a weapon while a giant squid looms in the ba
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 29, 2010
Jennifer
rated it:
Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
Thatcher is spending the summer with his eccentric uncle, Griswald, on the boardwalk at his museum of curiosities. Amongst the museum is a box that his uncle refers to as the What-Is-It.
When a mysterious girl steals the What-Is-It, Thatcher catches up with her and confronts her about her theft. When she tells him that she is the princess of Atlantis and is cursed to stay in the water all winter and run the stands along the boardwalk More...
Thatcher is spending the summer with his eccentric uncle, Griswald, on the boardwalk at his museum of curiosities. Amongst the museum is a box that his uncle refers to as the What-Is-It.
When a mysterious girl steals the What-Is-It, Thatcher catches up with her and confronts her about her theft. When she tells him that she is the princess of Atlantis and is cursed to stay in the water all winter and run the stands along the boardwalk More...
May 27, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
Absolutely loved this book. It's a clever and fun little novel for tweens about a boy who seems doomed to have the worst summer vacation ever. But after a run in with some boys who remind him of squid, Thatcher discovers that not everyone is who they seem. Part adventure and part thriller, Kid Vs. Squid is fun, and not just for kids.
Aug 25, 2010
The kids and I just finished this book and it's taken us a long time. Great, wonderful descriptions and use of language in this book. "Her voice was like little slugs covered in rust." Great message of friendship and self-confidence. The language is a bit difficult, but even if the reader didn't know all of the words, they could still get the gist of the story.
Jul 05, 2010
Irasema
rated it:
I am having a hard time deciding how I really feel about this book. Before reading the book, I read some reviews stating this was a very funny book but I didn't find it to be that amuzing. I think it was quite creative and I'm pretty sure my students will like it but I'm not sure I would think of it as being very funny. Maybe it was the state of mind I was in while reading it :)
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Mar 31, 2011
The Real Pokemon Victini
rated it:
This is an awesome book! I read it every night and i could barely put it down! It is about a boy who stays at his Uncle's Museum for the summer,and meets a girl from Atlantis. The girl, his friend, Trudy, And he all go on an adventure to get back an Atlantean Object,or as they call it, a "What is it??" It's an amazing book!
Jul 17, 2011
Heather
rated it: 
The title is fabulous, but I just couldn't get into the story. I could probably find some kids to recommend it to, but for most, it wouldn't be a must-read. Still, since we all have different tastes, there may be some who find this to be their favorite book ever. I did like the eccentric and bizarre Uncle Griswald - he was my favorite character of the bunch.
Jan 13, 2011
D.M.
rated it:
I loved this book. It was a lot of fun and kept me reading page after page. The writing is descriptive and clever. Filled with a lot of great action and jokes. I'm glad I got to read this book. I would recommend this anyone looking for a thrilling fun read.
Feb 01, 2011
Kathyred
rated it:
Giant attack squid! Kelp and lobster men! Seagull spies! Mummies and shrunken heads! Curses and an evil witch's head and a creepy Neptune house! Non-stop action and snarky humor give this lots of boy appeal. 3-6th grade
Oct 03, 2010
your neighborhood librarian
rated it:
We liked the humor and the wide spectrum of Dr. Moreau-type marine monsters. An off-season seaside town is the naturally creepy setting for a spooky mystery. Nice friendship details keep things from getting overly Scooby-Doo-esque.
May 17, 2011
Kristen
rated it:
A fun read with a slightly paranormal bent. It's never too early for a little atlantis lore, plus I love all those gory old museums full of bits and bobs and fakery. So the setting was great. I think Colin will like this next year in third grade.
May 29, 2010
Red
rated it:
Take one look at the cover of this book (colossal giant cartoon squid (those eye brows!) & his kid friend) and tell me that you don't want to read it too! How could you not?
Mar 17, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
One Sentence Review: I should probably be more of a stickler for this book, but considering how fun it is and the great premise (the denizens of Atlantis are cursed to work as carnies every summer on land) this was one of the more enjoyable random little books of the year.
Dec 27, 2010
Joshua
rated it:
Loved the title and cover and liked the beginning but felt it lost something about halfway through... decent but unexceptional...
Nov 03, 2011
Mark
rated it:
Very, very funny! But disappointed that the beautiful Squid on the cover only appeared for a short time at the end.
Feb 08, 2011
Hoover Public Library
rated it:
Quick humor, fast action, half men-half ocean creature hybrids. What's not to love?
