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The Ghastly McNastys
Raiders of the Lost Shark
Shiver me timbers – the Ghastly McNastys are back!
The McNastys are after Captain Syd’s treasure, rumoured to be buried in Little Snoring Castle. And they’re in luck – a pirate movie’s being shot there. They reckon they’ll easily be able to sneak into the castle, blend in with the cast and steal all the treasure.
But youngsters Tat and Hetty have outwitted the dastardly duo before,
and have plans to trap them once and for all.
The disgusting McNastys and their vile antics will have children squirming, and squealing with laughter from beginning to end!
The McNastys are after Captain Syd’s treasure, rumoured to be buried in Little Snoring Castle. And they’re in luck – a pirate movie’s being shot there. They reckon they’ll easily be able to sneak into the castle, blend in with the cast and steal all the treasure.
But youngsters Tat and Hetty have outwitted the dastardly duo before,
and have plans to trap them once and for all.
The disgusting McNastys and their vile antics will have children squirming, and squealing with laughter from beginning to end!
- GenresPirates
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2014
About the author
Lyn Gardner
22 books43 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Lyn Gardner is the author of Olivia’s First Term and the other Olivia books. She was born in London and now lives near Richmond Park with her partner and two daughters. A theatre critic for The Guardian, she goes to the theatre five or six nights a week, which should leave no time for writing books at all. Before she became a journalist, Lyn was a tea lady, a waitress and sold advertising space for a magazine called Sludge. Her ambitions are to learn to tap dance and walk the high wire, but it may have to be the low wire as she is a bit scared of heights!
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Lyn Gardner is the author of Olivia’s First Term and the other Olivia books. She was born in London and now lives near Richmond Park with her partner and two daughters. A theatre critic for The Guardian, she goes to the theatre five or six nights a week, which should leave no time for writing books at all. Before she became a journalist, Lyn was a tea lady, a waitress and sold advertising space for a magazine called Sludge. Her ambitions are to learn to tap dance and walk the high wire, but it may have to be the low wire as she is a bit scared of heights!
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 6, 2016
I received a free copy of this book by the book's publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Gruesome and Grisly McNasty are the world's worst pirates ever and they're back in the second of the series. The McNastys are determined to discover the lost treasure of Little Snoring. The hilarious tales ensure with new characters and even more daring deeds, even a bit of acting on the side too...
This was a hilarious read, just as anticipated! It would be brilliant to introduce children to chaptered books as there are plenty of illustrations to break up the text. The illustrations are superb and really add detail to the story as well as a fair chunk of humour! A lovely children's book which will be sure to have both adults (and children, too I suppose) laughing out loud.
Highly recommended for children and adults alike. A quick, funny story guaranteed to entertain!
Gruesome and Grisly McNasty are the world's worst pirates ever and they're back in the second of the series. The McNastys are determined to discover the lost treasure of Little Snoring. The hilarious tales ensure with new characters and even more daring deeds, even a bit of acting on the side too...
This was a hilarious read, just as anticipated! It would be brilliant to introduce children to chaptered books as there are plenty of illustrations to break up the text. The illustrations are superb and really add detail to the story as well as a fair chunk of humour! A lovely children's book which will be sure to have both adults (and children, too I suppose) laughing out loud.
Highly recommended for children and adults alike. A quick, funny story guaranteed to entertain!
July 13, 2015
What a fun book! As a mum, I am always on the lookout for books to read with the kids that will capture and keep their attention for more than a few minutes. This book did that with no problem.
The illustrations are fun and break up the text every so often so the kids aren't intimidated by miles and miles of passages without a break. The characters were cute and the story was fun and had a bit of mystery to keep them guessing.
The book is long enough that it will likely take them a few days to get through, but still short enough and easy enough content that it would be a good choice for a child just beginning to read chapter books.
I liked it a lot and had a really good time reading it with my boys. Two thumbs up, looking forward to the next one.
This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The illustrations are fun and break up the text every so often so the kids aren't intimidated by miles and miles of passages without a break. The characters were cute and the story was fun and had a bit of mystery to keep them guessing.
The book is long enough that it will likely take them a few days to get through, but still short enough and easy enough content that it would be a good choice for a child just beginning to read chapter books.
I liked it a lot and had a really good time reading it with my boys. Two thumbs up, looking forward to the next one.
This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
June 17, 2015
Another Ghastly Effort
This is the second volume in the "Ghastly McNastys" series. ("The Lost Treasure of Little Snoring" is the first volume.) The villains, (the McNasty pirate twins), are variously described as nasty, vile, despicable, rotten, disgusting, dastardly and horrible. Look at that cover; I can already see little readers grinning. And then we meet our heroes and best friends - determined Tat and clever Hetty. They are honest, quick-witted, resourceful, and true blue. There's a race for treasure, much derring-do, displays of courage and guile, and a lot of silliness. Coupled with, and greatly enhanced by, amusing drawings, lists and little jokes in the margins this ends up an entertaining and satisfying read.
In the first book the Ghastly twins resolved to find the lost treasure of Pirate Syd, hidden somewhere in Little Snoring, Tat and Hetty's little fishing village. In this volume the Ghastlys have returned to Little Snoring. In the guise of movie extras they hope to infiltrate the abandoned village castle, which is the site of filming for a pirate movie and is also where the Ghastlys suspect the treasure is hidden. Once agin, can Tat and Hetty foil the Ghastly twins and get themselves closer to finding the treasure? And why is Ms. Green so sad? And what will happen to that bossy bossypants, Mr. Bossypants, the movie director's assistant? And what is hidden in the dungeon?
The plotting for these books is very clever. The overarching treasure hunt is a given. There are a few early incidents that seem inconsequential, but pay attention to them. Then a few sub-plots are set in motion. Then, as part of a whiz bang action finish everything circles around and comes together and all of the loose threads are tied up. These books are not slapdash affairs.
They do, however, aim for younger readers' delight in boogers, slime, spiders, sharks, gross food, gross noises, and gross smells. But that's all window dressing; it's not what carries the book. What carries the book is two very appealing heroes, some sparky dialogue, some age approriate puns and jokes, and a generally good humored air of antic energy. None of it seems forced or calculated; it's fun and funny and good-hearted stuff.
The publisher lists this as aimed at a 7 to 10 year old crowd, and that feels about right, (although it does have some advanced vocabulary, which I like.) Chapters are short, punchy and manageable. Between the pirate angle, the silly angle, and the kid heroes, it seems to me that this is certainly worth a close look and stands a good chance of being a hit with your little reader. (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is the second volume in the "Ghastly McNastys" series. ("The Lost Treasure of Little Snoring" is the first volume.) The villains, (the McNasty pirate twins), are variously described as nasty, vile, despicable, rotten, disgusting, dastardly and horrible. Look at that cover; I can already see little readers grinning. And then we meet our heroes and best friends - determined Tat and clever Hetty. They are honest, quick-witted, resourceful, and true blue. There's a race for treasure, much derring-do, displays of courage and guile, and a lot of silliness. Coupled with, and greatly enhanced by, amusing drawings, lists and little jokes in the margins this ends up an entertaining and satisfying read.
In the first book the Ghastly twins resolved to find the lost treasure of Pirate Syd, hidden somewhere in Little Snoring, Tat and Hetty's little fishing village. In this volume the Ghastlys have returned to Little Snoring. In the guise of movie extras they hope to infiltrate the abandoned village castle, which is the site of filming for a pirate movie and is also where the Ghastlys suspect the treasure is hidden. Once agin, can Tat and Hetty foil the Ghastly twins and get themselves closer to finding the treasure? And why is Ms. Green so sad? And what will happen to that bossy bossypants, Mr. Bossypants, the movie director's assistant? And what is hidden in the dungeon?
The plotting for these books is very clever. The overarching treasure hunt is a given. There are a few early incidents that seem inconsequential, but pay attention to them. Then a few sub-plots are set in motion. Then, as part of a whiz bang action finish everything circles around and comes together and all of the loose threads are tied up. These books are not slapdash affairs.
They do, however, aim for younger readers' delight in boogers, slime, spiders, sharks, gross food, gross noises, and gross smells. But that's all window dressing; it's not what carries the book. What carries the book is two very appealing heroes, some sparky dialogue, some age approriate puns and jokes, and a generally good humored air of antic energy. None of it seems forced or calculated; it's fun and funny and good-hearted stuff.
The publisher lists this as aimed at a 7 to 10 year old crowd, and that feels about right, (although it does have some advanced vocabulary, which I like.) Chapters are short, punchy and manageable. Between the pirate angle, the silly angle, and the kid heroes, it seems to me that this is certainly worth a close look and stands a good chance of being a hit with your little reader. (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
September 27, 2015
We received this book via NetGalley to give an honest review.
When I saw the title of this book and then read the synopsis I totally knew K would love to read this book and I was spot on.
He thought the pirates were silly and rather nasty, and he didn't like how they trapped the women in the dungeon to get to the treasure.
K really found it funny when the sharks came loose in the moat and the tactics that were used to stir them away from trying to eat Tat.
I really enjoyed how the story had illustrations every few pages so the kids do not get bored with just reading. It isn't very long but it is long enough that it will probably take them a while to get finished with the book. I believe it took me and K about a week to finish the book and that was with reading a chapter or two a night. The illustrations were drawn really great though we both did wonder what was wrong with Tat's face as he seems to have a boo-boo on him. I assume it is from the first book which we will be looking for to read.
This is a great story of treasure hunting, having fun and lots of laughter.
The two McNasty pirates are looking for Captain Syd's treasure that is in a castle in Little Snoring though they are not sure where as there are hundreds of dungeons to search from but they do need to watch out for the spider that is the size of a car tire. It is up to Tat, Hetty, the bird and their pet cat to stop them. Will they be able to do it?
The only thing that got to me was the mention of slime and boogers filling up in a room I got of got a bit sick on that but it Kasin thought it was funny, I guess it must be a boy thing.
I recommend this book to those that want a bit of a laugh and it is a good chapter book.
When I saw the title of this book and then read the synopsis I totally knew K would love to read this book and I was spot on.
He thought the pirates were silly and rather nasty, and he didn't like how they trapped the women in the dungeon to get to the treasure.
K really found it funny when the sharks came loose in the moat and the tactics that were used to stir them away from trying to eat Tat.
I really enjoyed how the story had illustrations every few pages so the kids do not get bored with just reading. It isn't very long but it is long enough that it will probably take them a while to get finished with the book. I believe it took me and K about a week to finish the book and that was with reading a chapter or two a night. The illustrations were drawn really great though we both did wonder what was wrong with Tat's face as he seems to have a boo-boo on him. I assume it is from the first book which we will be looking for to read.
This is a great story of treasure hunting, having fun and lots of laughter.
The two McNasty pirates are looking for Captain Syd's treasure that is in a castle in Little Snoring though they are not sure where as there are hundreds of dungeons to search from but they do need to watch out for the spider that is the size of a car tire. It is up to Tat, Hetty, the bird and their pet cat to stop them. Will they be able to do it?
The only thing that got to me was the mention of slime and boogers filling up in a room I got of got a bit sick on that but it Kasin thought it was funny, I guess it must be a boy thing.
I recommend this book to those that want a bit of a laugh and it is a good chapter book.
May 31, 2015
Gruesome and Grisly McNasty are the nastiest pirates ever and they are the twin evil stars of this book. Tat (Trevor Augustus Trout) and Hetty are the bane of their lives - these two, together with Dog (the cat) helped stop them finding the lost treasure of Little Snoring but the pirates have returned! They’re determined to find the lost treasure, even if that involves them acting as pirates in a film! Get ready for a hilarious read as the race to find for the treasure continues!
This is the second book in the series. The first one was The Ghastly McNastys: The Lost Treasure of Little Snoring. It is a fun read, with pirates determined to find treasure and children determined to stop them. It is filled with hilarious action and comments that will appeal to children and is great for children who are reading longer books independently. It is illustrated with annotated drawings which add to the humour of the whole book. This is a great book that has real laugh out loud moments throughout it - highly recommended!
Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley, too,
for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in the series. The first one was The Ghastly McNastys: The Lost Treasure of Little Snoring. It is a fun read, with pirates determined to find treasure and children determined to stop them. It is filled with hilarious action and comments that will appeal to children and is great for children who are reading longer books independently. It is illustrated with annotated drawings which add to the humour of the whole book. This is a great book that has real laugh out loud moments throughout it - highly recommended!
Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley, too,
for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2015
This is a really good early chapter reading series for young children. It is fun and I am sure they will love it. This is the second volume in the "Ghastly McNastys" series. The villains are the McNasty pirate twins, Gruesome and Grisly McNasty. They are described as nasty, vile, despicable, rotten, and more. They are after Captain Syd's treasure that is hidden somewhere in Little Snoring Castle. Tat (Trevor Augustus Trout) and Hetty who stopped them in their last attempt, along with Dog (the cat) and Peg Leg Polly (a parrot) are planning to find the treasure, unaware that the McNastys have returned. A movie is being made at the castle by Bigwig, who hires the McNastys for the movie. This book goes for the children's humour with lots of slime, snot, boogers, smells etc. There's a race for treasure, much derring-do, displays of courage and guile, and a lot of silliness. The drawings with their descriptions and anecdotes are a hoot and will add to the amusement of the kids. A great series for the early readers.
Thanks Netgalley and Piccadilly Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks Netgalley and Piccadilly Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2015
Three boys ages 7, 5 and 3 were spellbound! Enough said! A fast paced book that is well written and filled to the brim with slimy whale guts and lots of fun pirate talk. Truly a great plot with lots of characters. This is the second book in the series – and we are going back to read the first! The target age is 7-12 and for those just learning to enjoy chapter books – there are a few challenge words (which is great!). Great illustrations! If your kiddos are too young to read chapter books – this is a perfect listening book that will take you a few days to finish (152 pages)! Enjoy! NetGalley and Kids Can Press provided an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
November 12, 2015
This would be an optional purchase for those libraries that need more titles for middle elementary in the genre of humor. While the stereotypical good and evil characters, the potty humor, and general silliness of the book will elicit giggles, I don't think it will encourage readers to read more about the brave children and wicked, smelly pirates. Ros Asquith's drawings build another layer to the overall silliness though and might help struggling readers to use illustrations to expand the understanding of the text.
November 30, 2015
This was a really cute and imaginative tale with fantastic illustrations and additions visually throughout the text. I loved the story and hope that the McNasty's come back for another adventure in the future.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews