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Milo Speck, Accidental Agent
When magic came to Milo Speck, it came in the form of a sock. “Figures,” said Milo.
So begins Milo’s adventure in Ogregon, a place populated with hungry ogres, dino-sized turkeys, kidnapped kids, and—Dad? What’s Milo’s regular-old salesman father doing in Ogregon? For that matter, how did a shrimp like Milo end up there? He’s no hero. He can’t help those kids. Right? But there’s no time for Milo to get the answers. After all, hungry ogres like nothing more than a tasty bite of boy, and what kid is going to stick around for that? A fast escape back home to Downriver is all that matters—until Milo realizes that what’s really afoot in Ogregon goes far beyond an ogre quest for snack food. And his own family may be somehow mixed up in the dastardly plot. But what can a small boy in a very big world possibly do about that?
So begins Milo’s adventure in Ogregon, a place populated with hungry ogres, dino-sized turkeys, kidnapped kids, and—Dad? What’s Milo’s regular-old salesman father doing in Ogregon? For that matter, how did a shrimp like Milo end up there? He’s no hero. He can’t help those kids. Right? But there’s no time for Milo to get the answers. After all, hungry ogres like nothing more than a tasty bite of boy, and what kid is going to stick around for that? A fast escape back home to Downriver is all that matters—until Milo realizes that what’s really afoot in Ogregon goes far beyond an ogre quest for snack food. And his own family may be somehow mixed up in the dastardly plot. But what can a small boy in a very big world possibly do about that?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
14 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
Linda Urban
17 books199 followersThis was from the About Me section at Linda Urban's website.
I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in a suburban house that looked like all the others on my street. Sometimes I liked that sameness. It made me feel normal, when I worried I wasn’t.
Other times, though, I wanted to be different — to shine, to have people see me as special. I tried ballet dancing and singing and playing musical instruments, but I wasn’t very good at any of those things. But writing stories was fun! And often people liked what I wrote.
At Oakbrook Elementary, I wrote lots of poems and stories. One story, SUPERBOX, was about a crime-fighting shoe box. That story won me a prize. Even better? I got to read it out loud to my classmates, who laughed at the funny parts and cheered when Superbox fought off the evil potato chip can that was his mortal enemy. Nothing made me feel more special than hearing an audience cheer for a character I had written.
So, I kept writing. All through elementary school and junior high I wrote short stories and plays and poems.
But then I learned something.
Not everyone will like every story you write. And sometimes, that will make you feel very bad.
I remember once, I wrote a story about how I felt on Christmas Eve. I described my excitement, that tingling sensation I got anticipating the presents I knew would be under the tree the next morning. A boy in my class thought one of the words I used was “weird” and that I was weird as a result. He laughed at my story and his laughter stung.
I began to write more nonfiction, mostly articles for my high school yearbook and newspaper. These pieces took thought and hard work, but unlike my stories, I felt like I didn’t have to put my secret heart into them. I could hide behind the words and no one would make fun of me or the things I wrote about.
I also started to worry that maybe I was not as good a writer as I had imagined myself to be. I started comparing my writing to that in the books I read. No way was I as good as that! (More about that sort of thing here.)
By college, I had turned my writing toward advertising and marketing, using my creativity to sell the creative work of others.
Which wasn’t such a bad thing.
Why not, you ask?
It landed me at Vroman’s Bookstore, a large independent in Southern California, where I served as marketing director for about ten years.
What a great job! I was surrounded every day by books and authors and artists and readers. One of my responsibilities was to organize author events. I met thousands of writers and learned that most of them have their own fears. Even the most successful worry that readers won’t like their books. Even the most talented sometimes think they aren’t as good at writing as they ought to be.
Hearing this gave me courage.
While I was at Vroman’s, I also ran a summer writer’s workshop series. Every Saturday a writer, illustrator, or editor would come talk to aspiring writers about writing. Secretly, I took notes. Their talks gave me tools for writing better stories.
Finally, when my daughter turned two and I turned 37, I got the guts to try writing fiction again. Having a child brought me back to reading the kinds of books that I most loved, books for kids. As much as I enjoy reading grown-up books, it is kids’ books that grab my heart and make me think and spin my imagination.
Reading those books gave me inspiration.
I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in a suburban house that looked like all the others on my street. Sometimes I liked that sameness. It made me feel normal, when I worried I wasn’t.
Other times, though, I wanted to be different — to shine, to have people see me as special. I tried ballet dancing and singing and playing musical instruments, but I wasn’t very good at any of those things. But writing stories was fun! And often people liked what I wrote.
At Oakbrook Elementary, I wrote lots of poems and stories. One story, SUPERBOX, was about a crime-fighting shoe box. That story won me a prize. Even better? I got to read it out loud to my classmates, who laughed at the funny parts and cheered when Superbox fought off the evil potato chip can that was his mortal enemy. Nothing made me feel more special than hearing an audience cheer for a character I had written.
So, I kept writing. All through elementary school and junior high I wrote short stories and plays and poems.
But then I learned something.
Not everyone will like every story you write. And sometimes, that will make you feel very bad.
I remember once, I wrote a story about how I felt on Christmas Eve. I described my excitement, that tingling sensation I got anticipating the presents I knew would be under the tree the next morning. A boy in my class thought one of the words I used was “weird” and that I was weird as a result. He laughed at my story and his laughter stung.
I began to write more nonfiction, mostly articles for my high school yearbook and newspaper. These pieces took thought and hard work, but unlike my stories, I felt like I didn’t have to put my secret heart into them. I could hide behind the words and no one would make fun of me or the things I wrote about.
I also started to worry that maybe I was not as good a writer as I had imagined myself to be. I started comparing my writing to that in the books I read. No way was I as good as that! (More about that sort of thing here.)
By college, I had turned my writing toward advertising and marketing, using my creativity to sell the creative work of others.
Which wasn’t such a bad thing.
Why not, you ask?
It landed me at Vroman’s Bookstore, a large independent in Southern California, where I served as marketing director for about ten years.
What a great job! I was surrounded every day by books and authors and artists and readers. One of my responsibilities was to organize author events. I met thousands of writers and learned that most of them have their own fears. Even the most successful worry that readers won’t like their books. Even the most talented sometimes think they aren’t as good at writing as they ought to be.
Hearing this gave me courage.
While I was at Vroman’s, I also ran a summer writer’s workshop series. Every Saturday a writer, illustrator, or editor would come talk to aspiring writers about writing. Secretly, I took notes. Their talks gave me tools for writing better stories.
Finally, when my daughter turned two and I turned 37, I got the guts to try writing fiction again. Having a child brought me back to reading the kinds of books that I most loved, books for kids. As much as I enjoy reading grown-up books, it is kids’ books that grab my heart and make me think and spin my imagination.
Reading those books gave me inspiration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
April 10, 2015
A funny, wonderful adventure that's full of action and heart - this is a book that kids will devour on their own & also a great classroom read-aloud.
November 15, 2015
Little did I know that, along with all her other talents, Linda Urban is a droll comedian. When lonesome, scrawny Milo tries to tug a sock out of the drier, the sock tugs back. Next thing he knows, he’s in Ogreland, where the inhabitants’ favorite delicacy is Boy. In the Office of Ogre Resources, where signs admonish KEEP CALM AND CARRION, Milo uncovers a plot to lure innocent kids into becoming luncheon meat. He also discovers the truth about his loving but largely absent father. Turkeys massive enough to ride, literal Big Wigs and drier lint used as a weapon will keep readers howling and turning the pages. This wild romp of a book ends with Milo growing in every possible way.
June 14, 2015
I hope this is the first of many Milo Speck books. The ending certainly left that door open. Engaging and fun for kids to read.
Read
February 3, 2019Alas, the emotional heart I was waiting for from one of Linda Urban's books never actually materialized underneath the weight of being 'quirky', and the plot suffocated under tropes that tried to turn cartwheels but only managed to flop over sideways.
May 28, 2020
This was super cute. Full of delightful, perfectly done humor, a well-paced story, and some really great twists and turns. I wish it was the first in a series!
March 24, 2016
Review originally posted on Children's Atheneum
When magic came to Milo Speck, it came in the form of a sock. “Figures,” said Milo. Milo's adventures begin at home, where Milo who is rather small for his age, is charged by his nanny to find a missing sock. When Milo reaches into the dryer looking for a match, he finds himself being plucked through by a giant hand. In a flash, Milo finds himself in Ogregon, a place populated with hungry ogres whose favorite snack food is little boys. Not sure how to get back home, Milo manages to escape into the food pouch of the maintenance ogre and hopes that wherever he ends up, he won't be eaten. Things are definitely not as they seemed though and soon Milo finds himself caught up in an unexpected rescue mission that includes a bossy girl, dino-sized turkeys, and an evil Doctor who is making plans to bring even more snack-sized children to Ogregon. Milo Speck isn't an agent, but he knows he can't stand by and no nothing.
This is one of those fun light fantasies reminiscent of Roald Dahl's BFG (sans the friendly part) and Edward Eager, a fact that Urban is very open about in her author's note at the end of the book. Milo is smart and quick and the perfect foil to Tuck, the head of the agency and also a know-it-all brat. Tuck, by the way, has landed herself in a bit of trouble and is awaiting rescue. Milo isn't exactly what she was expecting, but he will do. What I love about Milo is that despite not being particularly talented or good at anything, he still ends up saving the day because he can't leave other people behind to get hurt. In other words, he is the true definition of a hero. Tuck's attitude did get a bit old and the plot wasn't entirely original, but with this kind of book the important thing is that it is fun and Milo Speck has that in spades.
When magic came to Milo Speck, it came in the form of a sock. “Figures,” said Milo. Milo's adventures begin at home, where Milo who is rather small for his age, is charged by his nanny to find a missing sock. When Milo reaches into the dryer looking for a match, he finds himself being plucked through by a giant hand. In a flash, Milo finds himself in Ogregon, a place populated with hungry ogres whose favorite snack food is little boys. Not sure how to get back home, Milo manages to escape into the food pouch of the maintenance ogre and hopes that wherever he ends up, he won't be eaten. Things are definitely not as they seemed though and soon Milo finds himself caught up in an unexpected rescue mission that includes a bossy girl, dino-sized turkeys, and an evil Doctor who is making plans to bring even more snack-sized children to Ogregon. Milo Speck isn't an agent, but he knows he can't stand by and no nothing.
This is one of those fun light fantasies reminiscent of Roald Dahl's BFG (sans the friendly part) and Edward Eager, a fact that Urban is very open about in her author's note at the end of the book. Milo is smart and quick and the perfect foil to Tuck, the head of the agency and also a know-it-all brat. Tuck, by the way, has landed herself in a bit of trouble and is awaiting rescue. Milo isn't exactly what she was expecting, but he will do. What I love about Milo is that despite not being particularly talented or good at anything, he still ends up saving the day because he can't leave other people behind to get hurt. In other words, he is the true definition of a hero. Tuck's attitude did get a bit old and the plot wasn't entirely original, but with this kind of book the important thing is that it is fun and Milo Speck has that in spades.
July 6, 2017
“Life is full of messes that aren’t yours. That doesn't mean you don’t have to clean them up.”
"When magic came to Milo Speck, it came in the form of a sock." While he is sorting his father's socks, Milo finds a lone yellow sock and he is instantly whisked through the dryer and ends up in another world. A place called Ogregon, where boys are a delicacy and his father's boss (and possibly his father) are the most wanted criminals in history. Why would a door-to-door fence salesman be wanted by ogres? Milo barely has time to think before he discovers that his Dad's boss is being held in jail and is scheduled for "squashing" that very day.
When Milo encounters his Dad's boss, it isn't the Mr. Tuckerman that he expected. It's "Tuck", Mr. Tuckerman's daughter. And that's where the real adventure begins. You see, the Tuckerman Agency isn't what it seems. And neither is Milo's world. After all, who knew there were openings between worlds, closed with buttons, then laces and now zippers. Who would have imagined that there are the "aways" that don't believe in magic, but see their world as normal? And who would believe that a fence salesman might actually be something more? The Tuckerman Agency, with it's "responsibility to the “aways”, too … not just to protect our home," has maybe just discovered a new agent.
Some fun twists and turns to the plot that will keep students on their toes. Good humor mixed with the fantastical make this an enjoyable read for students.
"When magic came to Milo Speck, it came in the form of a sock." While he is sorting his father's socks, Milo finds a lone yellow sock and he is instantly whisked through the dryer and ends up in another world. A place called Ogregon, where boys are a delicacy and his father's boss (and possibly his father) are the most wanted criminals in history. Why would a door-to-door fence salesman be wanted by ogres? Milo barely has time to think before he discovers that his Dad's boss is being held in jail and is scheduled for "squashing" that very day.
When Milo encounters his Dad's boss, it isn't the Mr. Tuckerman that he expected. It's "Tuck", Mr. Tuckerman's daughter. And that's where the real adventure begins. You see, the Tuckerman Agency isn't what it seems. And neither is Milo's world. After all, who knew there were openings between worlds, closed with buttons, then laces and now zippers. Who would have imagined that there are the "aways" that don't believe in magic, but see their world as normal? And who would believe that a fence salesman might actually be something more? The Tuckerman Agency, with it's "responsibility to the “aways”, too … not just to protect our home," has maybe just discovered a new agent.
Some fun twists and turns to the plot that will keep students on their toes. Good humor mixed with the fantastical make this an enjoyable read for students.
February 1, 2016
Milo's dad is a door-to-door fencing salesman who travels a lot and works long hours. Ever since his mom left them, he's mostly cared for by a 'grandmother' hired by his father's company. He's picked on by other kids and has a pretty pathetic life... until he falls inside the dryer while looking for a match to the weird sock he found, and finds himself in a land of ogres.
I kept waiting for this story to interest me, and it never did (and nearly stopped reading it several times). Granted, I'm not the target age group (which is probably around 8-11 years old), but I generally enjoy a clever and cute middle grade story. This one just never hooked me. Yeah, Milo's a sympathetic character, and the story tries real hard to be humorous. But it all fell flat for me. I thought it was woefully predictable - and I think a lot of kids will feel the same way. (I received an advance copy from Amazon Vine.)
I kept waiting for this story to interest me, and it never did (and nearly stopped reading it several times). Granted, I'm not the target age group (which is probably around 8-11 years old), but I generally enjoy a clever and cute middle grade story. This one just never hooked me. Yeah, Milo's a sympathetic character, and the story tries real hard to be humorous. But it all fell flat for me. I thought it was woefully predictable - and I think a lot of kids will feel the same way. (I received an advance copy from Amazon Vine.)
August 8, 2015
This middle grade novel answers the question about where missing socks go when they disappear from the dryer. Milo Speck accidentally follows the missing socks into a land of boy-eating ogres and accidentally becomes involved in a "big" adventure. A plot driven story with a likable main character that will be appreciated by readers who enjoy silly fantasy.
June 13, 2015
I always knew there was a conspiracy with socks and dryers!
So begins the adventure with Milo and his dryer.
Plot driven, yet with characters who change and grow, this book has wonderful elements to share and discuss with readers.
Be sure to have this book on your must read list!
So begins the adventure with Milo and his dryer.
Plot driven, yet with characters who change and grow, this book has wonderful elements to share and discuss with readers.
Be sure to have this book on your must read list!
June 6, 2016
Milo Speck accepts so much in his life, the absence of his mother and father, a "Grandmother" caregiver. An amazing trip through the dryer lets Milo really see what he can achieve! This book is a great adventure, loads of fun! Great middle great read with a reflective, thoughtful main character.
November 12, 2015
Urban's love for the middle grade novel and Roald Dahl are obvious. This is a beautifully funny and smart adventure story.
July 8, 2017
Jack and the Beanstalk, But With A Laugh Track
This is not a "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" story in which we spend all of our time riding on ants and climbing over blades of grass or avoiding huge bees. That's an O.K. type of fantasy tale, but this book is much more fun. Here, Milo searches the back of his family's dryer for a sock and ends up being pulled into a world populated by gigantic, dumb ogres. BIG SPOILER. What Milo learns is that there are multiple parallel worlds with all sorts of weird inhabitants. Milo's Mom and Dad are agents who travel these worlds, which explains a lot of family stuff. Like why his Mom disappeared a while ago and why his Dad goes on awfully long business trips for a guy who's supposedly a door-to-door fencing salesman. And now, as the sub-title advises, Milo has become an accidental agent. END SPOILER.
What we do end up with is a rescue, another rescue, maybe a third rescue, a smarmy snarky girl agent, (Tuck), who gradually teams up with Milo, lots of close encounters with ogres, a twisty double-cross plot, exploding dryers, an ogre trade in boy sized snacks, squashing threats, and a number of escapes. Since Milo is bright and observant, and since he keeps up a running very funny and slightly exasperated internal monologue as the adventure unfolds, the entire tale is crisp, clear, briskly paced, and timed just right for a younger reader.
Rather than wacky or frantic, the author has gone a bit dry and deadpan, which perfectly complements the antic premise. Milo and Tuck have a screwball style relationship that gradually warms up, but there is a lot of funny crosstalk and needling before they settle in as a team. The gormless ogres also have great lines, even though they are usually the punchlines of the best scenes. Lots of good throwaway lines and just slightly edgy observations round things out.
The upshot is that this did not strike me as one of those books in which the premise consumed the story. This is always Milo's adventure tale and the true heart of the story is how Milo finds his hero within, even when riding a turkey to someone's rescue. It is fresh, funny and very engaging. (And if you want to think of it as an allegory of growing up as a little kid in a big and confusing world, well I get the feeling the author wouldn't mind that at all.) A good, fun find.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is not a "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" story in which we spend all of our time riding on ants and climbing over blades of grass or avoiding huge bees. That's an O.K. type of fantasy tale, but this book is much more fun. Here, Milo searches the back of his family's dryer for a sock and ends up being pulled into a world populated by gigantic, dumb ogres. BIG SPOILER. What Milo learns is that there are multiple parallel worlds with all sorts of weird inhabitants. Milo's Mom and Dad are agents who travel these worlds, which explains a lot of family stuff. Like why his Mom disappeared a while ago and why his Dad goes on awfully long business trips for a guy who's supposedly a door-to-door fencing salesman. And now, as the sub-title advises, Milo has become an accidental agent. END SPOILER.
What we do end up with is a rescue, another rescue, maybe a third rescue, a smarmy snarky girl agent, (Tuck), who gradually teams up with Milo, lots of close encounters with ogres, a twisty double-cross plot, exploding dryers, an ogre trade in boy sized snacks, squashing threats, and a number of escapes. Since Milo is bright and observant, and since he keeps up a running very funny and slightly exasperated internal monologue as the adventure unfolds, the entire tale is crisp, clear, briskly paced, and timed just right for a younger reader.
Rather than wacky or frantic, the author has gone a bit dry and deadpan, which perfectly complements the antic premise. Milo and Tuck have a screwball style relationship that gradually warms up, but there is a lot of funny crosstalk and needling before they settle in as a team. The gormless ogres also have great lines, even though they are usually the punchlines of the best scenes. Lots of good throwaway lines and just slightly edgy observations round things out.
The upshot is that this did not strike me as one of those books in which the premise consumed the story. This is always Milo's adventure tale and the true heart of the story is how Milo finds his hero within, even when riding a turkey to someone's rescue. It is fresh, funny and very engaging. (And if you want to think of it as an allegory of growing up as a little kid in a big and confusing world, well I get the feeling the author wouldn't mind that at all.) A good, fun find.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
January 31, 2022
The opening paragraph:
The rest of his story takes place in Ogregon, trying to survive and gradually learning that his parents might be there as well, working for a mysterious agency. His adventure is often funny and--for readers, at least, if not for Milo, who must constantly work to avoid being eaten--a lot of fun.
Milo had read about magic before. He knew that kids in stories sometimes found magic in secret drawers or hidden away in attics, and he had always hoped that if he were to find magic, it would appear in the form of a mysterious silver coin or a doorway to an enchanted world. But when magic came to Milo Speck, it came in the form of a sock.Well . . . the sock does lead to a doorway of sorts. Milo is searching the back of his dryer for the mate to the mysterious sock that has shown up with his dad's laundry, when he is grabbed by a gigantic hand and pulled further in, through the dryer, and out the door of a different dryer--by an ogre.
The rest of his story takes place in Ogregon, trying to survive and gradually learning that his parents might be there as well, working for a mysterious agency. His adventure is often funny and--for readers, at least, if not for Milo, who must constantly work to avoid being eaten--a lot of fun.
October 16, 2022
This book is about a young boy named milo who gets sucked into a world full of Ogres, these are human eating ogres. Throughout the book the boy has to get away from these man eating ogres, all while learning about the world, Milos adventures lead him to meeting some great people. Milo meets his dad and learns all about his secret life. This is what makes the book an intense read and exciting for anybody looking for action in their lives. Soon we find out what Milo is truly capable of.
This book is a great read and isn't too difficult to read. It is fun to read about this boy who is trying to escape these monsters. I like learning about Milos personality and his jealousy at times, it makes the read extremely relateable. I would read this book to my Kids and use it in class to tell kids its a great book for those who are looking for a little of fantasy in their lives.
Things to look out for
-Vulgar content
-Blood at times and broken bones
This book is a great read and isn't too difficult to read. It is fun to read about this boy who is trying to escape these monsters. I like learning about Milos personality and his jealousy at times, it makes the read extremely relateable. I would read this book to my Kids and use it in class to tell kids its a great book for those who are looking for a little of fantasy in their lives.
Things to look out for
-Vulgar content
-Blood at times and broken bones
February 16, 2017
After falling hard for Linda Urban's contemporary MG's I knew I was venturing into something new from her, but I just couldn't get into it the way I did her other books. It was fun and quirky and cute and absolutely fine, but I'm not gaga over this one like I am the rest of her books. Having said that, I imagine many a kid loving this and enjoying the adventure.
September 6, 2017
Fantasy, Science Fiction, Plot Driven, Fast paced, adventure, family, secret agents, ogres
Fun and exciting, taking place in the real and fantasy world.
Fun and exciting, taking place in the real and fantasy world.
October 18, 2017
Liked this book more and more as I read it, and then even more when I read the author's inspiration.
August 26, 2019
Amusing and reasonably page-turn-y light fantasy.
April 12, 2021
I did not like this book at all. I did not like that the story was very hard to follow. I did not like the storyline at all. 2/10 recommend
November 17, 2022
The Ogregonian did me in.
March 9, 2023
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
September 28, 2020
This was a cute story and I'm sure kids will love it as much as I did, if not more.
It's about a boy who gets sucked into another world when he tries to get a sock out of the dryer. He has some adventures along the way.
I think it's worth reading, even for an adult who likes kids' books. The age recommendation for this book is 9 to 12.
Have fun with this one! It was worth the read.
It's about a boy who gets sucked into another world when he tries to get a sock out of the dryer. He has some adventures along the way.
I think it's worth reading, even for an adult who likes kids' books. The age recommendation for this book is 9 to 12.
Have fun with this one! It was worth the read.
March 6, 2017
What a wonderful adventure!
I loved this book. It was well-written and engaging. I especially liked all of the puns and various word-related humor. I can definitely see a parent reading this to a child and both of them enjoying it immensely.
Great plot. And I loved Milo's character. You can definitely see the influence of The BFG in this book, but it is still very much its own story.
The only drawback for me was that I felt it could have been shorter than it was. Basically, anything bad that could happen did and everything that could go wrong did. I think some of this could have been cut out to make a more concise story. I enjoyed reading it, but it felt too stretched out at times. It got to the point that if Milo made some sort of plan, I began to expect it to go horribly wrong.
But overall, this was a great read. Humorous, adventurous, and fun. Definitely worth the read.
I loved this book. It was well-written and engaging. I especially liked all of the puns and various word-related humor. I can definitely see a parent reading this to a child and both of them enjoying it immensely.
Great plot. And I loved Milo's character. You can definitely see the influence of The BFG in this book, but it is still very much its own story.
The only drawback for me was that I felt it could have been shorter than it was. Basically, anything bad that could happen did and everything that could go wrong did. I think some of this could have been cut out to make a more concise story. I enjoyed reading it, but it felt too stretched out at times. It got to the point that if Milo made some sort of plan, I began to expect it to go horribly wrong.
But overall, this was a great read. Humorous, adventurous, and fun. Definitely worth the read.
September 22, 2015
Milo is a dreamer and he instantly brings us into his world. With his mother dead and his father off on yet another business trip, he’s doing one of his chores, sorting socks. And like anyone who has sorted a basket of socks, there is always one that isn’t quite right. Although the spare sock that Milo finds is too large and far too yellow, with strange powers of its own.
Milo is whisked through the dryer vent with the yellow sock, and transplanted to Ogregon, where boys are a tasty delicacy and his father’s boss, and even possibly his father, the door-to-door fence salesman are wanted criminals. Ogres have plans to ‘squash’ his father the very next day!
Oh this was fun, from Milo’s very ordinary chore opening a door to adventure and discovering just how much more he is capable of than he ever thought, A hole between the worlds show Milo that Mr. Tuckerman, his father’s boss is really Tuck, his daughter, and nothing is quite the same anymore.
With doors between the worlds that closed with buttons then laces and now zippers, this plot driven story is full of moments of whimsy. While the characters are clever, the real joy is in the multi-layered plot that pulls you from one adventure to the next. Nothing is quite as it seems, and to some people, all the strange goings on that Milo notices are simply normal. Several twists, humor and a genuine fantastical topsy turvy new world, this is a fun middle grade fantasy adventure read.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Milo is whisked through the dryer vent with the yellow sock, and transplanted to Ogregon, where boys are a tasty delicacy and his father’s boss, and even possibly his father, the door-to-door fence salesman are wanted criminals. Ogres have plans to ‘squash’ his father the very next day!
Oh this was fun, from Milo’s very ordinary chore opening a door to adventure and discovering just how much more he is capable of than he ever thought, A hole between the worlds show Milo that Mr. Tuckerman, his father’s boss is really Tuck, his daughter, and nothing is quite the same anymore.
With doors between the worlds that closed with buttons then laces and now zippers, this plot driven story is full of moments of whimsy. While the characters are clever, the real joy is in the multi-layered plot that pulls you from one adventure to the next. Nothing is quite as it seems, and to some people, all the strange goings on that Milo notices are simply normal. Several twists, humor and a genuine fantastical topsy turvy new world, this is a fun middle grade fantasy adventure read.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
October 18, 2017
The biggest reason why I didn't like this book is the fact that the whole story takes place over just a few hours. There is no depth to the story as there is no time for the characters to grow. There is no reflection and learning, just the characters going from one task to the next. There is only so much one character can do in a day as well. The book was well over 200 pages, so everything that took place was explained in such great detail with lots of unnecessary dialogue included as well. I think it could have easily been paired down to 50 pages and no part of the story would be left out. In fact I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more. There is no time to form emotional connections with the characters, to really become invested in their lives as you get barley a five hour glimpse into their lives. And that's only Milo.
I also just didn't understand the concept of the story, that each time a load of laundry is done, a treat appears. Maybe I'm just not imaginative enough to appreciate such a strange connection between laundry and acquiring snacks.
The one part of this book that I really did like was the way the ogres spoke. It was so goofy and blunt in such an enjoyable way.
I think children will enjoy it as there is always something going on, always moving quickly on to the next bit of action to be resolved. It's just not a book that I feel will be enjoyed by anyone once they leave elementary school.
I also just didn't understand the concept of the story, that each time a load of laundry is done, a treat appears. Maybe I'm just not imaginative enough to appreciate such a strange connection between laundry and acquiring snacks.
The one part of this book that I really did like was the way the ogres spoke. It was so goofy and blunt in such an enjoyable way.
I think children will enjoy it as there is always something going on, always moving quickly on to the next bit of action to be resolved. It's just not a book that I feel will be enjoyed by anyone once they leave elementary school.
August 29, 2015
Milo is looking for a sock when he gets pulled through the dryer into a land of giant ogres who love to eat little boys. As Milo tries to find his way home, he uncovers am incredible secret agency and an deadly scheme.
Milo Speck is a super fun story. The cover makes it look like Milo shrinks, but actually he ends up in a land of giants/ogres. The ogres provide quite a bit of comedy with their short attention spans and general lack of intelligence. It's pretty slapstick, perfect for middle grade readers who have a silly sense of humor.
There are some interesting characters, too, in this fast-paced plot-driven story. Urban manages to squeeze in quite a lot of depth. There are secret-pasts for some characters, betrayal by others, and transformation for several.
Heads up, though - the premise and cover made me think, "This looks purpose for readers who need more support!" But, actually, the story is pretty complex, and some of the language is a tricky. For instance, the main character, Milo, really enjoys putting "esque" on the ends of words. He says things like, "The chair looked tree-esque."
Overall, I really enjoyed Milo Speck. It was a quick, engaging, light story with unexpected complexity.
Milo Speck is a super fun story. The cover makes it look like Milo shrinks, but actually he ends up in a land of giants/ogres. The ogres provide quite a bit of comedy with their short attention spans and general lack of intelligence. It's pretty slapstick, perfect for middle grade readers who have a silly sense of humor.
There are some interesting characters, too, in this fast-paced plot-driven story. Urban manages to squeeze in quite a lot of depth. There are secret-pasts for some characters, betrayal by others, and transformation for several.
Heads up, though - the premise and cover made me think, "This looks purpose for readers who need more support!" But, actually, the story is pretty complex, and some of the language is a tricky. For instance, the main character, Milo, really enjoys putting "esque" on the ends of words. He says things like, "The chair looked tree-esque."
Overall, I really enjoyed Milo Speck. It was a quick, engaging, light story with unexpected complexity.
October 15, 2015
Milo Speck, Accidental Agent is the newest novel by Vermont author, Linda Urban, and will be a fun one for kids who love the fantasy of Roald Dahl or even Suzanne Collins’ series Gregor the Overlander. Milo is a small boy who, while looking for a match to a rather large sock, gets pulled into a clothes dryer and into the world of Ogregon, where Ogres love the yumminess of boys (actually, it really doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl, because ogres have such bad eyesight, they can’t really tell the difference). When Milo discovers that his father, a door-to-door fence salesman may also be in Ogregon to save his boss, Mr. Tuckerman, Milo decides he must help his father while keeping himself hidden from the ogres. This isn’t an easy task, though, and everywhere he lands, more danger is just around the corner, and Milo discovers that his father is not the only one needing saving.
I believe some of the humor in this book is a little over the head of most 3rd and 4th graders, but still, I think they will enjoy the adventures, the descriptions of the ogres and their bad habits, and the dastardly villains that abound in this story. 4★ 3rd-6th
I believe some of the humor in this book is a little over the head of most 3rd and 4th graders, but still, I think they will enjoy the adventures, the descriptions of the ogres and their bad habits, and the dastardly villains that abound in this story. 4★ 3rd-6th
February 7, 2017
Milo Speck goes looking for a missing sock in the dryer, gets sucked into a world full of ogres, has to try and avoid getting eaten, accidentally rescues a secret agent and discovers things about his family, and tries to foil the plans of the ogres to use an evil dryer to suck boys out of the human world to be eaten.
This is quite different from Urban's normal realistic fiction writing. It's a little zany. I mean there's transportation via dryers, an explanation as to what happens to all the missing socks, secret agents using turkeys as their main steeds (points for uniqueness!) and some deep family secrets. Some of this was pretty easy to predict if you're familiar with the genre, but it was still a fun read and manages to be quite unique. I loved the trained turkeys. And incorporating the explanation as to what happens to missing socks fit well. It felt like Milo should have more adventures, but I can't find any evidence of that.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. Some violence threatened, but the only thing that happens is a fall that may or may not have been bad. (No details and it's left vague.)
This is quite different from Urban's normal realistic fiction writing. It's a little zany. I mean there's transportation via dryers, an explanation as to what happens to all the missing socks, secret agents using turkeys as their main steeds (points for uniqueness!) and some deep family secrets. Some of this was pretty easy to predict if you're familiar with the genre, but it was still a fun read and manages to be quite unique. I loved the trained turkeys. And incorporating the explanation as to what happens to missing socks fit well. It felt like Milo should have more adventures, but I can't find any evidence of that.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. Some violence threatened, but the only thing that happens is a fall that may or may not have been bad. (No details and it's left vague.)
August 12, 2015
Milo Speck's mother left two years ago and never returned home. His father is off on another business trip, and Milo is stuck at home with Grandmother, sorting his father's work socks and dreaming of what it would be like to be one of the knights in the books that his father reads with him. Reaching into the basket of laundry, he pulls out a very large sock. The sock is so big that it would not fit anyone in his family and there isn't another one like it. Since grandmother will be upset with him if he can't match up all the socks, he decides to try the dryer. After climbing up to it, he reaches inside and feels the sock. He tries to pull it out, but the sock clamps onto his hand and pulls back. This is the beginning of Milo's adventures in the land of ogres, an original, amusing book filled with magical dryers, giant turkeys, child-eating ogres and revelations about his mom and dad.
While the recommended age level for this book is 7 to 10, I believe that a few years could be added on both ends. I also think there are grown-ups out there--like me--who would like it too.
While the recommended age level for this book is 7 to 10, I believe that a few years could be added on both ends. I also think there are grown-ups out there--like me--who would like it too.
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