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Mabel Jones #2

Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City

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A funny fantasy-adventure series for fans of LEMONY SNICKET, NEIL GAIMAN, and CRESSIDA COWELL

What do you do when you survive a pirate kidnapping, a milk-drinking contest with a giant grizzly bear, and a stint inside the belly of a whale? If you're Mabel Jones, you do everything you can to avoid another UNLIKELY ADVENTURE!

But when Mabel's baby sister is plucked from her crib by an EVIL witch, Mabel has no choice but to follow both to the jungles of the Forbidden City.

Joining a brand-new cast of characters--and a few familiar faces from The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones--Mabel races an arrogant fox, slays a ferocious millipede, and battles the diabolical witch. But is she prepared to make the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE to save her sister?

From the Hardcover edition.

Audio CD

First published February 9, 2016

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Will Mabbitt

24 books49 followers

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5 stars
108 (43%)
4 stars
91 (36%)
3 stars
39 (15%)
2 stars
8 (3%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Profile Image for Noa Seidmann.
482 reviews16 followers
March 7, 2019
עוד הרפתקה מפחידה ומצחיקה של מייבל. חייבת לציין שהפעם הספר נגמר בצורה הרבה יותר מותחת. ממש מחכה לתרגום הספר הבא
Profile Image for Brenda.
959 reviews46 followers
April 27, 2016
Originally posted at Log Cabin Library

"What do you do when you survive a pirate kidnapping, a milk-drinking contest with a giant grizzly bear, and a stint inside the belly of a whale? If you’re Mabel Jones, you do everything you can to avoid another UNLIKELY ADVENTURE! "

Or at least that's what Mabel had hoped at the end of book one, The Unlikely Adventure of Mabel Jones. Mabel is once again home, all safe and sound, wiser and a more seasoned pirate. But, unbeknownst to Mabel, an evil witch/sorceress has been watching and plotting. She even sends her creeping vines to snatch Mabel and carry her off to the Forbidden City. As I said though, Mabel is wiser, and the vines end up snatching Mabel's little sister Maggie instead. Hot on their trail, Mabel hitches a ride with one of the vines and gets pulled into a whole different time filled with talking animals, and where "hoomans" are extinct. Desperate to find her sister, Mabel enlists the help of some fellow adventures who are also on a search for the Forbidden City and they in turn run into her former crew-mates, who just might know how to get them there.

Mabel is just adorable in her pj's and bunny slippers, swinging a cutlass. She never ceases to amuse me. Even the intrusive narrator is quite humorous, perhaps not quite as much as I recall from the first book, yet still keeps things entertaining. Captain Pelf and Jarvis, crew from Mabel's time on the Ferrous Maggot make an appearance, as well as new additions of Professor Carruthers Badger-Badger, PhD and Timothy Speke, an otter who has a remarkable ability for sketching. And man, those illustrations by Ross Collins are gorgeous and wonderfully detailed. There was a nice balance of newer and familiar characters, with Carruthers and Speke adding a nice British sounding flair. One of my favorite characters, Omynus Hussh was also present, but sadly Mabel and his friendship has returned to a hatred with him having ominous plans for our poor Mabel. The other change I noticed is that this book seemed to have darker undertones to it, not to say I didn't enjoy them, which I did, just that it is something to keep in mind. There is a particular scene where Mabel goes underground into a high school filled with the piles of bones of students sitting at their desks looking at a skeletal teacher and we're uncertain what happened to poor Jarvis. There was also a battle with a huge creepy insect called the Scuttling Death, and well the evil sorceress is also a bit unnerving. Myself, I enjoyed the rise in tension and felt nothing was to over the top or scary, with the narrator taking even these moments and making them funny and light or just making changes in the text size, spacing of words, or adding blank pages in between to show Mabel making her way around in the dark. All making for a fun and amusing story.

Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via a Giveaway hosted at Word Spelunking.
Profile Image for Jeff Raymond.
3,092 reviews208 followers
Read
February 21, 2016
Closer to a 1.5.

I thought the first Mabel Jones book was fine. Trying very hard to be Roald Dahl and not quite getting there, but still being a pretty okay book on a whole. The second book is such a ridiculous step backward on a whole that it's almost barely worth noting. The fun is gone, the story less engaging, and the result just almost a flop on a whole.

Truly, I can't recommend giving this series a shot at this point. There must be room for a good girl pirate book out there, but Mabel Jones, sadly, ain't it.
Profile Image for Hizam.
130 reviews62 followers
February 12, 2018
مضحك في بعض الصفحات ومقزز في البعض الآخر
Profile Image for Labeba Salameh.
828 reviews261 followers
November 25, 2020
ما كنت اعرف أنه حتى انا ممكن أغرم بهذه الطريقة السمجمة من الكتابة
حاولت إضافة صورة الغلاف الغريب أني لم أتمكن من ذلك
أخراج هذه السلسلة إبداعي و يستحق الشكر وخاصة أنه نقل للعربية بنفس الحرفية
مابيل جونز ورغم كل الاحتياطات التي وضعتها من اجل ألا تعود للعالم الذي خطفت إليه سابقا إلا ان أختها الصغرى تغدوا ضحية هذه المرة
ورغم أن هذا المخلوق الصغير مزعج الا أنه محبب يدفع مابل جونز للحاق بها الى المدينة المحرمة من اجل انقاذها لتنضم إلى وجوه عديدة من رفقتها القديمة
لن تجد هنا مثاليات او قيم او مغزى مميز وصريح يتم تمريره للأطفال القراء لكن الكثير من المرح و المزاح و المقالب والسماجة وبعض الرعب المقبول
القصة تصلح بامتياز للأطفال الذين يتخيلون ان القراء هم مجموعة من المثقفين ذوي نظرات سميكة
والسلسلة فخ لذيذ للإيقاع أي طفل في عشق القراءة
71 reviews1 follower
September 12, 2024
Even better than the first although I think a bit scary for Mr 10 (sometimes has bad dreams so tends to avoid books like this). I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Mohammad.
Author 13 books101 followers
March 2, 2019
ترجمه‌ی این مجموعه خیلی کار مفرحیه و خوش می‌گذره.
Profile Image for Bryan D.
332 reviews6 followers
May 16, 2017
Rejoice the return of Mabel Jones in this satisfying chaotic fast paced delightful tale that's much darker than her previous adventure; yet again the book is beautifully illustrated and Mabel Jones is the same feisty intelligent kid who is removed from her comfort zone to rescue her sister.
It's feels very like Jim Henson's Labyrinth mixed in with some Walter Moers but that said it's still a very original charming world with one of the best cliff hangers I've encountered in the second part of a series in quite a while.
I would be delighted if Mabel Jones became a household name and a character beloved by many of various ages because I can't think of any better medicine for a frazzled mind.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,131 reviews14 followers
September 9, 2020
It’s entirely possible that this is a perfect book! So good. Mabel goes to rescue her baby sister back in the future where talking animals rule.

Excellent adventure. Good drawing. Perfect for early chapter readers who want adventure, some gross And have a true heart.

Took turns reading with the 7 year old. We both loved.
Profile Image for Thaddeus.
70 reviews1 follower
April 11, 2021
Mabel is back and tracking down her stolen infant sister Maggie. Now in the Noo World, she’s dealing with an evil sorceress amid the normal(!) issues she’s faces in her unlikely adventures. Mabbit’s sense of humor continues to drive the fun here and the narrator makes up for some slight lapses in plot.
Profile Image for I. Merey.
Author 3 books111 followers
August 21, 2017
Great book for kids (and some adults who are into this sort of thing.)

Pirates, talking animals, jungle sacrifices, kidnapping vines, lost cities, cool typographies, neat chaotic illustrations, good and evil----and good!

Profile Image for Jessica Lim.
4 reviews
April 25, 2018
Barmy. Loved it. 8yo daughter stole it while I slept and then wouldn't give it back 👍
Profile Image for Aati.
9 reviews3 followers
November 2, 2019
Liked the first book better but this one had some funny yet clever events which made it as good as the first book.
Profile Image for Holly Jolly.
339 reviews5 followers
Read
June 29, 2020
I'm not going to rate this because it would be unfair. I didn't get to finish it because life happened and I didn't have the time to sit still long enough to get involved with the characters again.
Profile Image for Ms. Jameson.
74 reviews2 followers
July 16, 2021
Equally delightful as the first (when does THAT happen?!)--Mable is yet again, brave, kind, and empathetic along with a great dose of integrity. A super nose-picking role model for kids.
Profile Image for Lise.
23 reviews
December 9, 2021
C'est un livre assez enfantin mais certain passage sont assez drôle. Personnellement je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser mais j'imagine que c'est un bon livre pour les enfants.
16 reviews
February 8, 2022
Es un libro SOLO PARA AVENTURER@S porque viven muchas aventuras, hacen algún de otro sacrificio y... ¡Ya lo veréis!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Nicole.
773 reviews24 followers
May 2, 2016
Bonkers! Just flat out crazy piratey fun with my favourite female character. I hope it gets made into a movie so everyone can see the brilliance of Mabbitt I can't wait for book 3. Fans of alliteration will love such sentences as "Yes, every shady glade can conceals parade of potential predators poised to pounce."
I have many sentences that made me happy but " Can the bird's warning squawks penetrate the stupefying fug of Mr Habib's soporific herbs" had me screaming for every school child in the land to own a copy. I love this series may it never end as I don't particularly enjoy vast volumes of pickled onions. Huzzah!
Profile Image for Christie.
481 reviews
July 30, 2016
The second in the series is just as fun to read as the first! Mabel Jones is my new favorite heroine and I'm eagerly awaiting, as is the wee one, the arrival of the next in the series scheduled to be released in February 2017.

In this adventure book, Mabel Jones is after the creatures who have abducted her baby sister. Meeting up with some of our favorites from the first book, Mabel joins must enter the Forbidden City or risk losing her sister forever.

The intrigue! The excitement! The DANGER!

These really are fun and fantastically awesome books. Check them out if you get the chance.
Profile Image for Claire Walsh.
6 reviews17 followers
January 26, 2016
One of the things which I thought was wonderful was the use of figurative language. Its brilliant and mad and I used it in a practical sense to try to explain something to the children about using metaphors. This is a book which I can see myself returning to for examples for a long while yet.
18 reviews
July 2, 2020
I am really enjoying this series! I'm always on the hunt for books that have great vocabulary and will grab kids' attention, and this one fits the bill. And the audio versions are amazing as well, they have a great reader for it!
1 review
February 15, 2016
Brilliant best book ever

Because it made me want to be Mabel jones loved it
So much but it was quite dangerous to though
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews

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