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Humpty Dumpty Jr.: Hardboiled Detective
The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop
Humpty Dumpty Jr. has always gotten the bad guy. Always. Except once, when the case got too personal. You know that case. The one about his Dad... And now, a frantic call for help tells him that someone is making it personal again. "Johnny" Cakes, a two-bit pancake punk, has escaped from jail. And Patty, of the famous (and delicious) Pat-A-Cake Bakery, has disappeared. Could "Johnny" Cakes be behind it? Whoever kidnapped Patty better watch out; Humpty is no soft-cooked Egg. He is 100% Hardboiled. From the (fairly) scrambled minds of three acclaimed children's writers and illustrators comes a hilarious new detective who always cracks the case. Set on the grimy streets of New Yolk City, where the Queen of Hearts lives in Queens (where else?), the adventures of Humpty Dumpty Jr. are sure to delight early and chapter-book readers alike. This is the start of a very funny, totally action-packed new series no one will want to miss! "Once Upon a
There was a detective. Me. Humpty Dumpty Jr., Hardboiled Detective. I'm a good egg who always cracks the case. One morning, sitting at my desk, I watched the sun rise out my grimy window. Dawn light played peek-a-boo through the tall skyscrapers of the gritty city. My city.
New Yolk City."
There was a detective. Me. Humpty Dumpty Jr., Hardboiled Detective. I'm a good egg who always cracks the case. One morning, sitting at my desk, I watched the sun rise out my grimy window. Dawn light played peek-a-boo through the tall skyscrapers of the gritty city. My city.
New Yolk City."
120 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
20 people want to read
About the author
Nate Evans
57 books14 followersNate Evans wanted to be a secret agent, a firefighter, or a magician when he was a kid. But he also loved to read and write, and he grew up to be the author of more than thirty-five children’s books, including the New York Times bestsellers Ponyella and The Jellybeans and the Big Dance, both cowritten with Laura Numeroff, and the series Humpty Dumpty Jr.: Hardboiled Detective, an IndieBound “Inspired Recommendation for Kids.” He also illustrated Laura Numeroff”s 10-Step Guide to Living with Your Monster, among others. You can visit him online at www.nateevans.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 14, 2008
This book not only makes playing with your food OK, but uproariously fun! Humpty Dumpty Jr. is a detective any kid will love - with his smart alic mouth, "down and dirty" ethic and attitude and desire for justice, what's not to love?! Throw in a few "eeeww" discriptions such as "It's face was rotting wart-flesh. Foul green snot oozed over cracked teeth" and clever rhymes such as "Fe! Fi! Fo! Fegg!" roared the ogre, "I smell the blood of a rotten egg! Be he live, or be he dead, I'll grind his shell to make my bread!" and you have a book sure to engross the most picky of reader.
The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop, takes such nursery rhyme characters as Patty Cake, Humpty Dumpty, the Queen of Hearts, the Knave of Hearts and many others and lends it own very unique twist. I found this to be of utmost cleverness and enjoyable fun.
In this first case, Humpty Dumpty Jr. discovers the beloved Patty Cake missing and her bakery Pat-A-Cake Bakery in ruins. With the help of a street kid named Rat and an egg beater magic wand, Humpty takes the search through the mean streets of New Yolk. Will he be able to crack the case or will the case crack him first? The only way to find out is to grab up a copy of The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop as quickly as you can and enter the world of fiendish foods.
I simply cannot recommend this story enough. It is great fun, full of laughs and a sure way to get any child wrapped in the world of reading. I am very anxious to read the next in the series The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost. So be on the lookout for my review on it shortly!
*overall rating: 5/5
The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop, takes such nursery rhyme characters as Patty Cake, Humpty Dumpty, the Queen of Hearts, the Knave of Hearts and many others and lends it own very unique twist. I found this to be of utmost cleverness and enjoyable fun.
In this first case, Humpty Dumpty Jr. discovers the beloved Patty Cake missing and her bakery Pat-A-Cake Bakery in ruins. With the help of a street kid named Rat and an egg beater magic wand, Humpty takes the search through the mean streets of New Yolk. Will he be able to crack the case or will the case crack him first? The only way to find out is to grab up a copy of The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop as quickly as you can and enter the world of fiendish foods.
I simply cannot recommend this story enough. It is great fun, full of laughs and a sure way to get any child wrapped in the world of reading. I am very anxious to read the next in the series The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost. So be on the lookout for my review on it shortly!
*overall rating: 5/5
March 10, 2010
i really thought this was a goodbook because it tells about a hard boiled egg who fights crime and tries to capture flapjack who ecaped from prison.
November 9, 2012
Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com
In New Yolk City, there lives a Hardboiled Detective who is the toughest egg around. Humpty Dumpty, Jr., has cracked every case that's come across his desk--except one, the one that made him become a detective. Putting that aside, he's won tons of awards for solving crimes, all the while putting himself at odds with the local police precinct.
One day, while reading the headlines in the paper, Humpty answers the phone, only to hear a scream before the line goes dead. He traces the call to the Pat-A-Cake Bakery, and rushes over there to check on his friend, Patty. He finds the lock to the door missing, just vanished, and baking supplies, ingredients, and recipe cards for Patty's magical cakes and pastries scattered all over the place.
While investigating, Humpty finds a piece of evidence--a playing card featuring the Jack of Hearts--on the ground. When he hears a noise from the storeroom and goes to investigate, an attacker leaps from the shadows, and Humpty is suddenly locked in a battle against someone who could possibly be Patty's kidnapper. Armed only with his magic egg-beater wand and his wits, Humpty wastes no time in finding out all he can to save Patty and crack this case.
His search will take him from Queens (to question the Knave of Hearts), to the sewers, to a highly charged final battle with an old foe on the outskirts of town.
The first book in a hilarious new series, created by three veteran authors and illustrators of children's books, this is one egg-citing set of books that will surely keep any younger or reluctant reader glued to the page to laugh as long as possible.
In New Yolk City, there lives a Hardboiled Detective who is the toughest egg around. Humpty Dumpty, Jr., has cracked every case that's come across his desk--except one, the one that made him become a detective. Putting that aside, he's won tons of awards for solving crimes, all the while putting himself at odds with the local police precinct.
One day, while reading the headlines in the paper, Humpty answers the phone, only to hear a scream before the line goes dead. He traces the call to the Pat-A-Cake Bakery, and rushes over there to check on his friend, Patty. He finds the lock to the door missing, just vanished, and baking supplies, ingredients, and recipe cards for Patty's magical cakes and pastries scattered all over the place.
While investigating, Humpty finds a piece of evidence--a playing card featuring the Jack of Hearts--on the ground. When he hears a noise from the storeroom and goes to investigate, an attacker leaps from the shadows, and Humpty is suddenly locked in a battle against someone who could possibly be Patty's kidnapper. Armed only with his magic egg-beater wand and his wits, Humpty wastes no time in finding out all he can to save Patty and crack this case.
His search will take him from Queens (to question the Knave of Hearts), to the sewers, to a highly charged final battle with an old foe on the outskirts of town.
The first book in a hilarious new series, created by three veteran authors and illustrators of children's books, this is one egg-citing set of books that will surely keep any younger or reluctant reader glued to the page to laugh as long as possible.
October 10, 2008
In the series opener, The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop, Humpty Dumpty Jr., armed with an egg-beater magic wand that never seems to work right for him, must find out who kidnapped New Yolk City's best baker, Patty Cake of the Pat-A-Cake bakery. He meets up with Rat, a homeless boy befriended by Patty Cake, and they eventually decide to work together. As they follow numerous clues, the pair run into an interesting cast of characters: Peppermint Pete, Johnny Cakes, the Queen and Jack of Hearts, Crusty Crinkles, and Mr. Fum, among others.
My daughter and I both enjoyed the book. At 120 pages, it wasn’t a tedious read for us; we finished it in under a week, reading a couple of chapters a day before her bedtime. My daughter has pretty much outgrown picture books, but because she’s still not ready to read only chapter books without pictures, The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop was perfect. The Humpty Dumpty Jr. books have an illustration on every page, and they do a great job showing the action in the story. The drawings of the bad guys are creepy, and while the three-headed monster at the end is not scary enough to frighten young readers, it certainly looks mean.
The end of the book was so full of action that my daughter didn’t want to stop reading (and neither did I).
Full review on Diary of an Eccentric
My daughter and I both enjoyed the book. At 120 pages, it wasn’t a tedious read for us; we finished it in under a week, reading a couple of chapters a day before her bedtime. My daughter has pretty much outgrown picture books, but because she’s still not ready to read only chapter books without pictures, The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop was perfect. The Humpty Dumpty Jr. books have an illustration on every page, and they do a great job showing the action in the story. The drawings of the bad guys are creepy, and while the three-headed monster at the end is not scary enough to frighten young readers, it certainly looks mean.
The end of the book was so full of action that my daughter didn’t want to stop reading (and neither did I).
Full review on Diary of an Eccentric
January 7, 2009
I adore the idea of a hard-boiled detective novel for the early-chapter book set! And this book doesn't disappoint. It has all the grittiness of the genre, coupled with wacky plot elements, humorous references to nursery rhymes and fairy tales, and great art. The mystery hangs together well too, which just makes this book a great delight.
Unlike many books at this level, the allusions to outside references are mostly on a level that the intended audience can get. Although there are certainly a couple for adults snuck in where it won't hurt the plot (I saw a the Doctor Who hand in a corner of one of the pictures).
There is art on almost every page (I was reading and advanced copy, so I don't know if it's color or B&W), which is great for those kids who have the ability to read harder chapter books, but aren't ready to abandon pictures. The art had me giggling more often than not.
I would highly recommend this book to kids who like mysteries, particularly detective novels, and silly stories. Probably the Geronimo Stilton crowd. Best for individual reading in grades 2-3, but also good for younger kids (K-1) out loud or with help.
Unlike many books at this level, the allusions to outside references are mostly on a level that the intended audience can get. Although there are certainly a couple for adults snuck in where it won't hurt the plot (I saw a the Doctor Who hand in a corner of one of the pictures).
There is art on almost every page (I was reading and advanced copy, so I don't know if it's color or B&W), which is great for those kids who have the ability to read harder chapter books, but aren't ready to abandon pictures. The art had me giggling more often than not.
I would highly recommend this book to kids who like mysteries, particularly detective novels, and silly stories. Probably the Geronimo Stilton crowd. Best for individual reading in grades 2-3, but also good for younger kids (K-1) out loud or with help.
December 19, 2014
Humpty Dumpty Jr. is the best hard-boiled egg for the case. He always catches the bad guy...except once when things got too personal with his dad. Now, a frantic call for help tells him that someone is making it personal again. And this time, Humpty better watch out before he gets scrambled.
I stumbled upon this awesome chapter-book series for young readers at my local Goodwill store. Needless to say, I fell in love with this pun-tastic fairy tale noir mystery. I've always enjoyed a good hard-boiled crime mystery and I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it turns out it's a pretty great combination of both worlds. I could easily hear all of the characters presented in these pages speaking inside my head and see them in gritty black and white.
I highly recommend this "Egg-cellent! Egg-citing! [and] Egg-splosive!" chapter book! If you have an interest in film noir, hard-boiled crime fiction, or fairy tales, you should not miss Humpty Dumpty Jr's first case, The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop!
I stumbled upon this awesome chapter-book series for young readers at my local Goodwill store. Needless to say, I fell in love with this pun-tastic fairy tale noir mystery. I've always enjoyed a good hard-boiled crime mystery and I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it turns out it's a pretty great combination of both worlds. I could easily hear all of the characters presented in these pages speaking inside my head and see them in gritty black and white.
I highly recommend this "Egg-cellent! Egg-citing! [and] Egg-splosive!" chapter book! If you have an interest in film noir, hard-boiled crime fiction, or fairy tales, you should not miss Humpty Dumpty Jr's first case, The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop!
April 16, 2011
Based on it's cover, this was not a book I would choose for myself, but my 8 year-old daughter recommended it as a quick read.
The book opens with a Film-Noir style and clever use of puns, and I anticipated a fun read.
"Once Upon a Crime:
There was a detective.
Me.
Humpty Dumpty Jr., Hardboiled Detective. I'm a good egg who always cracks the case. One morning, sitting at my desk, I watched the sun rise out my grimy window. Dawn light played peek-a-boo through the tall skyscapers of the gritty city.
My city.
New Yolk City."
I think if this had been a shorter story or a picture book it would have been fine, but as the story continued, the author wavered from the original style and brought in fantasy elements that didn't mesh well. By Chapter 11, I couldn't bring myself to read any more.
The first chapter would be a good example of 6 Traits writing "Voice".
The book opens with a Film-Noir style and clever use of puns, and I anticipated a fun read.
"Once Upon a Crime:
There was a detective.
Me.
Humpty Dumpty Jr., Hardboiled Detective. I'm a good egg who always cracks the case. One morning, sitting at my desk, I watched the sun rise out my grimy window. Dawn light played peek-a-boo through the tall skyscapers of the gritty city.
My city.
New Yolk City."
I think if this had been a shorter story or a picture book it would have been fine, but as the story continued, the author wavered from the original style and brought in fantasy elements that didn't mesh well. By Chapter 11, I couldn't bring myself to read any more.
The first chapter would be a good example of 6 Traits writing "Voice".
April 25, 2009
Humpty Dumpty is a detective and lives in New Yolk City. He receives a strange phone call of a woman screaming. It turns out it is Mrs. Patty Cake, the owner of a nearby bakery. When Humpty arrives on the scene, Patty Cake is missing, her store is torn apart, and her special recipes are stolen. Humpty and his side kick Rat must find Patty Cake and deal with all sorts of villians such as Peppermint Pete, Johnny Cakes (a pancake) and a three headed chocolated dinosaur.
Really funny, all sorts of puns and jokes that older kids would get. Intertwines lots of fairy tale characters.
Really funny, all sorts of puns and jokes that older kids would get. Intertwines lots of fairy tale characters.
October 12, 2013
The kids started off liking this one, but I think it was just too mean. They lost interest halfway through. They can deal with some snark and some teasing, but there needs to be more balance.
I wasn't happy with the fat jokes. There were a few.
I did like the world, though, and there were a lot of cool illustrations. I think we will skip this one and try book 2.
I wasn't happy with the fat jokes. There were a few.
I did like the world, though, and there were a lot of cool illustrations. I think we will skip this one and try book 2.
November 26, 2011
It's very thrilling and it's cool because it has two cases in one that link. The end is strange, but it is still a good book. (And I always say, don't judge a book by its cover! Because the cover looks weird haha)
January 27, 2015
Kids who liked fractured fairy tales and mysteries will love this one. Lots of wordplay and great worldbuilding, with a decent mystery. Recommended for 2nd-3rd graders, who will get more of the jokes.
February 22, 2009
3rd/4th grade - Humpty Dumpty Jr. is on a case, a case that involves a break-in at the Pat-a-Cake Bakery and a missing owner Patty Cake. Lots of puns and nursery rhyme/fairy tale references.
June 3, 2009
it is a book witn an egg as a detective and has a partner called rat he has to figure out where is patty cake.Patty cake is a baker and makes her own recipes.
March 5, 2010
It was a good book is you want to read something funny.
April 28, 2010
This series will appeal to kids who enjoyed Captain Underpants and Ricky Ricotta. Very silly, lots of comic book type illustrations.
July 3, 2010
I read this book with my first grader. He and I enjoyed it. It was cute and funny. I would probably read more of these with him. The puns were cute!
June 17, 2009
Hard to follow at the beginning. I just couldn't get into it.
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September 23, 2018Who knew you could scramble an egg pun so many ways? We heard egg puns for days! Our daughter laughed from one cover to the other, and always asked for extra chapters when we read this at night. Even Dad liked this one!
The full review is on the Reading Tub website.
The full review is on the Reading Tub website.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews