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The Ogre Downstairs
Diana Wynne Jones at her finest – family feuds and chaos, magic with hilarious results and some of the most original ideas ever to appear between the covers of a book.
Casper, Johnny and Gwinny get a big shock when their mother marries the Ogre. The Ogre is large and stern and not at all interested in children, although this doesn't prevent him from adding his own two awful sons, Douglas and Malcolm, to the family mix. Now the five children and two adults are squashed under the same roof, which can lead to only one thing war!
Then the Ogre brings home the Chemistry Sets one for Malcolm and one for Johnny. Not that Johnny is impressed by this very obvious bribe. At least, not until they accidentally discover the flying lotion. Then the real fun begins
Casper, Johnny and Gwinny get a big shock when their mother marries the Ogre. The Ogre is large and stern and not at all interested in children, although this doesn't prevent him from adding his own two awful sons, Douglas and Malcolm, to the family mix. Now the five children and two adults are squashed under the same roof, which can lead to only one thing war!
Then the Ogre brings home the Chemistry Sets one for Malcolm and one for Johnny. Not that Johnny is impressed by this very obvious bribe. At least, not until they accidentally discover the flying lotion. Then the real fun begins
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
23 people are currently reading
1302 people want to read
About the author
Diana Wynne Jones
160 books12.1k followersDiana Wynne Jones was a celebrated British writer best known for her inventive and influential works of fantasy for children and young adults. Her stories often combined magical worlds with science fiction elements, parallel universes, and a sharp sense of humor. Among her most beloved books are Howl's Moving Castle, the Chrestomanci series, The Dalemark Quartet, Dark Lord of Derkholm, and the satirical The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Her work gained renewed attention and readership with the popularity of the Harry Potter series, to which her books have frequently been compared.
Admired by authors such as Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, and J.K. Rowling, Jones was a major influence on the landscape of modern fantasy. She received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, two Mythopoeic Awards, the Karl Edward Wagner Award, and the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. In 2004, Howl's Moving Castle was adapted into an acclaimed animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, further expanding her global audience.
Jones studied at Oxford, where she attended lectures by both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. She began writing professionally in the 1960s and remained active until her death in 2011. Her final novel, The Islands of Chaldea, was completed posthumously by her sister Ursula Jones.
Admired by authors such as Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, and J.K. Rowling, Jones was a major influence on the landscape of modern fantasy. She received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, two Mythopoeic Awards, the Karl Edward Wagner Award, and the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. In 2004, Howl's Moving Castle was adapted into an acclaimed animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, further expanding her global audience.
Jones studied at Oxford, where she attended lectures by both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. She began writing professionally in the 1960s and remained active until her death in 2011. Her final novel, The Islands of Chaldea, was completed posthumously by her sister Ursula Jones.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
January 10, 2018
When The Ogre - Malcolm and Douglas' father and Caspar, Johnny and Gwinny's not-at-all-shiny new stepfather - buys Johnny and Malcolm identical chemistry sets, they're fairly sure it's a bribery attempt. The chemicals, though, prove to have rather more interesting effects than any of the children were expecting.
This was a reread. The first time I read it, I thought this book was rather charming. The second time, I thought it was rather awesome. The more time passes, the more I love it, until at this stage it's in my top four Diana Wynne Jones books, which pretty much puts it around the top of any Favourites list I have anywhere ever.
Structurally, it's similar to, say, Year of the Griffin, in that there's less a single plot and more a series of adventures. But there's a very real arc to the story, too, and in particular to the character dynamics. In the beginning you're entirely on Caspar's side, and resenting these interlopers in his house. By the end, everybody's complicated and marvellous and you just want to smile and smile at all of them. The growing sibling relationships are fantastic.
She does an interesting thing with the POV in this book, which I didn't notice in my first reading. It's about the adventures of five kids in a mixed family. It starts off Caspar's (third-person) POV, later picks up his brother Johnny's, and then later still has a few scenes from their sister Gwinny. All of the five are equally important to the story, and all have their own adventures, but somehow it seems completely natural that you only ever know what those three are thinking while Douglas and Malcolm remain external; as though being siblings makes Caspar, Johnny and Gwinny somehow the same person in some manner.
This was a reread. The first time I read it, I thought this book was rather charming. The second time, I thought it was rather awesome. The more time passes, the more I love it, until at this stage it's in my top four Diana Wynne Jones books, which pretty much puts it around the top of any Favourites list I have anywhere ever.
Structurally, it's similar to, say, Year of the Griffin, in that there's less a single plot and more a series of adventures. But there's a very real arc to the story, too, and in particular to the character dynamics. In the beginning you're entirely on Caspar's side, and resenting these interlopers in his house. By the end, everybody's complicated and marvellous and you just want to smile and smile at all of them. The growing sibling relationships are fantastic.
She does an interesting thing with the POV in this book, which I didn't notice in my first reading. It's about the adventures of five kids in a mixed family. It starts off Caspar's (third-person) POV, later picks up his brother Johnny's, and then later still has a few scenes from their sister Gwinny. All of the five are equally important to the story, and all have their own adventures, but somehow it seems completely natural that you only ever know what those three are thinking while Douglas and Malcolm remain external; as though being siblings makes Caspar, Johnny and Gwinny somehow the same person in some manner.
January 25, 2022
One of my favorites, mostly because I'm a sucker for magical chemistry set stories.
Also, most of my favorite Wynne Jones' books include loud-barkers and roarers who turn out to be mostly non-biters. Here a big old barker finally gets to be a main character. And he very nearly earns the that his very nicest new stepkid cooks up for him.
Kind of like what Roald Dahl might have written if he'd been interested in almost-evil stepfathers and blended family dynamics.
Also, most of my favorite Wynne Jones' books include loud-barkers and roarers who turn out to be mostly non-biters. Here a big old barker finally gets to be a main character. And he very nearly earns the that his very nicest new stepkid cooks up for him.
Kind of like what Roald Dahl might have written if he'd been interested in almost-evil stepfathers and blended family dynamics.
May 9, 2019
The Ogre Downstairs is probably not one of Diana Wynne Jones's best-known books, but it's always been one of my favorites. Caspar, Johnny, and Gwinny resent their new stepfather (known to them as "the Ogre") and his sons, Douglas and Malcolm, but when the Ogre gives Johnny and Malcolm new chemistry sets, all of the children get mixed up in the magical results. I've read this book multiple times, and it's always laugh-out-loud funny; Jones is really at the top of her comic form here. At the same time, she has some serious things to say about families and their relationships.
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November 27, 2017Ovaj rani roman Dajane Vin Džouns spada u njene, uslovno govoreći, normalne knjige - nema sumanutih dvostrukih identiteta, nema kompozitnih ličnosti, nema zapleta koji deluju kao da je neko uzeo "izaberi svoju pustolovinu", poskidao brojeve strana i krvnički sve promućkao. Pa ipak je dobra. Najviše podseća na klasike tipa Edit Nezbit ili Edvarda Igera - u svakodnevni život troje dece ulaze najpre očuh i njegova dva sina a potom i čarobni komplet za male hemičare, i treba naučiti kako da se izađe na kraj sa svim tim. Bonus poeni za tipično Dajanin pristup složenim i živim dečjim likovima, ali i za neočekivano realistično i solidno simpatično ocrtanog očuha (bar je odraslom čitaocu od starta jasno koliko se on trudi oko pastoraka i zašto mu to ne polazi za rukom).
January 4, 2021
Oscar’s review: “it was quite good daddy, but a bit old fashioned and had too much child abuse.”
January 15, 2012
The story of a gaggle of youngsters who can't stand their overbearing step-father and new step-brothers. They're given a chemistry set to bribe them into good behavior, but quickly discover that it can actually be used to make magic potions. The potions get them into ever more convoluted schemes and increasing amounts of trouble, until their dysfunctional household finally reaches a crisis point.
This is a really charming story, filled with little touches of 1970s Britain that I found quaint and sweet. Each of the children has a distinct and memorable personality, and the uses to which they put their magic are both imaginative and relatable (who wouldn't make their dolls come to life?). I was truthfully a bit troubled by
This is a really charming story, filled with little touches of 1970s Britain that I found quaint and sweet. Each of the children has a distinct and memorable personality, and the uses to which they put their magic are both imaginative and relatable (who wouldn't make their dolls come to life?). I was truthfully a bit troubled by
February 10, 2016
I am on a quest to read all of Diana Wynne Jones books. So far I have read eight,and they have all been memorable. The characters and worlds she crafts are relatable and real. There is always a touch of magic, that gives it whimsical fun.
The Ogre Downstairs was no exception, the cast was varied and dynamic. I loved the snappy dialogue, and British setting, I picked up quite a few colloquialisms.
I loved that this story dwelt with family, a rather disjointed and mushed together family. So there was a beautiful message in the book, to go along with all the craziness and chaos the children bring about with their magic chemistry sets. Casper was my favorite with his penchant to always misunderstand and his quick temper. Gwinny was also adorable, and the scene where she admits to the Ogre that she was trying to murder him, was my favorite.
All in all a fun and thoughtful book.
The Ogre Downstairs was no exception, the cast was varied and dynamic. I loved the snappy dialogue, and British setting, I picked up quite a few colloquialisms.
I loved that this story dwelt with family, a rather disjointed and mushed together family. So there was a beautiful message in the book, to go along with all the craziness and chaos the children bring about with their magic chemistry sets. Casper was my favorite with his penchant to always misunderstand and his quick temper. Gwinny was also adorable, and the scene where she admits to the Ogre that she was trying to murder him, was my favorite.
All in all a fun and thoughtful book.
October 4, 2007
I read this book so many times as a child that the library probably thought I purchased it from them. I have since gotten that same library book at a sale they had. Talk about a score! I've shared this book with my children. I plan to share it with my future grandchildren!
Words cannot begin to describe the fun of step-siblings with dueling chemistry sets that contain some items not normally found on the periodic table. From things being brought to life to flying to the disco, this book looks at just what mischief children can get into while studying chemistry on their own.
My oldest son can't seem to mimic the outcomes with his own chemistry set, but he is determined. Perhaps one day...
Words cannot begin to describe the fun of step-siblings with dueling chemistry sets that contain some items not normally found on the periodic table. From things being brought to life to flying to the disco, this book looks at just what mischief children can get into while studying chemistry on their own.
My oldest son can't seem to mimic the outcomes with his own chemistry set, but he is determined. Perhaps one day...
October 31, 2012
A very nice story about the coming together of a mixed family. Also an ogre.
It actually seems about like how a child whose mom (or dad) gets married may view their family. Except, of course, Diana likes to add some magic in, in this case in the form of a chemistry set. It's one of those smooth stories that reads quite nicely and you always cringe a little when they get mad at each other but you're also like, I probably would have done that too (except for trying to kill the ogre - I don't think I would have gone that far).
It actually seems about like how a child whose mom (or dad) gets married may view their family. Except, of course, Diana likes to add some magic in, in this case in the form of a chemistry set. It's one of those smooth stories that reads quite nicely and you always cringe a little when they get mad at each other but you're also like, I probably would have done that too (except for trying to kill the ogre - I don't think I would have gone that far).
January 7, 2018
This was a decent read. It is an early Diana Wynne Jones and it shows. The ending is a bit lame. So is the way one person turned up at the end with no real explanation. However, the five kids are interesting and very individual. It isn't incredibly creative. Certainly I could see roughly how it was going to end, happily ever after. Basically another version of magic goes haywire until finished off. Still, I read it pretty much straight through. The various antics of the magic events were pretty original.
May 1, 2010
This is one of the BEST books I've read of all time. I love her writing way better than the money-maker Harry Potter series. Very, very good!!
January 3, 2012
I just re-read this book for The Big DWJ Read hosted by the DWJ email list (dwj@suberic.net). It's Diana Wynne Jones's third novel and second juvenile fantasy, but you'd think it was the work of a much more seasoned writer--complex characters, a spot-on portrayal of how kids interact with adults, and some hilarious and memorable mixups arising from a bunch of kids fumbling around with magical chemistry sets. A living pipe that enjoys being smoked; literal dustbunnies; giant animated feral toffee bars--no twee nonsense about how great it would be if your dollhouse people came to life, because they don't speak English and attack on sight.
It gets four stars because of a couple of things that disturbed or disappointed me. The disappointment was the too-pat ending, in which the family gains a lot of money and it solves all their problems. This overshadows the real conclusion in which this blended family takes the first steps toward understanding each other. The disturbing part was that the Ogre, who has a terrible temper, sometimes disciplines his children by smacking them around in his fury. I'm old enough to remember what it was like before the anti-spanking thing, so I know perfectly well that many parents spanked their children (sometimes very hard) and were not bad or abusive parents. My problem is that striking one's children in the kind of rage the Ogre displays is a lot closer to abuse than I'm comfortable with, and doesn't fit with the personality he reveals toward the end of the book. All in all, though, I enjoy this book immensely.
It gets four stars because of a couple of things that disturbed or disappointed me. The disappointment was the too-pat ending, in which the family gains a lot of money and it solves all their problems. This overshadows the real conclusion in which this blended family takes the first steps toward understanding each other. The disturbing part was that the Ogre, who has a terrible temper, sometimes disciplines his children by smacking them around in his fury. I'm old enough to remember what it was like before the anti-spanking thing, so I know perfectly well that many parents spanked their children (sometimes very hard) and were not bad or abusive parents. My problem is that striking one's children in the kind of rage the Ogre displays is a lot closer to abuse than I'm comfortable with, and doesn't fit with the personality he reveals toward the end of the book. All in all, though, I enjoy this book immensely.
September 12, 2016
A wildly fun, romp of a book with dark undertones. When the children in a blended family are given two magical chemistry sets, amazing things happen. They get to fly, be invisible, turn dolls to life, make gold, and body swap. This is the really fun part of the book, it describes a delicious childhood filled with extraordinary adventures.
On the other hand this is arguably a much more serious tale about a blended family struggling to live together. The new step-dad is hated and dubbed 'The Ogre' and the step children hate each other. Through the magical adventures that occur they gradually come to work together and like each other. However, this book does visit some dark places first, with two of the children seriously and separately attempting to kill their stepfather - although this is handled in a way that makes it seem more humorous than serious. There are also lots of threats of corporal punishment that are only occasionally delivered. Eventually, their much loved mother leaves the family for a while which causes them all to pull together to get her back.
In the end the family are united and happy. This book is all about learning to see life from the perspective of others. It is touching to see both the stepfather and the children change in their interactions with each other. However, because of the dark themes this book touches on, it is more suitable for upper primary.
On the other hand this is arguably a much more serious tale about a blended family struggling to live together. The new step-dad is hated and dubbed 'The Ogre' and the step children hate each other. Through the magical adventures that occur they gradually come to work together and like each other. However, this book does visit some dark places first, with two of the children seriously and separately attempting to kill their stepfather - although this is handled in a way that makes it seem more humorous than serious. There are also lots of threats of corporal punishment that are only occasionally delivered. Eventually, their much loved mother leaves the family for a while which causes them all to pull together to get her back.
In the end the family are united and happy. This book is all about learning to see life from the perspective of others. It is touching to see both the stepfather and the children change in their interactions with each other. However, because of the dark themes this book touches on, it is more suitable for upper primary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2011
This riff on "Jack and the Beanstalk" is one of Diana Wynne Jones' best standalone fantasy titles. The twists come from the fact that the character of the giant (here nicknamed the Ogre) is "downstairs" and not up the sky as in the fairytale, and that it's the Ogre whose name is Jack and not the hero of the tale. All the DWJ features are there: the fun with words (the compounds in the magic chemistry sets have abbreviations similar to homeopathic rememdies), the sly Arthurian allusions (the most obvious being the girl Gwinny: Guinevere in British folklore was sometimes described as a giant's daughter) and, not least, the convoluted plot in a claustrophobic setting.
What makes the story particularly attractive is the conflict resolutions that emerge from the initially strained sibling relationships, combined with the increasingly sympathetic description of the Ogre as an ordinary adult with human failings rather than the mere monster of one's nightmares. And, of course, anybody who's ever had a flying dream will recognise how it feels to be the Ogre's children and stepchildren in the opening chapters.
What makes the story particularly attractive is the conflict resolutions that emerge from the initially strained sibling relationships, combined with the increasingly sympathetic description of the Ogre as an ordinary adult with human failings rather than the mere monster of one's nightmares. And, of course, anybody who's ever had a flying dream will recognise how it feels to be the Ogre's children and stepchildren in the opening chapters.
June 1, 2016
4 stars for the parts with the toffee bars and the pipe, which read like a greatly expanded version of the funny bits of Harry Potter (who of course this book predates by a couple decades).
2 stars because the level of anger the ogre displays, and the fear he inspires in not just his step-sons, but also his real sons, is in fact disturbing , and not just a little quirk of his personality . Also the main characters, with whom we are meant to sympathize, bully their weaker step-brother.
3 stars because it was moderately entertaining, but didn't really cohere as a fantasy.
2 stars because the level of anger the ogre displays, and the fear he inspires in not just his step-sons, but also his real sons, is in fact disturbing , and not just a little quirk of his personality . Also the main characters, with whom we are meant to sympathize, bully their weaker step-brother.
3 stars because it was moderately entertaining, but didn't really cohere as a fantasy.
March 14, 2009
I can't wait to read this with my kids when they are old enough. It was imaginative and fresh. I enjoyed the story and felt the characters stayed true to themselves throughout. The story centers around a family that is adjusting to being family and their exploits with a chemistry set. I wish I had thought of it.
April 17, 2011
Fun read, as usual, but not as good as many of her later books. Also, I was rather disconcerted by the kids and the stepfather all realizing that they weren't trying to understand each other, really, and yay we'll all be a happy family now, when to my mind the stepfather's behavior often rose to abusive levels. Mild abuse, I suppose, but abuse is abuse.
April 28, 2017
I found this book and thought it sounded like a nice fun read so I picked it up. Needless to say that it was a nice fun read. I read through it in two days and had fun. I think it would have been even more awesome or interesting if there was more about the magic powders and figuring out their magic etc but it was still enjoyable.
January 8, 2013
The events in this book is well-described. It also gives a moral lesson which is good for the children today.
September 3, 2013
Another precious story. I'm probably the only person who feels this way, but I just adore everything this woman writes. Wrote, rather... :(
October 28, 2017
What a lovely book! Very imaginative and creative, very sweet. And with a nice message - don't take people by face value, literally.
July 7, 2020
Written by my single favorite author as a child, the Ogre Downstairs is minor Diana Wynne Jones, but that's still high praise. Set in a very low-magic universe, even for Jones, the book is a story about a set of kids (or, at first, a couple sets of kids) discovering the power of a magical chemistry set. It's also a tale of blended families and how hard they are to blend. It features the usual Diana Wynne Jones inventiveness and her unique talent for portraying realistic childhood - that is, her willingness to show that childhood is far from idyllic and in fact frequently filled with hardship and fear. There are a few odd turns here, including a rather grim twist that is quickly discarded, and a general sketchiness that's not common to her novels. I chalk this up to inexperience, as this is only the second book she ever wrote for children. Ultimately I think the book's plot is just a bit slight, though she more or less avoids her usual problem with anticlimax. But a slight novel by Jones equals the best of many, and I recommend this book to any of her fans.
March 7, 2020
Interesting piece of nonsense that goes a breakneck pace. Curiously, in spite of all the magic it doesn't seem as 'real' as some of her books in which far more extraordinary things happen.
This early story by Wynne Jones remains at a fairly domestic level, with what we'd now call a blended family trying to learn how to live together, and their personalities affected by experimenting with two chemistry sets that are more than they seem.
This early story by Wynne Jones remains at a fairly domestic level, with what we'd now call a blended family trying to learn how to live together, and their personalities affected by experimenting with two chemistry sets that are more than they seem.
May 23, 2011
Casper, Johnny, and Gwinny are quite unhappy when their mother marries Jack, whose dour nature and heavy handed approach to discipline lead them to dub him The Ogre. Adding to their unhappiness are their two new stepbrothers, Malcolm and Douglas, who are every bit as unappealing as The Ogre, albeit in different ways. When Jack gives each group of children a chemistry set, everyone is surprised, but no one expects magical results. However, they soon discover that some combinations of ingredients lead to such fantastic results as being literally lighter than air ... or to having inanimate objects come to life. This leads not only to great fun but opens the door to greater understanding between the children as their magical misadventures force them out of their comfortable roles of resenting others who they have not made any attempt to understand.
As with many of the books written for younger readers, this one was less interesting to me than other Wynne Jones wrote. However, also as with others of this stripe, anything by this author winds up being compelling, or such is my experience. If the reader hangs on until the last fourth of the book, the action ratchets up and the book becomes quite compelling. I would have liked to see the Ogre's character developed more, as well as his relationship with Sally. We are never shown a reason for her to be so fond of him, at least from the children's point of view. That is what keeps this book from being better than it is. However, it does end on a note of new beginnings and the beginning of everyone's attempt to understand each other better is probably the reason these characters are left fairly undeveloped.
I especially enjoyed the toffee bars, the pipe, and the dust bunnies. Confused? Read the book and you'll know what I'm talking about.
As with many of the books written for younger readers, this one was less interesting to me than other Wynne Jones wrote. However, also as with others of this stripe, anything by this author winds up being compelling, or such is my experience. If the reader hangs on until the last fourth of the book, the action ratchets up and the book becomes quite compelling. I would have liked to see the Ogre's character developed more, as well as his relationship with Sally. We are never shown a reason for her to be so fond of him, at least from the children's point of view. That is what keeps this book from being better than it is. However, it does end on a note of new beginnings and the beginning of everyone's attempt to understand each other better is probably the reason these characters are left fairly undeveloped.
I especially enjoyed the toffee bars, the pipe, and the dust bunnies. Confused? Read the book and you'll know what I'm talking about.
December 24, 2014
I was a bit disappointed by the book. Another author mentioned this book on her blog as one of the funniest things she'd ever read and an old favourite - so I gave it a go. Unfortunately, I didn't find it that funny.
It's quite a sweet story about a group of children and a magical chemistry set. A mum of three has recently remarried to a man her children think of as the Ogre, who has two children of his own. The children hate each other and all hate the Ogre. The Ogre, in an attempt to be nice, buys two fo the kids a chemistry set which has some various strange items in it.
Experimenting with the chemicals, the children end up with various concoctions which let them fly, bring inanimate objects to life, swap bodies or turn invisible. Everything they do just seems to bring them in more and more trouble with the Ogre - but helps them understand their new step-siblings.
It's quite nice to watch the friendship develop between the children as they're forced to rely on each other to get out of trouble. Also, as the story develops, I started to feel more and more for the Ogre who had to put up with it all. I liked the story and characters as I got into it but struggled at first with sympathising with the protagonists.
It's an enjoyable book for younger readers but not one of my favourites. It also feels a bit dated - with the children using record players as such.
It's quite a sweet story about a group of children and a magical chemistry set. A mum of three has recently remarried to a man her children think of as the Ogre, who has two children of his own. The children hate each other and all hate the Ogre. The Ogre, in an attempt to be nice, buys two fo the kids a chemistry set which has some various strange items in it.
Experimenting with the chemicals, the children end up with various concoctions which let them fly, bring inanimate objects to life, swap bodies or turn invisible. Everything they do just seems to bring them in more and more trouble with the Ogre - but helps them understand their new step-siblings.
It's quite nice to watch the friendship develop between the children as they're forced to rely on each other to get out of trouble. Also, as the story develops, I started to feel more and more for the Ogre who had to put up with it all. I liked the story and characters as I got into it but struggled at first with sympathising with the protagonists.
It's an enjoyable book for younger readers but not one of my favourites. It also feels a bit dated - with the children using record players as such.
July 29, 2017
أفضل رواية قرأتها لديانا واين جونز لحد الآن ، ضحكت عدد لا محدود من المرات وكل ما قرأت جزئية أحكيها لأخواتي ثم اعيد للي ما سمع المرأة الاولى وألقى الكل رجع يسمع ويضحك ، البلوت جميل جداً ويلامس جانب من حياة الأطفال الي يمروا بضروف انفصال الوالدين او فقدان احدهم ودخول شخص جديد الى حياتهم ، أعتقد اني فهمت في نهاية القصة أن الغول زوج والدتهم ليس غول حقيقي ولكن هذي كانت نظرة الأطفال له وفي نهاية القصة تقريباً ما عاد يذكر بأنه غول مره ثانية.
انتقا�� الأطفال منه وخصوصا جويني خلاني أموت من الضحك، الكب كيك الي مسحت بيه الأرض عشان يجمع أكبر قدر ممكن من الجراثيم كان تحفه ههههههههههههه ، القصة كمان تناقص سوء الفهم بين الكبار والصغار خصوصا بين الأهل وأبناءهم ، الرواية كانت ممتعه من كل جهاتها.
انتقا�� الأطفال منه وخصوصا جويني خلاني أموت من الضحك، الكب كيك الي مسحت بيه الأرض عشان يجمع أكبر قدر ممكن من الجراثيم كان تحفه ههههههههههههه ، القصة كمان تناقص سوء الفهم بين الكبار والصغار خصوصا بين الأهل وأبناءهم ، الرواية كانت ممتعه من كل جهاتها.
September 14, 2007
This was the first DWJ I ever read - I brought it home from the library and the whole family was hooked. It's about two boys who receive a chemistry set from their despised stepfather, the Ogre, and the unexpected results of their experiments to their sister and themselves.
May 16, 2011
A good story which I don't remember reading as a child. I think maybe my parents wisely kept it from me because they knew that if I read it I would probably end up tasting all the substances in my chemistry set. Or hitting people -- the characters in this story seem to hit each other a lot.
December 25, 2012
I liked it the first time I read it when I was a teenager. Rereading it in my 20s left me wondering why I liked it. But it's fun and easy to read, really light fiction, unlike most magic-fantasy books.
February 21, 2016
Rereading some excellent YA books. I stand by my original rating. DWJ is very excellent at writing from the kids' point of view.
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