Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You: That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures Fro

Thompson, Ted

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Publishers Group West

Annotation: Interspersed with charts, graphs, and various crossword puzzles, this title features some of today's best authors spinning new tales ranging from the spooky to the strange. The dust jacket folds into a unique aerogram, which factors into a special contest.

Genre: [Literature and language]

Reviews: 1

Catalog Number: #4044563

Format: Publisher's Hardcover

Publisher: Publishers Group West

Edition Date: 2005 Release Date: 09/12/05

Pages: 202 pages

ISBN: 1-932416-35-8

ISBN 13: 978-1-932416-35-0

Dewey: 808.83

Dimensions: 22 cm.

Subject Heading:
Fear. Fiction.

Language: English

Reviews:

ALA Booklist (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2005)

This is a charming, funny anthology from little-indie-engine-that-could. McSweeney's boasts an all-star list of contributors from both adult books and children's literature. The collection begins with a hilarious introduction by noted misanthrope Lemony Snicket, who parodies various kid-lit genres (a talking paperweight, a long-division worm who makes math fun, etc.). This sort of kid-friendly irreverence marks the best of these stories. Kelly Link tells the story of a boy who encounters a thoughtful, verbose monster on a summer camp overnight. And Nick Hornby proves his versatility with a quirky tale about a young resident of the world's smallest nation. Some of the stories from adult-book writers aren't as effective--while Jonathan Safran Foer's story (taken from his new novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close ) is evocative of childhood, its real audience is adult. But rarely does an anthology contain so much good stuff from big names, and whether they are drawn to the book by Jeanne DuPrau or Jon Sciezka or Snicket, middle-grade readers will likely emerge from this with new favorite authors.

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ALA Booklist (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2005)

Reading Level: 6.0

Interest Level: 4-7

Interspersed with charts, graphs, and various crossword puzzles, A Book of Noisy Outlaws, Evil Marauders, and Some Other Things . . . features some of today's best authors spinning new tales ranging from the spooky to the strange. George Saunders tells the story of a father who takes caution to dangerous extremes in Lars Farf, Excessively Fearful Father and Husband. In ACES by Phone, a small boy finds a cell phone that lets him listen in on the thoughts of dogs, and in Small Country, Nick Hornby introduces a country too small for a postal system but, unfortunately for one bookish boy, just big enough for a football team. Each story features full-color illustrations by artists including Barry Blitt, Lane Smith, David Heatley, and Marcel Dzama. The collection includes previously unpublished children's stories from Jonathan Safran Foer ( Everything is Illuminated ), Nick Hornby ( High Fidelity ), Neil Gaiman ( Sandman ), George Saunders ( CivilWarLand in Bad Decline ), Kelly Link ( Stranger Than Fiction ), and Jon Scieskza ( Stinky Cheese Man ). The dust jacket folds into a unique aerogram, which factors into a special contest involving a story written partly by Lemony Snicket, partly by thousands of children.

Introduction / Lemony Snicket
Small country / Nick Hornby
Lars Farf, excessively fearful father and husband / George Saunders
Monster / Kelly Link
The contests at Cowlick / Richard Kennedy
Each sold separately / Jon Scieszka
Seymour's last wish / Sam Swope
Grimble / James Kochalka
Sunbird / Neil Gaiman
The Aces phone / Jeanne DuPrau
The sixth Borough / Jonathan Safran Foer.

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