Whales on Stilts

Lily Gefelty discovers her father works at a mysterious research facility led by Larry, a whale in a business suit. After uncovering Larry's plot to mobilize an army of whales to take over the world, Lily must stop the invasion with help from her friends Katie and Jasper. Katie Mulligan stars in a series of horror books about her supernatural adventures, while Jasper Dash is a boy inventor straight out of 1930s pulp fiction. Together with the practical-minded Lily, they form an unlikely team racing against time to thwart Larry's plans. The book combines elements of science fiction, adventure stories, and humor into a fast-paced plot filled with outlandish scenarios and strange technology. From whale-controlled mechanical stilts to mind-control rays, the story embraces its own absurdity while maintaining internal logic. Through its blend of genres and self-aware style, Whales on Stilts explores themes of friendship, courage, and the power of embracing one's unique abilities. The story validates different approaches to problem-solving while celebrating imagination and teamwork.

Readers highlight the book's absurdist humor and self-aware parody of children's adventure novels. Many reviewers note it succeeds as both comedy for adults and an engaging story for kids. Likes: - Fast-paced plot keeps reluctant readers engaged - References to classic children's literature - Deadpan humor and running jokes - Quirky illustrations complement the text - Main character Lily provides relatable perspective Dislikes: - Some found the humor too bizarre or random - Plot feels rushed in places - Secondary characters lack development - Several readers wanted more backstory - A few parents felt the tone was too sarcastic Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (89 ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 One teacher noted: "My 4th graders loved the ridiculous premise but also connected with Lily's journey to find confidence." Multiple reviewers compared it favorably to Lemony Snicket's writing style.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier Middle-school loner teams up with unlikely friends to save his town from monster attacks while treating apocalyptic events with humor and snark.

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo A comic-loving cynic and a squirrel with superpowers band together to fight evil and write poetry in this mashup of novel and graphic novel formats.

The Terrible Two by Jory John, Mac Barnett Two prankster middle schoolers combine their talents to execute elaborate schemes in their small town while maintaining deadpan humor throughout their adventures.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar A collection of interconnected tales features absurdist humor and bizarre happenings at a school built thirty stories tall instead of one story wide.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart Four gifted children infiltrate a suspicious learning institute and uncover a plot to control minds through secret messages in television broadcasts.

🐋 Author M.T. Anderson wrote this book as a parody of 1950s and 1960s children's adventure series, particularly the Tom Swift novels. 📚 The book is the first in the "Pals in Peril" series, which follows the adventures of Lily Gefelty and her friends Katie Mulligan and Jasper Dash. 🤖 Jasper Dash is a parody character who stars in his own fictional book series within the book, similar to Tom Swift and the Hardy Boys. 🏭 The story's villain, Larry, works at the mysterious and possibly evil Delaware Whale Processing Plant, where whales are kept in giant tanks of blue Tang™. 🎯 The book cleverly combines absurdist humor with commentary on classic children's literature tropes, including the tendency for young protagonists to save the world while their parents remain oblivious.