WHALES ON STILTS! is the first book in M.T. Anderson’s Thrilling Tales Series. I picked this off the shelf at the bookstore last Thursday because the spine is orange. Judging by its cover, it looks like this book is either about fighting or befriending large aquatic mammals that can shoot laser beams from their heads. Awesome! Nothing more needs to be said. My only question is why haven’t I heard of this before? Obviously this book has not received the attention it deserves because I buy anything I hear about in the media.

WHALES ON STILTS! stars three children: plain, everyday Lily and her two friends, Jasper Dash and Katie Mulligan. It is illustrated by the incomparable Kurt Cyrus. The picture on the cover reminds me of the adventure series I used to collect as a boy, only none of those guys ever used a toothbrush to fight evil. Uh, or a gramophone. My dentist says I should really start using a toothbrush to fight the evil in my mouth or else all my teeth are going to fall out of my face.

Anyway, I’ve turned this book over like five times already, and I love it! There are three colors on the back blurb and a few footnotes. The only thing that seems to be missing here are pigeons squatting on these great abandoned warehouses. That would have been grand, don’t you think? I really heart pigeons.

While I am certain this story (like all stories) could benefit from more pigeons, if the cover is any indication, this is one of the funniest and most clever books you’ll ever read. And that I won’t. - James Peacock


(out of five)

 
James Peacock is a veteran reviewer from the recently debunked Something-Something Review. He is widely renowned for his affinity for pigeons and ability to judge books by their covers.