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    Whales on Stilts!
    Whales on Stilts!
    Whales on Stilts!
    Ebook139 pages1 hour

    Whales on Stilts!

    By M.T. Anderson and Kurt Cyrus

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    In the first intallment of National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson’s Pals in Peril series, a madman has unleashed an army of stilt-walking, laser-beaming, thoroughly angry whales upon the world! Luckily, Jasper Dash and his friends Katie Mulligan and Lily Gefelty are around to save the day.

    Sure, Lily Gefelty is just an average twelve-year-old girl. But her dad—a normal-enough-seeming guy—just so happens to work for an evil genius who plans to unleash an army of extremely cranky, stilt-walking, laser-beam-eyed whales upon the world.

    Lucky for Lily, her two best friends are anything but average. Both of them are famous for their adventures. Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut, invents gadgets; Katie Mulligan spends her spare time fighting off zombies and were-goats. Surely they’ll know what to do. And if they don’t? Then it will be up to Lily—average, everyday Lily—to come up with a plan.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBeach Lane Books
    Release dateJun 15, 2010
    ISBN9781442406964
    Whales on Stilts!
    Author

    M.T. Anderson

    M. T. Anderson is the critically acclaimed author of many picture books and novels, including Feed, which was a National Book Award finalist, and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing,, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party, which won a National Book Award and was a Michael L. Printz Honor Book.

    Read more from M.T. Anderson

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    Reviews for Whales on Stilts!

    4/5

    152 ratings15 reviews

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    • 5/5
      2010, January 23

      Oh, I'm loving this. I'm trying to force the Offspring into loving it, too, by reading passages aloud, but no one else is hooked. Funniest concept since Howie Monroe and the Doghouse of Doom.

      ***

      If the Spouse wrote a parody of children's series books, it would be this book. I recommend it to adults who'll laugh at jokes about the British invasion and David Bowie's eyes.

      ***

      Now I'm reading it aloud to the KitKatPandaBatWolf. I love this little book.

      Library copy

    • 4/5
      Hilarious, bizarre, and a joy to read. I love MT Andersons humor and this book was in just the right place between parody and loving homage. Features references to pulp horror and scifi, old movies, and classic radio serials.
    • 5/5
      goooooooooooooodddddddd boook
    • 4/5
      I laughed quite a bit, but this is definitely the sort of humor that doesn't appeal to everyone. Whales on Stilts! is a goofy and wonderful parody of all the science fiction and adventure radio and TV shows that were popular in the 40s and 50s. It even features a hilarious parody of the Ovaltine commercials from that era. I, personally, loved this, but the humor may be much too absurd for some.Lovers of M.T. Anderson's [book:Feed|169756] may be sorely disappointed. I adore that book, but do not go into this one expecting something on that level. This is a totally different beast. It's pure adventure and humor and loads of fun.
    • 5/5
      One of my absolute favorite books. This follows Katie who discovers a plot to take over the world using whales on stilts who have laser beams. Hilarious, sarcastic and so much fun!!
    • 4/5
      Katie Mulligan and Jasper Dash are both stars of their own series of children’s books –Horror Hollow and Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut respectively. So it’s a bit of a surprise when it’s their best friend Lily Gefelty, just an average 12-year-old, who discovers the mad scientist plotting to take over the world using mind-controlled whales on mechanical stilts. The three friends will have to work together using all their skills to stop this dastardly plot. Whales on Stilts has thrilling action scenes, fascinating science-fiction gadgets, nail-biting suspense and extreme silliness!

      Delightfully silly on several levels, Whales on Stilts lampoons series such as Goosebumps and Tom Swift while also paying homage to them. Anderson has included several extras like footnotes, order forms for the fictional book series he references, and book discussion materials. While there will be some children who won't enjoy the humor, there will be plenty who will greatly enjoy the sci-fi and fantasy elements mixed with deadpan jokes and plenty of action. Adult readers who fondly remember pulp novels, might also be attracted to this.

      Cover to Cover Book Discussion selection for December 2008.

      Previously read April 2007.
    • 4/5
      Can Lily and her friends save the world from the bizarre creatures created by a mad scientist? Hang on to your silly breeches and join the fun as the adventure unravels in some "scenes you migh have seen before," if your a scienct fiction reader.
    • 4/5
      A completely wacky book that will appeal to wacky kids. Larry who is half human half whatle is plotting to take over the world, and stilts are involved. Lily is a pretty normal kid, but her dad works for Larry! Her friends Jasper and Katie are hero and heroine types with a book series written about them. 'nuff said! Lots of fun. 4th grade and up
    • 4/5
      I picked this up at the library to read to the boys but they seem to have no interest when I try to read to them lately. So, I just read it to myself here and there. It's written for ages 10 and up and just so, so witty. I quite enjoyed his silly sense of humor and smart writing style. I'd really recommend it to any kids out there who love reading smart fiction.
    • 4/5
      I find this book hilarious and wonderful and terribly imaginative - kind of a meta-novel in parts. An 'ordinary' girl is friends with two comic book heroes and is waiting for something interesting to happen to her - it definitely does. She and her friends have to figure out what is going on at her father's work before whales take over the world.
    • 4/5
      Lily and her best friends uncover a plot to conquer the world using an army of whales. They race against the clock to stop the evil plan from going into effect. Lots of laughs, silliness and suspense in this book, which is one in a series of kooky mysteries. Suggested by Helen.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book, the whole series in fact. The author does an amazing job at crafting a great story while providing a hysterical send-up to children's series adventures of old. Cracked me up all over the place.
    • 5/5
      This comical book is about a girl,Lily,and her friends Jasper and Katie who embark on an interesting adventure.Lilys father works in a broken down factory thats seem suspicious.So Lily and and her friends investigate more.And find some fishy information about Lily's dad's boss. He is trying to take over the world!
    • 4/5
      This adventure story is funny from its dedication to its final scene. Three friends, two of them already literary child heroes, thwart a plan for whales to take over the world. Full of visual jokes, terrible puns, and laser eyeballs, the story pokes searing fun at childhood adventure series. It is almost too self-concious to be charming, but it is enjoyable, and I will pick up the next book in the series - I am eager to see what the 'Cutesy Dell twins' will be like!
    • 5/5
      Lily Gefelty has something unbelievably important to tell her father. So very unbelievable that her father doesn’t believe her when she does tell him. So, it’s up to Lily and her two adventurous friends Katie and Jasper to come up with a way to defeat Lily’s father’s mad scientist boss Larry, because he is planning to take over the world using laser-eyed whales on stilts! It’s completely up to Lily, Katie, and Jasper to come up with a plan to stop Larry and his mind-controlled whales.

    Book preview

    Whales on Stilts! - M.T. Anderson

    Lily’s dad’s office was large and kind of bare. He had a desk and a computer and a phone. He sat her down in a chair over in one corner and read his e-mail. He drank some coffee. He typed some things.

    Lily wanted to get up and explore the abandoned warehouse, but she knew she wouldn’t be allowed. She had brought along some homework, but she couldn’t really concentrate on it. Not while sitting in the middle of an extremely dangerous, highly guarded high-tech, secret scientific laboratory.

    She tried to work on math. She told herself that there weren’t really mad scientists, and that if there was a mad scientist, the worst place he or she could build a lair would be in an abandoned warehouse, because that’s where everyone looked for mad scientists. But she kept on hearing weird beeping noises through the walls.

    At about ten thirty, Lily’s father took her down to the break room to get some of the little muffins that came in packages. She kept her eyes wide open to see what she could notice. She had always wanted to see what the break room in a mad scientist’s laboratory looked like.

    It was kind of like any other break room, with vending machines for candy, chips, and soda, and an old microwave, and some tables and chairs. The door of the microwave had been slightly melted by something hot.

    Hey there, Gefelty, said a man in a chair. How’re you doing?

    I’m doing just fine, Ray, said Lily’s father. What’s up?

    Nothing much, said Ray, yawning. Just the usual. We’re a little bit behind schedule. But you know, sometimes it almost makes me curious—why all of the giant, destructive lasers? And why all of the maps of North America?

    Yeah. Sure. I guess. Oh, Ray, have you seen the memo about the meeting with Paul?

    Ray looked both ways, like he was about to say something important.

    Lily held her breath. She pretended to be interested in the candy selection.

    Ray said quietly, Okay. You know, it’s only my opinion, but I think that Sandy should have been in charge of that project, not Paul. I mean, Paul’s a great details person, but he doesn’t always get the overall picture—you know what I mean? And Sandy’s good both with details and with the big picture. But you know, Sandy doesn’t get on so good with Loretta, and I think that’s why they hired Paul after that whole thing with Bob and Sheila.

    Mr. Gefelty said, I agree, but—hey there, Larry!

    Both men straightened up when someone who was obviously the boss came in. The new-comer was dressed in a pin-striped suit, very natty, with a grain sack over his head with two holes cut out for his eyes.

    Hey, boys, he said. Everything well?

    Larry, said Mr. Gefelty, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Lily.

    Larry held out a blue, rubbery hand. Hi, Lily. Nice to meet you.

    Lily was shy, especially of blue, rubbery, concealed people, and so she didn’t say much. She shook his hand.

    Say hi to Larry, Lily, said her father.

    Hi, said Lily. It’s very nice to meet you.

    She’s a charmer, Gefelty. She’ll sweep ’em right off their feet. Oh, hey, Gefelty, can I get that report from Sheila on my desk ASAP? I want to pass it on to R and D.

    Sure thing, Larry.

    Great. Great! Hey, the little girl reminds me—when are you planning to go on vacation with your beautiful family?

    Oh, next month, once school’s out.

    Oh, great, great. Where you planning on going? asked Larry, opening the fridge, and pulling out a large vat of green brine and lifting it over his head.

    We’re going to go visit Lily’s grandmother in Decentville.

    You from there? asked Larry.

    My wife.

    Oh, great, great, said Larry, dumping the vat of brine over his head so it soaked his grain sack and his suit. He put down the empty metal vat. Oh, wait a second. Wait a second, Gefelty. Just thought of something. By then, I will have taken over the world, and Decentville, er, you know ... Larry made a noise that sounded like several large futuristic lasers blowing up the Decentville police station and the Bijou Theater and the rest of the town being engulfed in flames and destruction as car alarms went off in deserted burning alleyways.

    Lily’s father bit his lip. Aw, shoot, he said. Well, we’ll reschedule.

    Best thing for it, agreed Larry, nodding his shrouded head. Best thing. He clapped Lily’s dad on the shoulder. Oh, hey, hey—question for you: Do you guys prefer the nondairy creamer or real milk for the coffee?

    Could the office stock both? asked Ray.

    Well, see, the milk keeps going sour before it’s used. That’s what I’m worried about.

    Ray nodded sadly. That’s what milk does, he said.

    You betcha; that’s milk for you, said Larry. I’m thinking of switching the office over entirely to the nondairy. He sighed, and they all thought about it for a minute. Then Larry said, Awrighty. I’ll see you guys later. Lily, it’s nice to meet you. Have a great day at the office. He left the room with a wave, dripping brine.

    See? whispered Ray. This is what we have to put up with at this place.

    Mr. Gefelty nodded. You’d prefer the milk.

    "Of course I’d prefer real milk! Who wouldn’t? Huh? Tell

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