BOOK REVIEW: Gobbledy by Lis Anna-Langston

Gobbledy

Author: Lis Anna-Langston

Genre: Children's / Middle-Grade Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Publication Date: 20th October 2020

Book Description:

Ever since eleven-year-old Dexter Duckworth and his brother, Dougal, lost their mom, everything has been different. But “different” takes on a whole new meaning when, one day just before Christmas (or Kissmas, as they call it), Dexter finds a golden rock in the forest that hatches into an adorable alien. Gobbledy is smarter than he seems and is lost on planet Earth. Before long, Gobbledy takes Dexter, Dougal, and their best friend Fi on an adventure of friendship, family, and loss—one that requires them all to stay out of trouble, protect Gobbledy from a shadowy group called the Planetary Society, and prepare for their school’s Winter Extravaganza Play, where Dexter has to be a dreaded Gingerbread Man.

Gobbledy is a fun-filled holiday story that adds up to two brothers, three friends, unlimited jars of peanut butter, a ketchup factory, and one little alien far, far from home.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

From the very first sentence, I knew I was going to like this book. What I didn't expect was how much I would love this book. I loved the action, the plot and how it unravelled, and I especially loved Gobbledy's portrayal. It was an adorable creature.

This is a heartwarming story about a family trying to cope after the death of a beloved mother and wife. Dexter Duckworth, 11 years old, his younger brother Dougal, 8 years old, and their father have been having a rough time since the passing of Dexter and Dougal's mother six months ago. Their father has been struggling as he tries to juggle work and take care of the boys, but Dexter hasn't been making things easy as he often finds himself in a spot of bother. Dougal, on the other hand, has been the complete opposite and has been trying to keep the peace and keep the family from wondering astray. After getting into trouble at school, Dexter promises his father that he will clean up his act, which he had every intention of doing, but then he and his best friend, Fiona (Fi), who lives across the street, happen upon a very strange rock in the forest that turns out to be a strange creature of extra-terrestrial origins.

This was an enjoyable read. The pacing was good and the way the plot developed was satisfying. Dexter and the gang went on some wild adventures, and I loved every bit of it. I have to say, I found I had to keep reminding myself that the kids were aged between 8-11 because they did not appear as such throughout the story. Their high intelligence and advanced problem solving skills, particularly their vocabulary, made them appear older than they actually were. I'm not saying they can't be that intelligent, I'm simply stating that they were portrayed as intelligent college kids as opposed to intelligent middle schoolers, which was a little disorienting. Had the author not mentioned their ages, I would never have guessed they were between 8-11 years old. I was waiting to see their youthful personalities grace the pages, but it was a rare occurrence. Despite their slightly mature portrayal, I liked the characters. They were engaging and imaginative.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable story.

VERDICT:

Rating: 4 Star

Source: Author