Madeline
Everything about this book screamed “cartoon in a book.” The premise, the description of the characters, and the ending. All of this would only happen as described in a cartoon. The last time I remember reading something so animated was The Wunderesmith Series.
It’s a whimsical story that starts in, what I imagine, as grey tones and when the story enters the island, it suddenly becomes a bright flurry of colors. The cover of the book is not just from the imagination of the Illustrator, it was first painted with words by the author.
Premise
Linus works as a case worker for the Bureau of Magical Children, an agency that audits orphanages for magical children. He is well aware of how to do his job effectively, how to follow the rules, and the lines he should not cross. Until one day, he is given a top secret case that brings him to an island full of spectacularly magical children including the antichrist, but please, do not call him that. On this island, Linus starts to question his life and his work back home.
Cartoon in a Book
Everything from describing Linus’s inner tube around his midsection, to the jowls of the members of extremely upper management, to calling the highest level of the Bureau the extremely upper management, this book screams of cartoon. The descriptions are creative and gave me a fantastic visual. I felt as though I was in the cartoon in a book alongside Linus and the magical children on the island.
Final Thoughts
The writing in this book is either something that never comes across my lap or, the more likely, does not exist frequently. The great writing alongside the creative story made me adore this cartoon in a book and I will be searching for more by this author with the expectation that he doesn’t drop the fantastical writing.
