Author: Norm Feuti
Illustrator: Norm Feuti
© Date: 2016
Publisher: Graphix
Pages: 204
Chapters: No
Illustrations: Yes, graphic novel
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-10 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: Scatterbrained King Cornelius and his spirited daughter, Bing, have to get to the bottom of a mystery stirring at the top of Mount Kazoo. When they investigate, they discover an evil genius is planning a diabolical experiment. Now Cornelius, Bing, and the brilliant royal inventor, Torq, must go all out to save the entire kingdom.
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this a short bit ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: This book is proof that I should write my reviews closer to when I read the book. Page Pup and I both found this book fun, but even after flipping through it again, I cannot think of much else to say about it. I appreciate that this book shows that magic and science can be used for bad or good. Which also applies to the words and choices that King Cornelius makes, but he learns how to start making better decisions for his kingdom than the ones that he had been making when he was only focused on himself. The gonks were rather cute, and the story line and drawings were full of fun and imagination. Alas, that is the best that I can do for now, which is unfortunate because such a fun book deserves better comments.
Family Unit: Bing lives in the castle with her father, King Cornelius
Conflict/Social Issues:
- King Cornelius is so focused on himself and his legacy that he doesn’t notice the unkind things that he is doing and the legacy that he is actually creating.
- Quaf the alchemist/evil scientist is taking advantage of others and stealing things to make his dream come true and not afraid to destroy the Kingdom of Kazoo in the process.
Positive Items:
- A little bit of magic and scientific know-how is enough to save a kingdom from science gone bad at the hands of a bitter man.
- Bing stays true to herself and her magical interests.
- Bing gives credit to Torq when it is due, which makes him feel good about himself and demonstrates that the royalty of the kingdom is not all bad.
- Bing is able to guide her father, the king, to seeing more people in the kingdom than himself.
Items of Interest:
- King Cornelius is self-centered and not overly brilliant. He thinks that Bing’s magic is nonsense and is not afraid to take credit for the work of others. After some tough love from Bing at the end of the story, King Cornelius does a little self reflection. So after Bing and Torq the royal inventor save the Kingdom of Kazoo from Quaf the evil inventor, King Cornelius changes his tune and gives credit to those that were responsible for saving the day.
- Torq the royal inventor does not talk verbally.
- Bing stays true to her interest in magic, even after King Cornelius says that “magic is only good for showing off” at the beginning of the story. Her magic even helps save the kingdom in the end.
- Torq invents an automobile, but King Cornelius is content taking the credit for it. Torq also reluctantly lets his amazing automobile invention be destroyed in the process of saving the kingdom.
- King Cornelius attempts to lie to the Kroakers about why they are in their kingdom and nearly starts a war. Bing uses a bit of magic and honesty to save the day.
- Bing, Torq, and King Cornelius arrive in the town of Halfway and are surprised to find it deserted. Turns out Quaf the alchemist turned into an evil inventor. The kings of the kingdom were nincompoops and drove him into early retirement despite his inventions being used all over the kingdom. Now Quaf has hypnotized the townspeople of Halfway to dig a cavern in a volcano and stolen from the Kroakers to create smart metal that will give his robot automaton a brain. This process will destroy the kingdom and the townspeople, but Quaf doesn’t care about anything but his greatest invention, the smart metal. Oh, and he wants to take back everything that he gave to the kingdom, which means destroying the kingdom.