O P E N I N G L I N E:
Like always, the whole cafeteria was hanging on my every-word. Even the lunch ladies in their plastic shower caps had come out to hear what I'd say next. It was so quiet you could hear a straw squeak its way into a milk carton.
"'Was it dangerous?' you ask. Of course it was! Was I afraid? Ha! Never!"
"How about when the tiger roared?" said my friend Gloria Ortega. "You looked pretty scared then."
I ignored her and kept going.
(pg. 1, US hardcover edition)
“P.T. is quite an entertainer," said Gloria. "In fact, his storytelling prowess has made him one of the Wonderland Motel's most valuable assets, centers of excellence, and revenues streams. He is what we call a cash cow."
~Gloria, BEACH PARTY SURF MONKEY
It doesn't matter how old you are, sometimes you are in the mood to read something that makes you laugh so hard you're worried milk might come out of your nose (even though you aren't drinking any milk). Chris Grabenstein is a leading voice in middle grade hijinks, providing quirky and colorful storylines that elicit belly laughs and a strong dose of imaginative fun. BEACH PARTY SURF MONKEY is the latest addition to his WELCOME TO WONDERLAND series, and as expected it is full of humor, mischief, and fun wrapped around a center of sweet human nature.
Our leading lad, P.T. Wilkie, is the kind of child adults label as having an overactive imagination. He's got a knack for elaborating, for taking an adventure and embellishing till he's turned it into an ADVENTURE. A lot of his friends and family are well aware that he's telling tale tales, but the tales themselves are so engaging and entertaining that they usually let P.T. do his thing, especially if it helps boost sales at The Wonderland motel that they run. Now P.T. likes to have fun, and he attends to approach most things with an angle of humor, but what he takes seriously is the well being of The Motel. When a fancy resort pops up next door threatening to put them out of business, P.T. puts everything he can into protecting his home.
Potential salvation comes by a chance encounter, and when P.T. gets wind of scouts looking for a place to film a movie that stars a teen idol, he jumps into the fray and actually succeeds in getting the movie producers to film at The Wonderland!! No story is a good story without conflict, and we've got issues with surfing monkeys, coworker conflict and fancy resort owners breathing down the Wilkie family's necks. Can P.T.'s penchant for imaginative and exciting tall tales and his fearless can-do spirit save the day, AND the motel? You'll have to read for yourself, but I can promise that this book will keep you engaged from beginning to end! It's part mystery, part comedy, and all heart, the kind of book that makes your own imagination explode. Middle-graders will eat this up like it's made of Grandpa's bologna, and any adult readers will enjoy an opportunity to get in touch with their inner child for a while.
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C O N T E N T R A T I N G S
Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) for details
Romance: G ( There aren't really any romantic moments present. )
Language: --
Violence: G ( This is a comedic storyline, there are no instances that really feel violent )
Violence: G ( This is a comedic storyline, there are no instances that really feel violent )
Other: --
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C O V E R D E S I G N:
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O F F I C I A L I N F O:
Title: BEACH PARTY SURF MONKEY
Author: Chris Grabenstein
Release Date: Out May 23, 2017
Publisher: Random House
Received: For Review
SUMMARY:
“Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars!" —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series
From the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and co-author with James Patterson of I Funny, House of Robots, and Treasure Hunters, comes the second hilarious, fun-in-the-sun adventure in his illustrated series about all the wacky things that happen when you live in a motel!
There’s always something wacky happening when you live in a motel, and P.T. (named after P. T. Barnum, of course) has grown up at the world’s wackiest! When word gets out that the hottest teen idols in Hollywood (plus current YouTube sensation Kevin the Monkey!) will be filming their next movie—Beach Party Surf Monkey—right in St. Pete’s Beach, Florida, P.T. and his friend Gloria know that the Wonderland would be the perfect location. Now they just have to convince the producers!
But when things start to go wrong (crazed fans? missing stars?), it will take all of Gloria’s business genius and P.T.’s wild stories to save the movie before both it and the Wonderland are all washed up!
BONUS: Includes fun extras like P.T. and Gloria’s Famous Fact-or-Fiction Quiz: Movie Edition
Here's What People are saying about
WELCOME TO WONDERLAND!
“Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars! Kids who check into this madcap motel will want to stay forever!” —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series
"So funny I fell off my bed!"--Izzy B., age 10
"Classic Grabenstein. The mystery should satisfy Grabenstein’s “Mr. Lemoncello” followers, and the humor and visuals will appeal to fans of his collaborations with James Patterson. This new series should be a hit."—School Library Journal
“A delight. P.T. is a hoot and a half. A funny, madcap dash."—Kirkus Reviews
“Charm galore. Easy and breezy, this well-paced novel . . . belongs in the hands of any readers wanting their bad guys bad, their good guys great, and a little of Wonderland’s promised fun in the sun.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
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CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling. His books include the LEMONCELLO LIBRARY series, the WONDERLAND series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson. You can visit Chris at ChrisGrabenstein.com.
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GIVEAWAY
You Could Win...
1 winner will receive...
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US Only.
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