fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsThe Evil ElvesThe Mischief Monster by Bruce Coville

The Mischief Monster is the fourth book in Bruce Coville’s delightful MOONGOBBLE AND ME series for ages 9-12. I’ve been listening to this series of short books on audio with my girls who are 6 and 9 years old. Each book is about an hour long and dramatized by Full Cast Audio, which means there’s a cast of readers playing parts rather than just one narrator.

In The Mischief Monster, Edward, Moongobble, and their friends try to return a mischievous monster princess named Snelly to her home in Monster Mountain. As usual, there’s a surprise twist at the end. The plot of The Mischief Monster is cute and funny (especially when Urk the toad gets turned into a fluffy pink kitty). My girls loved the story.

Though I’ve been recommending Full Cast Audio’s versions so far, I can’t do so for this installment. The voice used for Snelly, the titular character of The Mischief Monster, is piercingly high-pitched. This is supposed to be cute and she’s supposed to sound like a brat, but it’s so effective that it soon got on my nerves. Even my daughters were annoyed by Snelly’s voice.

If you’ve enjoyed the previous MOONGOBBLE AND ME books, you’ll be happy with The Mischief Monster. I just suggest reading this one in print. My 2.5 star rating reflects my disappointment with the audio version, but my daughter Tali said she’d give it 3.5 stars.

Moongobble and Me — (2003-2008) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Edward is bored with life in the little town of Pigbone. Then Moongobble the Magician and his faithful toad, Urk, move into the cottage on the hill. Soon Edward has a job helping Moongobble. And Moongobble needs a lot of help because it turns out, he is not a very good magician. (His spells keep turning things into cheese!) Edward has never been so busy — or so happy. But then someone threatens to stop Moongobble from ever casting another spell. Edward can’t let that happen. He’ll do anything to save his friend’s magic — even face the deadly, dreaded Dragon of Doom! Funny and suspenseful, spiced with Bruce Coville’s special brand of wackiness and Katherine Coville’s warm, witty illustrations, this book is sure to cast a spell of delight on beginning readers.

Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork

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  • Katherine Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.

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