The Yggyssey

January 26, 2009
Like The Neddiad
, this sequel packs wacky characters, absurd plot twists and improbable outcomes—and every page offers goofy, offbeat fun. The starring role this time belongs to the previously met Iggy Birnbaum, who proves a more level-headed narrator than Neddy, her predecessor, but the adventures of Iggy and her posse are just as far-fetched and comical. Iggy vows to find out why the ghosts that benignly haunt Hollywood have disappeared. After learning about a big supernatural shindig in a parallel universe, Iggy, Neddy and Seamus Finn head for the portal to that other world—and to whatever danger, mischief or world-saving awaits. As the title implies, the trio encounters an odyssey’s worth of characters, among them Mama Banana and her dwarf-like, aging hippies; a feline-loving witch who seduces them with apple pie and threatens to turn them into purring, whiskered captives; and a sorrowful garlic farmer. With his trio once again victorious, Pinkwater serves up another dose of lighthearted entertainment. Ages 10–up.