The inhabitants of the Island at the Center of Everything are inclined to take things to extremes. The clown-like Rumblebumps lack gravitas; the politically correct Leafeaters, sticklers for etiquette and proper grammar and usage, lack humor. Persimmony Smudge, the basket-maker’s daughter, values imagination over everything, and Worvil, the odd creature she befriends, is fixated on the worst that can happen. From his castle on Mount Majestic, King Lucas the Loftier indulges his taste for pepper, oblivious to the workers who slave at the peppermill to feed his craving. The discovery that their island world rests on a sleeping giant who shows signs of waking up throws the island’s self-centered residents off balance. Meeting the emergency will require all the ingenuity and interspecies cooperation they can muster. More is less in this unruly fable suffering from a surplus of morals, from “live for today” to “moderation in all things.” The surfeit of characters and rambling plot are confusing and cause and effect often unclear. Happily, the debut author’s wry wit and flashes of satire mitigate many deficits. (Fantasy. 9-13)
