THE TROUBLE WITH UNCLE

by Babette Cole ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1992

A wickedly zany narrative about Uncle, who ""doesn't just play around with boats"" (e.g., the pictured remote-controlled craft in a park)--""He's a pirate!"" With grown-ups looking askance, he buys a treasure map, sets sail even though he can't do enough math to navigate, catches a ride on an accommodating whale, finds the treasure island developed and occupied by tourists, rescues a movie star kidnapped by real pirates, and marries a mermaid on the way home. There's virtually no cause and effect here, much less a message but the caricatures and other details are amusing--especially in Cole's unabashedly garish illustrations, where the modern gangster-pirates are routed by bug-eyed Uncle in traditional garb and the dowdy mermaid is last seen watching Cousteau on TV from her comfy living-room fishbowl. Not essential, but fun.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1992

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: "Little, Brown"

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1992

Categories: CHILDREN'S