THE ISLAND OF MAD SCIENTISTS
Being an Excursion to the Wilds of Scotland, Involving Many Marvels of Experimental Invention, Pirates, a Heroic Cat, a Mechanical Man and a Monkey
by Howard Whitehouse & illustrated by Bill Slavin
Rollicking, raucous, madcap, crazy fun best describes this conclusion of the Mad Adventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones. Once again, 14-year-old wannabe aeronaut Emmaline Cayley, her buddy Rubberbones and the escaped Princess Purnah of Chiligrit are in trouble. The government is determined to return Purnah to the girls’ school from which she and Emmaline escaped (The Strictest School in the World, 2006). The only recourse for the family (which includes a sensible aunt, a remarkable butler and an American mad scientist) is to split up and try to get to the little island of Urgghh off the coast of Scotland. Unfortunately a collector of mad scientists has his eye on the kids as well, and the dauntless heroes must handle his goons, a wild séance, Queen Victoria, pirates, a robot and a very fine cat before all is said and done. With Slavin's fabulous pen-and-ink lines to complement the action, this title is pure unadulterated fun; readers will mourn the end of the trilogy. (Fiction. 8-12)