Andy Griffiths (1) (1961–)

(ARC was provided to read and review.)

The winning team from Down Under is back. Author Andy Griffiths and illustrator Terry Denton have expanded their 13-Storey Treehouse and invite us now to the bigger and better? version with more inventive rooms. Yes, I think the two have done an excellent job and were able to add more fun extensions and fresh new crazy ideas.
The ice-cream parlour with 78 different flavours and a robot called Edward Scooperhands who serves the stuff, has to be my show more favourite new add on. But I'm not sure, if I have the right guts for flavours like Fish and Chips or Egg and Bacon.

This time Andy and Terry want to tell us how they met, but first the story is interrupted as Mr. Big Nose is on the phone and wants to know how they are getting on with the book. Mr. Big Nose is their publisher and I love the interactions with him. (Mind you, he's frighteningly realistic at times.)
I also love it when Andy or Terry address the reader, which really creates the feeling of being involved in the action and visiting them in their house, rather then reading a book.
I'm always stunned of all the inventive ideas the author comes up with, there's the emergency open-shark surgery or the pirate Captain Woodenhead and the whole story surrounding his wooden head or how they integrate a nursery rhyme into the story. And I'm a fan of the Gorgonzola Fish (but don't think I would like to eat it, though).

The way how they finally deliver the book to Mr. Big Nose is something I can see other authors adopting (depending form their publisher, of course).

The 26-Storey Treehouse is utterly silly nonsense and wonderfully imaginative and intelligent fun. Terry Danton's illustrations are always amazingly detailed and elaborate. There's always so much to see and to discover.
I'm a Treehouse fan. My whole family is. I can't wait for the next part. Luckily the 39-Story Treehouse is underway and hopefully Andy and Terry don't let us wait too long. show less

For the parent or grandparent who is looking for a book to enchant their middle grade youngster’s imagination, this would be a good choice. This author and illustrator have provided 3rd to 7th graders with a hilarious read which is written in a very humorous cartoon and text format. The main characters, Andy and Terry, have been charged by their publisher to produce the book they had promised, which is now overdue, by the very next day.
The book becomes the comical story of how it came to show more be, and it literally explodes off the page with laughs as the reader learns of all their escapades on a single day in their lives. Andy and Terry seem like overgrown kids, and the reader will romp through the pages with them, as they alternate between procrastination and determination in their effort to fulfill their obligation. The banter between them will absolutely delight youngsters.
In this first book of a new series, Andy, the author, and Terry, the illustrator, live in a wonderful, imaginary 13-story treehouse, with amenities a child can only dream of: see-through pools, an automatic marshmallow dispenser that knows to spit them into your mouth when you are hungry, a video conferencing telephone. The wondrous discoveries on each floor will enchant the 8-12 year old. Magical things occur as if they are everyday occurrences, and the ordinary becomes extraordinary under the pens of both these talented men. The drawings are so much fun to explore, although some are a bit too busy as to become complicated, most are really easy to unravel and follow. They are simply drawn and very clever. Each new chapter follows from the preceding anecdote and is illustrated appropriately.
There is one cautionary note to parents. Some language is not politically correct and might not be considered acceptable. The use of terms like stupid and birdbrain do occur, but they are not overused and seem appropriate to the episode, rather than insulting. There are some silly violent behaviors but nothing bad really seems to happen as a result. Also, lying is discussed as a method of solving a problem. Although some of the episodes are a bit gruesome, none are over the top, and in the end, the reader will definitely be left chuckling and not concerned. The escapades are really witty, and the silly humor in this book will give every reader something to smile or laugh about.
Overall, after all is said and done, this book sure captured the way young middle school kids talk to each other and think. show less

This book is strongly in the "and THEN" genre of child-like storytelling. It's weird, hilarious, and pointless. A certain subsection of 2nd and 3rd graders will love it.

So, Andy and his friend Terry live in a 13-story treehouse. A glorious diagram of said treehouse fills the endpages, showing exactly where the unique features of the room from giant catapult to secret underground laboratory. Besides being their home, the treehouse is also where they write books. They've written a whole stack show more of them (a close observe some familiar titles).

Sometimes they make up their books, but sometimes they just write down what happened and that's where this book comes from. It all starts with the canary-cat, or catnary. Then their publisher, Mr. Big Nose, calls. He is a little upset that their latest book is a tad late and they set out to write it immediately...as soon as they deal with the sea monkeys. But then they find themselves facing down a sea monster, attacked by a giant gorilla, blowing burp-filled bubblegum bubbles and...will they ever get the book written?

The illustrations are pen and ink scribbles, just the kind of thing a kid would doodle all over a book as t hey write crazy adventures with a friend. The pictures - and the stories - are cheerfully inappropriate, ranging from the main characters kissing a mermaid (and the grossness resulting) to the drawing of super finger, complete with bare bone sticking out the end.

Verdict: Fans of Griffiths' easy readers (The Big Fat Cow that went Kapow is a favorite at our library), Captain Underpants, or Zombiekins will be delighted by the mixture of gross, nonsense, and total randomness dumped into this book. The reading level varies throughout the book, but a good 2nd or 3rd grade reader should enjoy it. Do not hand to stuffy people, those without a sense of humor, or anyone who hasn't recently had an uncensored talk with a 3rd grader.

ISBN: 9781250026903; Published 2013 by Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to the library's order list show less

Goed boek voor kinderen die niet van lezen houden! Veel plaatjes en gekke avonturen met flauwe grappen. Zelf moest ik heel erg lachen om de katnarie en de lege pagina's die Terry had getekend.