Borgel

by Daniel Pinkwater

Book Overview

Melvin recounts his extraordinary adventures in time and space with his 111-year-old sort of great-Uncle Borgel. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0027746712
• ISBN13: 9780027746716
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Somethings never change

I was first introduced to Daniel Pinkwater through this story between 4th and 5th grade, when my aunt who owned the book read it to me. I recently got it out of the libraray and love it even MORE than I did then, though I'll be going into highschool next year. This is a brilliant tale of a boy (Melvin), his dog (Fafner) and someone who claims to be somehow related to the family, but is called "uncle" since they don't know quite how (Borgel). I highly recomend it to the young, and old since it is such an awesome book. I may be getting a new pet soon... and I plan to name it Borgel, just becuase I hope it has just as hilarious of personality and such a care free disposition. And as a warning- if a popsicle is dancing around and you can't stop being happy and feeling the effects of it... you probably shouldn't eat it :)

Borgel and Fafner

I discovered the works of Daniel Pinkwater through one of my nieces, who happened to name her two cats after two characters from "Borgel." Daniel Pinkwater possesses a sheer, mad comic genius. He spins tales that are wildly funny and entertaining, and yet manages to squeeze in a lesson. (Even if that lesson is that animals are stupid or to never listen to what a fish says.) "Borgel" tells the story of Melvin Spellbound and his uncle Borgel. Borgel is of no clear relation and shows up one day out of the blue. He stays in his room for weeks at a time and the family children may only enter through invitation, wearing a tie. One night Melvin is invited to Borgel's room and he believes that they are running away. They wind up on an adventure through space-time-and-the-other. Pinkwater peppers his story with hilarity mixed with reality. Borgel and Melvin's space travels are delightfully funny and deepen our appreciation of the wide cast of characters, including Fafner the dog and Freddie the Grivnizoid, as they search space and Hell for the Great Popsicle. Throughout all his whimsy and witty words, Pinkwater truly makes us care about the characters and wraps up a story that may seem to have wandered so far that there would be no coming back. Just like what would happen in space travel, if the Dorbzeldge was to drift past the road barriers.

The Borgel Experience

Whenever I read any of Mr. Pinkwater's books I am amazed at the range and intelligience of this humorist. "Borgel" has become one of my favorites. From the first chapter I was hooked. The arrival of Borgel ,a flaky, casual genius, to the home of Melvin and his family is like a spark to dry wood. The world that "Uncle Borgel" takes his "Nephew" is fantastic but oddly comparable to our own (though I don't believe you'll be able to get any french fried meteorites in your local McDonald's). This story moves along with a series of events that keeps one's mind sparked and one's lips twitching with laughter. Mr. Pinkwater's "Borgel" flows like melted popsicles.

Second only to Lizard Music

Borgel is a fast-paced space adventure strongly reminiscent of Douglas Adams' 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. At least five years after first reading it, I still tell the Aesops' Fable parodies as jokes (acknowledging their origin, of course :)).

A deeply amusing and entertaining book

This is one of Pinkwater's greatest books. I am especially fond of the fables from the Old Country ("Moral: Animals are stupid"). I have read this book twice to my son. The first time I read it to him he was three; it was his very first chapter book and he absolutely loved it. He wants Daniel Pinkwater to write another Borgel book. So do I.