Utten and Plumley

By Reade Scott Whinnem

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1571743464
• ISBN13: 9781571743466
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing Company
• Length: 317 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

A fun read!

I completely enjoyed the fun & whimisical world of Utten! Even when things got "darker", Utten kept his light-heart & helped his friends to know that things would be ok, somehow. I loved all the creatures that Reade Scott Whinnem came up with, as well as the full descriptions of the places Utten visits - I felt like I was there, too.I recently gave this book to my cousin, and can't wait for her to read it!

A new classic fantasy novel--not JUST for kids, either

I was drawn into "Utten and Plumley" in about two milliseconds. Reade Scott Whinnem's tale of a magical blue creature (who may or may not be related to the Norse God of Thunder and Applesauce Oton) is absolutely hysterical. Not only are there surprises, the writing itself is piquant and original. And the characters are really characters, not only Utten, but a cast of misfits including a scarecrow, a wolf and a chimpanzee.The book reads a bit like "Alice in Wonderland" mixed with "Harry Potter", "Time Bandits" and a bit of "The Hobbit" swirled in for texture. But "Utten and Plumley" isn't like these books, it's similar only in that it's a classic fantasy.The illustrations (pencil drawings) are entertaining and nicely done. I highly recommend this book for summer student reading, or for any fan of fantasy, young or old.

A great read for kids and adults! Harry Potter...look out!

I read this book this afternoon from cover to cover, without stopping. I found it to be well-written, with creative characters, a great pace and a fantastic adventure. Once you read this book, you find yourself trying to picture Utten in your mind, trying to pin down exactly what an Utten is. I know that if I did indeed meet him, I would accept the offer to poke him, just to be sure.I look forward to the day when my boys are old enough to enjoy this story as much as I did. I look forward to joining Utten and his friends on more adventures, wherever they take him.

A Great Story From a Fantastic Storyteller

What an exciting debut from a promising new author of adolescent literature! I am an elementary school teacher, but I felt like a 12 year old again with the way this book sucked me in and dropped me off at the end. Utten and his clan of endearing characters pull you into their adventures and put the reader in a world of excitement, suspense and reflection. This will be a fantastic read aloud for a class of 5th-8th graders. The story offers opportunities for group discussion of character decisions, as well as motivating platforms for extending the characters' adventures through creative response activities. The author uses his mastery of storytelling to completely wrap the reader up in the book. Teachers in grades 5-12 using literature as a model for writing will greatly benefit from honing in on many passages from this book when representing and discussing author technique - i.e. - creating a picture in the readers' minds, creating suspense, building characters through their actions...As a teacher I loved this book, but even more so as a reader. I am hooked, and eagerly awaiting the chance to read Utten's adventures with Charlie in "Utten and Charlie." I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun summer read (for themselves or an adolescent friend) or for a new option as a classroom read aloud in the fall!

Great summer read for your kids!

With a shortage of high quality, exciting chapter books for kids 8-12, this bright new author has created a sure-to-be award winner! He combines an exciting story filled with all the elements kids love, with a subtle but wonderful life lesson. My 10 year old son couldn't put it down. From the very beginning of the book, Whinnem's description of his wild yet endearing characters have you hooked. I read this book aloud to my son and I'm glad I did. His expressions and anticipation were fun to see, but surprisingly I loved the book, too! Didn't want it to end and looking forward to his next work. -New fan from Boston, MA