Henry Potty and the Pet Rock

Reviewed by Lisa Tyler © 2006

Wild Child Publishing.com © 2006

Title: Henry Potty and the Pet Rock
Author: Valerie Frankel
Publisher: Wingspan Press
Genre: Juvenile Fiction and Humor
Author's website: www.calithwain.com
Release date: August 2006

Just when you thought it was safe to bury your Harry Potter paraphernalia, Valerie Frankel attacks from the rear with a laugh out loud, irreverent salute to our obsession with the robed pre-teen, nerdy sex symbol.

In Henry Potty and the Pet Rock, we follow one orphan who is so obsessed with his own future self-importance that he never seems to realize he has no friends. Henry packs his awesome collection of Henry Potty fan club memorabilia (that he had printed for just this occasion years ago), and embarks on a perilous journey to Chickenfeet Academy somewhere in sunny California, by way of - (you're not going to believe this) - the Chickenfeet Trainer - a giant day-glo orange sneaker with purple laces complete with the little old lady who lives in the shoe - packing the kids on board the trainer...well you get the idea.

Helped with shopping earlier by his fairy godmother, Henry has everything he'll need for the school year, except the sense to turn around and go home before things get really bad.

At Chickenfeet Henry meets his new classmates, the red headed boy named Really Wimpy and the very smart girl who's good with all her lessons, Horrendous. The school's headmaster is none other than Professor Bumbling Bore, who like any good school official of many years, puts the students to sleep every time he opens his mouth.

The arch villain is played by Lord Revolting, whom you always know has entered the scene by the smell of garbage that is stuck to his evil black robes.

Serious this story is not. In fact, everything about Henry Potty is backwards from the Hogwarts story, with some witty dialogue between the characters and the author as the story goes on.

The story is 65 pages long, and I really believe it's more appropriate for older children or adults as the word level is quite high. It is meant to be fast paced, one pun after another, without a breath in between, but there are two or three places that I had to go back and reread the paragraph because it wasn't clear who was speaking or how the characters got in that position.

During the first 10 pages or so, I felt like a co-conspirator poking fun at my hero, chuckling and cheering the author on. The characters are as well developed as they need to be for this type of book, and actually feel more like facets of the reader's own personality, all making fun of oneself.

There were laugh out loud visuals, such as vampire lifeguards on Florida beaches, and a scene reminiscent of the famous "Who's on First" dialogue of Abbot and Costello, about whiches and wherewolves.

I also enjoyed the love twist with the parrot who admits to being part "mocking bird", though I can't reveal what type of creature she falls for. You'll have to read it for yourself, but I can't guarantee you'll believe a word of it!

Ms. Frankel is obviously a brilliant writer with a fantastic grasp of the Harry Potter story and it's social layers. I'm quite interested to read other things she's written, and to visit her website, mentioned at the end of the book.

If I had to list any downside to the book, it's that in places the puns are too closely packed together to be a relaxing read. I would have chosen to make the book much shorter, and I don't know if children will want to finish the story all the way to the end, at least in one sitting.

I give this ebook 4 cats, and think it should be considered part of the Harry Potter collectibles. Overall, it was a lot of fun, and I'll remember this author's name in the future and will be inclined to buy more of her material. I just hope she remembers not to write too far over our heads. After all, we're just Harry Potter fans in big people's clothing.

Rating: 4 Cats

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To find out more about how to purchase Henry Potty and the Pet Rock, visit Wingspan Press.