Harry the Poisonous Centipede Goes to Sea - Softcover

Lynne Reid Banks

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007197128 ISBN 13: 9780007197125

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2005

Synopsis

Harry the Poisonous Centipede is now quite brave, but nothing can prepare him for this next adventure! He and best friend George are lost in a new and even scarier no-top world. Far from home, across the no-end puddle, they must negotiate a strange treeless cold desert, a Nest of Hoo-Mins, lots of noise-hurt and terrifying hairy-yowlers! Harry woke up first. The straight-up-hard thing was jiggling. It was moving. What's happening? asked George in alarm. I don't know. We're moving. Harry replied. Where are we? We're not where we were last night! crackled George. I told you! This is a can't -get-out! Harry and George face the toughest adventure yet when they are shipped West in a crate of bananas. Far across the no-end puddle, miles away from home, they must find a way to survive the bitter cold and hide from the hundreds of Hoo-Mins do-diddling around them. They run away as fast as they can, but inadvertently squirm into a Hoo-Min Nest and come face to face with a hairy-yowler! All Harry wants is to go home to his mother, and tell her how much he warm-hearts her before her time comes to stop. the Nest and go out into the no-top world. Yet this particular Hoo-Min is fascinated by insects, and wants nothing more than to add some poisonous centipedes to his collection.

About this title

About the Author:

Since Lynne's first novel for adults, The L-Shaped Room, she has been published here and in the US. Her strong narrative style and ability to create worlds where small people and animals live, is second to none. Her book, The Indian in the Cupboard, shortly to be a Collins Modern Classic, was made into a major feature film - her books in the series sell and sell. Lynne says writing for children comes more easily than writing for adults. "It's not that it is less demanding - I just find it more fun."

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-5–Harry is back in his third adventure. He and George are teenage giant centipedes who enjoy hunting and exploring. When they stray too far from home, they become trapped in a crate of bananas with another centipede, Josie. They make a close escape from boot-clad Hoo-Mins who try to squish them. They run through sewer pipes, meet some rats, and find refuge in a greenhouse, only to be caught. Luckily for the pedes, these humans are bug lovers and take them to the zoo. The zoo folks are keen on the discovery and are bent on returning these rare creatures to their tropical home (location undisclosed). Josie moves in and has hundreds of poisonous babies (father unknown). Despite the rash of stories in which the author cleverly addresses readers, the device falls short here; translations of centipede-speak are distracting, and author comments are often intrusive. Black-and-white line drawings are scattered throughout. Fans of the previous books are the likely audience for this one.–Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0007197128
• ISBN 13: 9780007197125
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208