Krindlekrax, or, How Ruskin Splinter Battled a Horrible Monster and Saved His Entire Neighborhood - Hardcover

Philip Ridley; Gary Hovland

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679817646 ISBN 13: 9780679817642

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 1992

Synopsis

Although he is very thin with frizzy hair and thick glasses, nine-year-old Ruskin believes he is born to be a hero

About this title

About the Author:

PHILIP RIDLEY was born in the East End of London, where he still lives and works. He studied painting at St Martin's School of Art and by the time he graduated had exhibited widely throughout Europe and written his first novel. As well as books and plays for adults, Philip has written many other books for children including Krindlekrax (1991), winner of the Smarties Prize and the WH Smith, Mind-Boggling Books Award, Kasper in the Glitter (1994), nominated for the Whitbread Prize, and Scribbleboy (1997), shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. His work has been translated into seventeen languages.

From Kirkus Reviews:

Frizzy-haired, knobby-kneed Ruskin Splinter, age nine, believes himself eminently suited to play the lead--a hero capable of slaying dragons--in St. George's school play. The teacher, however, fearing repercussions, gives the part to the Lizard Street bully, Elvis, who regularly terrorizes the neighbors and goes unpunished; Ruskin's mother says only ``polly- wolly-doodle-all-the-day,'' while his father's lines are ``It's not my fault'' and ``Don't interfere.'' But when Ruskin takes on a toast-eating crocodile found in the sewer, others begin to see him as the noble soul he truly is; even Elvis becomes docile. With tongue in cheek, Ridley pens this light comedy from a distinctly half-pint point-of-view: all the adults but one are completely ineffectual, while only a child can right long- standing wrongs. Blithe and quick, the book could be accused of offering simplistic solutions to problems like unemployment and bullies, as well as crocodile fighting; humor, clearly, would be its winning defense. (Fiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0679817646
• ISBN 13: 9780679817642
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 141