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Zorgamazoo (2008)

by Robert Paul Weston(Favorite Author)

4.02 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1595141995 (ISBN13: 9781595141996)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Razorbill

review 1: This whole novel is told entirely in rhyme (think Dr. Seuss style).We listened to this as an audiobook narrated by the fabulous Alan Cumming.The 5sters loved this one - and the other kids I know who have read it all loved it too. This is also one of my 3rd/4th gr teacher's favorite read alouds. So I really wanted to finally read it.For me though, there were a few times listening to it in the car where I felt a physical reaction to the continual rhyming like I wanted to get off the "spinny ride".
review 2: The sad truth is that there are years of my life that did not have Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston in them.The silver lining is that Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston is part of my life now!This was a recommendation that came from a co-worker because she felt ... moreit seemed like my kind of book. I was intrigued by her description. Later I went on to Amazon because they had a preview of the book and I read it out loud to my wife, who was just as intrigued as I was! From just reading the preview, I couldn't get Zorgamazoo out of my head. I was baffled as to why Robert Paul Weston and ANY of his books were not in my life. Upon closer inspection, in addition to Zorgamazoo, he wrote another fantasy book in rhyme (Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff), a hard-boiled fairy tale noir (Dust City), and a book that Buzzfeed described as “Stunning…a bit like if you took Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Monsters Inc. and shoved them in a TARDIS.” (The Creature Department).After this little investigation it was clear to me that Robert Paul Weston had access to my brain and wrote all the books that I would dearly love to read! So I decided to buy all of his books for my birthday because even though I had read only the preview for Zorgamazoo, I had a hunch that this guy would become one of my favorite authors of all time!So then...what did I think of Zorgamazoo???Well, I actually started reading in the hospital of all places. My wife needed to get a RhoGAM shot to prevent her O- blood from attacking our baby like it was a virus. Her shot was scheduled for a Sunday which was weird because the department that usually takes care of RhoGAM shots was closed that day. Long story short-ish, we did a lot of waiting in the hospital room on Sunday...my birthday. But I brought Zorgamazoo and so I asked my wife if I could start reading it out loud to her to pass the time and because we were anxious to see what this book was like and so I started reading out loud a story that was "stranger than strange". For those that don't know, Zorgamazoo is a nearly 300 page fantasy written entirely in verse. I don't feel the book truly comes alive until each and every word is spoken. Within minutes my wife and I are deeply in love with this book.Also in love with this book is our tiny baby who was kicking and spinning around to show his love for this book as his mom and dad took turns reading each chapter out loud. It was a fantastic way to spend the morning! It was hilarious as well as from time to time, a nurse would come into the room to give us a status report and we would stop reading...mid-rhyme...only to continue again immediately upon the nurse exiting the room.We continued to read chapters from Zorgamazoo out loud each night that week before going to bed. All of us excited to hear more. I don't want to spoil any of the plot points but I do want to say this about the book.Katrina Katrell, one of the heroes of this book, is a wonderful and much needed character in children's literature. She is a strong, quirky, fiercely independent girl who instantly has your heart! Robert Paul Weston creates a great female character by simply telling a fantastic story that features an amazing character. There is nothing contrived about the story he is telling.Mortimer Yorgle, the other hero of this book, will have your heart for a different set of reasons. Among them is that Robert Paul Weston again thwarts reader expectations by presenting a very different male hero in a fantasy story. And don't even get me started on Morty's relationship with his father! Do you know what a strange sensation it is to be speaking in verse AND crying at the same time!!!But that is the magic of Zorgamazoo!You would think that writing a nearly 300 page fantasy story completely in verse would produce, at least in parts, a story that felt contrived in some spots but that is not the case. The particular brand of genius that is Robert Paul Weston's mind has created an organic story with such heart that you will laugh, you will cry, and you will sit in awe that someone has produced this book which deserves to be a classic right alongside the books of Roald Dahl and Dr. Seuess.So what are you waiting for??? Go read this book right now! Out loud! To strangers...or friends...or just to yourself, but do yourself a favor and bring Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston into your life!!! less

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