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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Lake Elmo Library | J FICTION GAM | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | J FICTION GAM | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Memo: For Ministry of Strange, Unusual, and Impossible Things Operatives Only
RE: The Ministry of SUITs by Paul Gamble (winner of the Eilís Dillon award for a first children's book)
A series of strange incidents have been reported in Belfast:
* Oddball kids are going missing
* There are several unconfirmed signs of pirates.
* A wild bear known to be a very sore loser at musical statues has escaped from the museum and is on the rampage.
Fortunately, our newest recruits, Jack Pearse, a curious boy skilled at logical thinking and seeing what's actually there, and Trudy Emerson, the most dangerous girl in his school, are on the case. As per Ministry policy, they are currently being trained in the use of The Speed (patent pending) and will have full access to Ministry supplies (assuming they manage to navigate the paperwork without going insane), so we are confident that they will succeed in their mission to discover and foil this villainous plot.
Please provide all assistance possible, as a) they don't know who they are actually up against, b) the world is much stranger than they realized, and c) they are only 12 and have to be in bed by 10 p.m.
P.S.-Could all Ministry operatives who have borrowed dinosaurs in the past two weeks please return them? We're running low on inventory.
Author Notes
Paul Gamble was born and brought up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He currently works in the civil service. His job only occasionally involves working with dinosaurs. The Ministry of SUITs is his debut novel.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Jack is constantly curious about everything, especially some odd happenings at his middle school. His misfit best friend, David, is the complete opposite. When the mean P.E. teacher punishes forgetful students by making them wear used, stinky, stained, and tight uniforms plucked from the creepy Box of Spares, Jack becomes convinced that the previous owners of these clothes were kidnapped. Also intriguing is a sinister new school sponsor who presents the school with puzzling gifts, including a wind turbine, new carpets, and polyester uniforms that look identical to the old. The same strange day, Jack's curiosity is rewarded by a job offer from Mr. Grey of the Ministry of Strange, Unusual, and Impossible Things (S.U.I.T.s), an organization that deals with creatures that no one believes exist anymore, such as pirates, dinosaurs, and zombies. He hopes by joining up he can solve the mysteries at his school. He almost changes his mind when he finds out that he needs to partner with scary fellow student "Moody Trudy." But he is impressed when he sees her demonstrate a Ministry technique in which she walks on the ceiling and defeats her foes with incredible acrobatics. Jack realizes that by making himself as miserable and unhappy as possible, he, too, can learn the Speed technique. Jack and Trudy's prowess comes in handy when they are attacked by half-man, half-lizardlike creatures; giant moles; and a steam-powered bone dinosaur. Gamble's debut novel is overflowing with offbeat humor, though the numerous footnotes and Ministry Handbook entries can be distracting and break the flow of the otherwise swift-moving plot line. VERDICT An entertaining read for fans of humorous adventure, such as Michael Buckley's "NERDS" series.-Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Debut author Gamble combines outrageous adventure and a tongue-in-cheek tone to create a novel that's both thoughtful and filled with laughs. Jack Pearse is a naturally curious 12-year-old who lives in Northern Ireland. After his quick thinking thwarts a rampaging bear, the Ministry of Strange, Unusual, and Impossible Things comes calling. Recruited by the organization, Jack is paired up with Trudy, a classmate with "a reputation for being dangerous and punching people who irritated her," to uncover the mystery of their school's new sponsor, as well as why students-particularly those considered odd or loners-have been disappearing. While the children occasionally succeed where adults fear to tread, the story is presented as a cooperative effort among heroes young, old, and inhuman. Relatively short, action-filled chapters keep things moving briskly, despite interruptions from frequent (and quite funny) footnotes and excerpts from the Ministry handbook, which cover everything from the role of kangaroos in the manufacturing of duvet covers to why pirates "always bury their money rather than making use of more convenient online banking." Ages 9-13. Agent: Gemma Cooper, Bent Agency. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
In Northern Ireland, new recruits Jack and Trudy use their insatiable curiosity to further the mission of the Ministry of Strange, Unusual, and Impossible Things. Silliness abounds as the story--which integrates (not always smoothly) humorous footnotes and S.U.I.T.s Handbook excerpts--unfolds in wacky capers involving pirates and missing Belfast kids. Readers tolerant of a frenetic pace will relish the adventure's quirky, clever humor. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Jack Pearse has always been the curious type, and this very quality gets him noticed by the secret government Ministry of Strange, Unusual, and Impossible Things (aka the Ministry of SUITs). One by one, the odd kids (You know who you are) are being kidnapped from Jack's school in Belfast, possibly by pirates, and only Ministry operatives can take them down. Newly recruited Jack is eager to help, especially since his extremely incurious best friend is a prime target. Of course, it won't be an easy task, especially since Ministry training is daunting (Cthulhu works in filing), and Jack's assigned partner is Trudy Emerson, his school's notoriously free-with-her-fists tough girl. Gamble's debut is zany, action-packed, and full of ingenious details (Jack and Trudy utilize The Speed by thinking sad thoughts, since when you're sad, time moves slower). Pages from the Ministry handbook and footnotes from the narrator infuse this with extra humor, and a burly, tutu-wearing Tooth Fairy is an especially welcome addition. Pure, weird entertainment.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2016 Booklist
