The Zoodles Strike Back
by Steven Joseph
Genre: Children’s Fiction / Space
ISBN: 9798987611784
Print Length: 64 pages
Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell
A fun concoction of silly words and wild adventures through the Noodleverse
My mood was immediately lightened after reading The Zoodles Strike Back! You can’t possibly keep a straight face while reading this book of wonky characters and goofy language.Â
Steven Joseph tells this funny story with meaningful lessons about doing the right thing even when it’s hard. Each page in Zoodles Strike Back is chock-full of noodle-inspired tongue twisters and rhymes. You’ll have a great time reading this laugh-out-loud book with your little jokesters and gigglers.
At the start of this story, the Zoodles are out for revenge. They failed to take all the noodles from Noodleham in the last book. Two young kids were given keys to the city after saving the day and all was well in the town. That is, until recently.Â
Now, after his business begins to fail, a new villain emerges. When the son and daughter of the Groodle empire falls from grace, they think their reputations are soiled for good. They have no more wealth to spoil them, a bad reputation, and have made a dismal move to the other side of the tracks.
But everything changes when they hear of an evil plan pitched to their father by the villainous Evil Kadoodle from planet Zoodle! Now they have an opportunity to restore their family name and maybe save their world from a grool-filled existence. Zoodles Strike Back is a wacky ride, and the stakes are high.
The Groodleman children are put in a difficult situation. Should they warn their friends Briana and Ricky about the evil plan and their potential involvement in it? Not doing so will restore their family’s wealth and status, but telling the truth will keep the town’s water from become polluted with grool, and they could save the town from being brainwashed into Willy Nilly’s. It’s a sticky situation indeed, and I like that these two unlikable characters have such a decision to grapple with. They have a clear choice between good and evil, and their decision ends up affecting everyone around them. Joseph manages to effectively keep the mood light while demonstrating that it’s always a good idea to do the right thing.
Zoodles Strike Back is the kind of kid’s book that insists you let yourself be silly for a while. This feels nice in my hectic world of parenting and adult responsibilities. When read out loud, you’ll be forced to smile at the ridiculous words on the page. Joseph doesn’t hesitate to be over the top with his word choices—more is more when it comes to tongue twisters. Get ready to hear from characters named Whimpy Whiny Woodle and Frimpy Frumpy Froodle. Learn about inventions like the Prickly Peppered Purple Propulsion Powered Pickle. You’ll like spending time in the Noodleverse.
This is an easy recommendation for kids at the peak of their silly era. Just beware: you and your kid might just end it in a laughing fit.
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