The Shrunken Head

July 6, 2015
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls: step right up and don’t be shy. You must not—you absolutely cannot!—put this book down.” With this bit of honest advertising, so begins this captivating series opener from Oliver (The Spindlers) and Chester (a pseudonym for Oliver’s father, author Harold Schechter). A curiosity museum in financial trouble, “the only place on earth where four extraordinary children like Thomas, Sam, Pippa, and Max could fit in,” faces bigger problems after a string of accidents and murders are linked to a shrunken head in its collection. Using talents of contortion, strength, mind-reading, and knife-throwing, the four children attempt to save the only home they know, while contending with dangers lurking all over 1930s New York City, from seedy reporters to mad scientists. A quick-paced plot is bolstered by the bonds of friendship these unusual yet endearing children form as they try to solve a mystery greater—and more personal—than they ever expected. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: (for Oliver) Stephen Barbara, Inkwell Management; (for Chester) David Patterson, Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency.

June 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-The Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders is home to four orphans: Philipa, Sam, Thomas, and the newest addition, Max. Each child possesses an unusual skill, such as Max's knife-throwing routine, which is performed for the audience's amusement. There is an Odditorium where live performances take place and a Hall of Worldwide Wonders where unusual items selected by Mr. Dumfrey, the museum's owner, are on display. An Amazonian shrunken head is the museum's newest acquisition. When the shrunken head is unveiled at a live performance, a member of the audience passes out and later dies, solidifying the skull's reputation of being cursed. When the head is stolen, the four kids are determined to get it back-and solve the mysteries of the related deaths. From the opening sentence, Oliver grabs readers' attention, enveloping them with strong storytelling and rich language. VERDICT The first book in a new series, the various oddities, intrigues, and its quirky cast of characters are sure to captivate and become a new favorite for mystery lovers.-Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2015
Four orphans employ highly unusual talents to solve a series of murders in 1930s New York City. Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders displays mummies, wax figures, depictions of grisly crime scenes, and now an amazing shrunken head, all to titillate the public. A giant, a fat lady, an elephant man, and others demonstrate their skills and amaze the customers. But the tale is centered on young Sam, Pippa, Thomas, and Max, children whose peculiar abilities set them apart from the world while joining them together into a kind of family unit. The action begins when a customer dies after seeing the shrunken head. When the head is then stolen, headlines scream the events, and suspicion falls on Dumfrey and the children. Trying to save him and the only home they know, the children find themselves ever more deeply enmeshed in difficulties as the bodies mount up and danger stalks them. The plot abounds with action and mystery, but it is filled with red herrings and detours as well as oft-repeated hints about the identity of the master villain. The four orphans' characters develop very slowly, and their interactions are repetitive and predictable, while the supporting characters, though large in number, are almost entirely one-dimensional. Much of the tale feels self-consciously trope-dependent, too reminiscent of other works and with not enough original material to carry the day. Though ambitious, this Gothic misses the mark. (Historical fiction. 9-12)

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Starred review from July 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* In 1930s New York City, murder and mayhem obsess the children who resideand are performersat Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. Orphans Pippa (the mentalist), Sam (the overly strong boy), Thomas (the contortionist), and Max (the knife-throwing sharpshooter ) get some firsthand experience with chaos when Mr. Dumfrey purchases a cursed shrunken head for the museum. When a smarmy reporter from the Daily Screamer starts writing sensational articles about the shrunken head and the children, the four decide to unravel the mystery behind the curse. Pooling their talents, they track down clues, suspects, and murder weapons while avoiding capture by the head of the local children's home. With a dollop of Lemony Snicket's hyperbole, a blob of J. K. Rowling's take on journalism, and a splotch of sideshow allure, Oliver (The Spindlers, 2012) and Chester have crafted a wildly imaginative, over-the-top tale in this series starter, complete with a bearded lady, a dwarf, a fat lady, a magician, and an alligator boy. The continuous action, compelling mystery, and dark, brooding illustrations make this book impossible to put down. Perfect for kids who feel they're different or those simply after a freakishly good time.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
In Head, the four exceptional children of Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders find themselves in very real danger when a cursed shrunken head is stolen. In Statue, friends start turning up dead and the children fear the return of evil Professor Rattigan (from their first adventure). Set in Depression-era NYC, these are quaint mysteries with a quirky Miss Peregrine'slike edge.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)