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An Accidental Adventure #2

We Dine With Cannibals

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In their second unwanted adventure, We Dine with Cannibals, Oliver and Celia will travel from the ruins of ancient temples to the shadowy forests of the Amazon. They'll need all their reality TV survival skills when they ride a llama, race the rapids, and even fly an airplane! If that's not enough excitement for you (it is decidedly too much excitement for Oliver and Celia Navel), they'll be forced to learn the proper etiquette for a cannibal feast and confront the strangest and most brutal rite of passage ever devised by human imagination: Dodgeball.

384 pages, Hardcover

First published November 14, 2011

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283 people want to read

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C. Alexander London

36 books211 followers

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5 stars
127 (43%)
4 stars
103 (35%)
3 stars
47 (16%)
2 stars
11 (3%)
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5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Amelia.
17 reviews5 followers
February 27, 2012
this book is WAY better then you think it is! In the beginning I thought it wasn't very exciting and I felt like I didn't want to read it.And then later I tried reading it some more.Then I really liked it. It turned out to be a really good book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope you like it too!!
Profile Image for Michael Scotto.
Author 32 books37 followers
December 6, 2011
I enjoyed the first book in this series quite a bit, but I was even more impressed with the sequel. I appreciate the sense that this is a true, planned-out series, and the hints of growth in both of the Navel children (especially in Celia) are rewarding. The only downside to having read both in such a short period is that I have to wait for the third installment!
Profile Image for Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee.
1,056 reviews118 followers
June 27, 2012
Band 1: Wir werden nicht von Yaks gefressen*: *hoffentlich
Band 2: Wir werden von Kannibalen zum Essen eingeladen*:*oder gegrillt
Band 3: Wir ringen nicht mit Tintenfischen* *mögen aber Tintenfischringe: Nie wieder ein unfreiwilliges Abenteuer!

Im zweiten Band, werden Oliver und Celia keine Ruhe vor dem Fernseher finden, denn ein neues Abenteuer lockt. Diesmal begeben sich die Zwillinge unfreiwillig nach Peru und auf die Suche nach der Stadt aus Gold - Eldorado. Dabei erleben sie viele gefährliche Situationen und müssen mehr als einmal um ihr Leben bangen. An ihrer Seite nicht nur ihr hilfloser Vater, der böse Sir Edmund und ein Lamamädchen, sondern auch der erfolgreiche Schauspieler/Mädchenschwarm Cory Brandt.

Mit viel Wortwitz, gut ausgearbeiteten Charakteren und originellen Einfällen geht der Spaß in die zweite Runde. Wieder begibt man sich auf ein rasantes Abenteuer mit den beiden Zwillingen. Nie wird es langweilig, aber bei all der Action kommen die zwischenmenschlichen Situationen nie zu kurz.
Schwierige Wörter fragt Oliver immer nach und seine Schwester, die den Wörterwurm im TV gesehen hat, beantwortetet ihm seine Fragen. So erweitert man beim Lesen ganz nebenbei seinen Wortschatz.
Dieses Buch ist eine klare Empfehlung auch für Jungen, denn Celia ist keinesfalls ein pinkes Mädchen und Oliver bekommt den gleichen Anteil an Aufmerksamkeit.
Ich freue mich schon auf den dritten Band und kann es kaum erwarten mich wieder an der Seite der Geschwister Navel in immer neue Gefahren zu werfen.
Eine großartige und sehr originelle Kinderbuchreihe.

Eine klare Empfehlung an alle kleinen und großen Abenteurer.
Profile Image for Heather.
1,911 reviews44 followers
January 9, 2012
Really, really funny, and even better than the first one. I am excited for the third episode, although I imagine I will be waiting a while as this is a fairly new book. I think elementary and middle school age readers will get a kick out of this book, and it would also make a fun family read. This is ridiculous adventure at its very best!
Profile Image for Dana Grimes.
942 reviews
December 15, 2011
This is becoming my new favorite series! It is funny, well written, and full of adventure. I even think I liked this book better than the first and will look forward to the next one in the series!

Grades 4 and up.
Profile Image for Vicky.
923 reviews7 followers
April 11, 2013
My kids LOVE these books!! Lots of fun, action and adventure. And a to-be-continued, so now they need to read the third!
Profile Image for Echo.
227 reviews
June 17, 2023
I liked a few things about this book. I enjoyed the strange humor. Oliver didn't understand Celia's obsession with Corey Brandt and vampires, and I found this entertaining.

Overall, though, I didn't like this book. First, I was in the middle of the book before the point of the book appeared. Second, I didn't like that it was generalized that all girls think actors are attractive and all boys like sports. Third, I didn't appreciate how the author said every stupid argument, even the ones along the lines of "we will"—"no we won't"—"yes we will"—"nuh-uh"— "uh-huh". Fourth, I didn't like that the author wrote that Celia learned to fly a plane from a soap opera TV show, as that just isn't realistic. Fifth, the twins only went on an adventure to the Amazon to get cable TV—shallow much, kids? Sixth, the perspective changed way too often for someone to really keep track of it. Finally, the author gave too much unrelated information or unnecessary commentary in various places.

I would not recommend this book.
Profile Image for Cornelia Franke.
Author 20 books30 followers
September 6, 2013
Figuren: Die Navel-Zwillinge sind im zweiten Teil ihren Charakterzügen treu geblieben. Wollen sie doch am liebsten nur ihre Fernsehsendungen sehen (einen Kabelanschluss!) und ein langweilige, unaufgeregte Kindheit verbringen, werden sie trotzdem auf ein Reise in das Amazonasgebiet verschleppt. Oliver entwickelt sich dennoch so langsam zu einem Abenteurer, mehr und mehr möchte er das ausprobieren, was er in den Action-Serien so toll findet. Auch Celia entwickelt sich zu einer Forschungsreisenden, aber sie unterdrückt dies, da ihr Zorn auf ihre Eltern, besonders ihre Mutter, noch zu gewaltig ist. Diese Entwicklung zieht sich ganz langsam durch den zweiten Band, aber beim Lesen habe ich deutlich gemerkt, wie anders die Zwillinge nun mit dem Reisen und den dabei auftretenden Gefahren umgehen. Wie schlau sie sind! (Dank der Fernsehserien. ;) ) Und wie viele Erfahrungen sie auf ihren früheren Reisen schon gesammelt haben, sodass sie bei manchem Erwachsenen nur über seine Unfähigkeit mit den Augen rollen.

Im ersten Band fand ich dieses generelle Ablehnen der Zwillinge sehr überspitzt, in der Fortsetzung gefielen sie mir deutlich besser. Ihre Dialoge sind immer noch genial und herrlich ironisch, wenn sie seufzend feststellen, dass sich noch eine Prophezeiung um sie dreht. Schon wieder.
Amüsiert hat mich die ganz unterschiedliche Vernarrtheit der Zwillinge in den Schauspieler Corey Brandt.

ACHTUNG SPOILER:

Welcher tatsächlich noch im Buch auftritt. Gerade da der erste Band mir noch frisch im Gedächtnis war, wusste ich noch um die vielen Details dieser Figur, die der Autor sehr gut umsetzte. Zwar ließ mich das Gefühl nicht, dass etwas mit Corey nicht stimmte, aber die Hinweise deuteten auf alles Mögliche hin. Gut gemacht!

SPOILER ENDE.

Ansonsten blieben die Figuren herrlich konstant und konsequent. Der stets vergiftete oder entführte Vater der Zwillinge bleibt der Runing-Gag. Wenn er nicht freudig durch den Amazonas stapft oder sich einen Wettbewerb mit Sir Edmund liefert, der wie immer im Befehlston kommandiert. Auch die Nebenfiguren mit den kleinsten Auftritten waren gut typisiert. Ohne große Erklärungen, aber mit den passenden Details ausgestattet, sodass man immer wusste, was sie darstellen sollten.

Sprache: London glänzt schon im ersten Band mit einem flüssigen und schnellen Schreibstil, passend für die Altersstufe gewählt. Hervorheben möchte ich die Idee von “Wally Wurms Wörterwelt”, einer Fernsehsendung, die in Reimen schwierige Begriffe erklärt. Genialer Einfall, um Fachbegriffe zu erklären, da Oliver immer fragte und Celia den passenden Reim dazu aufsagte. Kindgerecht, toll!

Der Humor und Wortwitz ist meiner Meinung nach sogar noch besser gewesen als im ersten Band. Auch der Erzähler präsentierte wieder witzige Anekdoten und kleine Mini-Abenteuer, die die Geschichte insgesamt abrundeten. Besonders mochte ich die Details, die London verwendet. Seine Beschreibungen erzeugen alle Atmosphäre und beim Lesen kann man sich alles sehr gut vorstellen. Der Dschungel im Amazonasgebiet wirkte von der ersten bis zur letzten Zeile unheimlich, mysteriös und geheimnisvoll.

Lob und Kritik: Das Cover! Dieses tolle, originelle Cover, das die Geschichte so schön widerspiegelt. Das erste fand ich ja schon großartig, das zweite steht diesem in nichts nach. Ich habe mich richtig auf die Abenteuer gefreut, die die Illustration andeutete und wurde nicht enttäuscht.

Nach dem zweiten Teil habe ich erst gemerkt, wie komplex, die Story ist, die sich London hat einfallen lassen. Elemente aus dem ersten Teil spielten hierbei noch eine Rolle – die Detailstreuung und deren Verwertung ist wirklich gut gelungen. Die Reihe wirkt, als wäre sie von vornerein von vorne bis hinten durchdacht. So zumindest mein Eindruck, nachdem ich die zwei von vier Bänden recht zeitnah hintereinander gelesen habe. Ein roter Faden zieht sich durch die Reihe der unfreiwilligen Abenteuer der Navel-Zwillinge. Einen, den London niemals außer Augen lässt und ich mehr und mehr den Eindruck gewinne, dass die vielen kleinen Rätsel bisher nur die Hinweise für ein weitaus größeres Geheimnis sind.
Lobend hervorzuheben ist definitiv die kindgerechte Gestaltung dieser Abenteuergeschichte. Die “Bösen” besitzen zwar Waffen, rennen aber dennoch vor den Speeren der Eingeborenen weg. Jene angeblich menschenfressenden Eingeborenen fordern die Zwillinge zu einer Mutprobe heraus, die sich dann als Spiel entpuppt.

Genauso schafft London es, ganz spielerisch Wissen über fremde Kulturen, Sitten und Gebräuche einfließen zu lassen. Am Ende des Buchs hatte ich das Gefühl, etwas gelernt zu haben und ich bin mir sicher, dass dies bei Zehnjährigen noch deutlich stärker sein würde.

Leider las sich das Ende sehr abrupt; im Vergleich zum restlichen Handlungsbogen. Das ging mir persönlich zu schnell und ich konnte das Gefühl auch nicht abschütteln, dass der Schreibstil gerade bei der Jagd durch den Tempel nachgelassen hatte.
Das einzige wirkliche Manko kann ich jedoch nicht dem Autor ankreiden. Auf den letzten Seiten wurde immer wieder Claire Navel, die Mutter, als Celia Navel bezeichnet. Celia sprach sozusagen mit sich selbst … Das war zwar verwirrend, aber nicht weiter schlimm. Denn London schafft es, seine Figuren so markant reden zu lassen, dass ich diese auch ohne Namensbezeichnung zuordnen konnte.

Zusammenfassend: “Wir werden von Kannibalen zum Essen eingeladen” ist eine witzige “Indiana Jones”-Abenteuergeschichte für Kinder, und alle, die sich daran erfreuen können. Besonders der zweite Band wirkte sehr gut recherchiert und kam dieses Mal ohne phantastische Elemente aus. Amüsant, ironisch und mit einem tollen Schreibstil! Daher vergebe ich fünf von fünf Sternen.

Abschließend bedanke ich mich beim Arena Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar.
12 reviews
January 8, 2023
No memory of anything that happened in this book. But I do know that I liked it. But this is the only book in this series that I have read. I imagine I was confused during it. But I’m sure it’s good.
Profile Image for Tyler Standish.
440 reviews
December 6, 2018
It was a good book. Angry birds originated from the Amazon (sarcasm)! A monkey with a crowbar may come in handy, is the Zanzibar Gambit a real thing?
Profile Image for Heather.
163 reviews
January 1, 2021
Ok, this series about twins smarter than their adventurer parents is just fun. It reminds me a little of the Series of Unfortunate Events without Count Olaf but with other obstacles.
Profile Image for Susan D'Entremont.
880 reviews19 followers
February 27, 2012
First off, my review is biased. My family happened to be in NYC for the book launch party at the Rubin Museum for London's first Accidental Adventure. Mr. London was so charming to my kids and thrilled for them to be there ("I'm so thrilled to have someone who is not my friend or relative here.") and the event was such great fun, that I think I am predisposed to liking all his books.

That said, I liked this book even more than the first. The first took place in Tibet, which I know little about. I know a lot more about the Amazon, the setting for this book, especially after having just read "River of Doubt" a few months ago. Because of this, I could appreciate much more the fact that the author weaves little factual details into the story. For instance, that the indigenous people bend branches as a message that you are entering their territory. So the readers are secretly learning a bit as they follow the Navel twins on their madcap adventure through the Amazon.

The book is silly and crazy and not at all realistic. It IS suspenseful. Every night my son wanted to read well past his bedtime, and he is a kid whose reading is usually limited to graphic novels and Wimpy Kid books (both of which are great, but not real chapter books like this one is.) This is not the sort of book that will win a Newbery Medal, but it is a lot of fun.

In the author's note, Mr. London mentions that the Museum of Natural History has a collection of khipu (knotted strings created by the Incas as some sort of communication or record-keeping device, which you would already know if you read the book), five of which are on public display. It so happens that we are going to the Museum in a few weeks. My son is so excited to go see these khipu. It obviously takes a talented writer to make a 10 year old video game addict eager to see these esoteric artifacts!

And now I must sign off to find out more about Fordlandia, an American suburban-like town Henry Ford attempted to create in the Amazon - something I learned about from this book!
Profile Image for Matthue.
Author 19 books55 followers
January 4, 2013
Equal parts funny, clever, and terrifying, "We Dine with Cannibals" is probably the only book I'd ever consider getting for a pre-teen that has the word "Cannibal" in the title. (That includes any Fine Young Cannibals album, by the way.)

The books in the Accidental Adventures series--this is the second--tell the story of identical twins, who, as the title intimates, would much rather be watching adventure shows on TV than going on adventures themselves. But that wouldn't be nearly as much fun, and it wouldn't be an Accidental Adventure, where everything that can go wrong most often does.

Bad for the twins, good for us. Almost every detail about this book is likeable, from the unexpected sidekick of a poisonous lizard who's almost always in the wrong place at the wrong time to the twins themselves, whose prodigious knowledge serves them well in unexpected situations. After yet another perilous situation is avoided because of some esoteric fact from a reality TV dancing program, you might find yourself wondering whether you should watch some "Jersey Shore" yourself. Don't. Read this book instead. It will make you laugh more, and you'll feel good about it, too.
Profile Image for Tricia.
987 reviews17 followers
August 16, 2013
2 or 2.5 stars, but I'll round up since my 10yo son really enjoyed it. It's one of those books with interminable plot twists and "sudden twists of fate" (which Celia hates, see p 243) that I find vaguely annoying, but the boy really eats up.

Even if the phrase is difficult to say when reading aloud, I did adore the recurring theme of Wally Worm's Word World. Apparently it's appeal transcends cultures; most characters except Oliver benefitted greatly from its didactic approach!

We got this in an airport bookstore even though we hadn't read the first, because the youngest had not brought enough books on our trip. (But then he didn't finish it on the trip, so we turned it into bedtime reading.) Turns out, you can read this without the first - there are some references you miss, but they don't detract from your understanding of the current story, and/or get cleared up almost as soon as they're mentioned.

Celia and Oliver are due for at least 1 more adventure - this is hinted at at the end of the book. The 10yo wants to read it, but I think I'll let him read it on his own.
Profile Image for mandyfujita  .
802 reviews2 followers
September 17, 2013
This is the second book in the series of An Accidental Adventure. At the end of the first book "We are not Eaten by Yaks", Dr. Navel lost a bet from a fellow explorer, Sir Edmund S. Titheltorpe-Schmidt III. Sir Edmund got the services of Oliver and Celia Navel, Dr. Navel's children, during the breaks from school. Sir Edmund needed them to help him find the Lost Library of Alexandria. Sir Edmund is using the children because he knows that their mother is looking for the same thing.

The story was fun like the first book. This time Celia meets her idol, Corey Brandt. Corey claims to want to film actual adventures for his series. Who better to tag along with than the Navel twins. I liked Beverly, Sir Edmund's lizard, the best. She was put in Oliver's care while Sir Edumund was out of the country. She even accompanied the twins to the first day of 6th grade. I am looking forward to the 3rd book, "We Give a Squid a Wedgie".
654 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2012
Nothing like non-stop adventure, danger, and hopeful attitudes. Celia and Oliver have to spend vacation time with the dastardly Sir Edmund S. Titheltorpe-Schmidt III because their dad, a famous explorer, lost a bet. Sir Edmund would like to kill the twins, but it has to be an accident. In the meantime, he'd like them to find the lost library of Alexandria. Luckily the kids have been trained from infancy to survive even as they're adventuring in Peru, the Amazon jungle, and New York. All this is complicated by another mystery involving their mother--she's been gone a couple of years, also searching for the library, and she tends to turn up (and then disappear) in the most unexpected circumstances.

4th grade or so and up.
Profile Image for Melissa Riggs.
1,168 reviews15 followers
August 11, 2016
Cute sequel to the first book.

"In their second unwanted adventure, We Dine with Cannibals, Oliver and Celia will travel from the ruins of ancient temples to the shadowy forests of the Amazon. They'll need all their reality TV survival skills when they ride a llama, race the rapids, and even fly an airplane! If that's not enough excitement for you (it is decidedly too much excitement for Oliver and Celia Navel), they'll be forced to learn the proper etiquette for a cannibal feast and confront the strangest and most brutal rite of passage ever devised by human imagination: Dodgeball."
641 reviews2 followers
June 24, 2013
Another good quick kids book. I have enjoyed this series. The story is interesting and pulls you in so you want to read the whole thing. The Navel twins, who would rather be sitting watching TV, end up in the amazon looking for El Dorado and dealing with their nemesis, Sir Edward. I especially like the small (two pages) at the end that explain what is historical and encourages more exploration.
Profile Image for Heather.
163 reviews
May 6, 2013
My son and I have been reading this series at night before he goes to bed. (The third book comes out in just a few days!) Although the Navel twins would rather sit in front of their television, my son thinks (most) of their adventures sound like fun. We can't wait to read more about the Navels in the next two books.
Profile Image for Kate.
1,198 reviews23 followers
January 10, 2014
Better than the first in the series. Celia and Oliver live through their summer with Sir Edmund only to be suspended from school and end up on a quest to the Amazon. Characters slightly less irritating than before and the plot has improved, but phrasing still too often repetitious -- don't editors read anything aloud?
Profile Image for Christie.
686 reviews25 followers
March 15, 2012
This one I could not put down. The adventures continue for the Navel twins. Just when you think that they will have a normal life with their family you are reminded that adventures are always adventures. Till next time.
Profile Image for Katie Lawrence.
1,827 reviews43 followers
July 27, 2015
What a fun adventure-filled book! I loved all of the crazy action, the reluctant adventurers we find in Oliver and Celia and the mentions of historical locations. I could see many of my reluctant readers devouring this book, especially because the chapters are short and exciting. Very fun read.
Profile Image for Cyl.
208 reviews
February 19, 2013
A truly fun book following the further adventures of Celia and Oliver Naveg who hate anything having to do with adventures. The closest they want to get to adventure is the television. Two more books are slated for this series and I am looking forward to the books.
Profile Image for Debra.
2,074 reviews11 followers
August 23, 2015
Laugh out loud funny. The sequel just as good as the first book. This would make a great family read aloud. This would really appeal to guys, but the female character shares the spotlight equally in both offering knowledge and participating in the adventure.
55 reviews
May 24, 2022
This is the sequel to the first book "We are not eaten by yaks" this is also such a book almost as good as the first. Oliver and Celia go on another adventure and there is more comedy and thrills. It got a little slow at one part but then it picked right back up again.
Profile Image for Aj.
4 reviews10 followers
July 20, 2012


I loved it, and can't wait for the next one.
32 reviews
May 21, 2013
Fun children's lit. Not too serious, entertaining, fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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