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The Cold Cereal Saga #1
Cold Cereal
Cold Cereal Facts Serving size 1 chapter Number of servings 40
Primary human characters 3
Scottish Play Doe, aka Scottpossible changeling Erno Utz genius Emily Utz supergenius Magical creatures at least 3
Mick Leprechaun (or Clurichaun)
Harvey Pooka (rabbit-man)
Biggs indeterminate origin (hairy, large)
Evil organizations 1
Goodco Cereal CompanyPurveyor of breakfast foods aspiring to world domination Adventure 75%
Diabolical Schemes 40%
Danger 57%
Legend 20%
Magic 68%
Humor 93%
Puzzles 35%
Mystery 49%
Not a significant source of vampires.
May contain nuts.
Daily values based on individual interest. Reader's estimation of value may be higher or lower, depending on your tolerance for this sort of thing.
Primary human characters 3
Scottish Play Doe, aka Scottpossible changeling Erno Utz genius Emily Utz supergenius Magical creatures at least 3
Mick Leprechaun (or Clurichaun)
Harvey Pooka (rabbit-man)
Biggs indeterminate origin (hairy, large)
Evil organizations 1
Goodco Cereal CompanyPurveyor of breakfast foods aspiring to world domination Adventure 75%
Diabolical Schemes 40%
Danger 57%
Legend 20%
Magic 68%
Humor 93%
Puzzles 35%
Mystery 49%
Not a significant source of vampires.
May contain nuts.
Daily values based on individual interest. Reader's estimation of value may be higher or lower, depending on your tolerance for this sort of thing.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2012
70 people are currently reading
2622 people want to read
About the author
Adam Rex
92 books773 followersAdam Rex grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, the middle of three children. He was neither the smart one (older brother) or the cute one (younger sister), but he was the one who could draw. He took a lot of art classes as a kid, trying to learn to draw better, and started painting when he was 11. And later in life he was drawn down to Tucson in order to hone his skills, get a BFA from the University of Arizona, and meet his physicist wife Marie (who is both the smart and cute one).
Adam is nearsighted, bad at all sports, learning to play the theremin, and usually in need of a shave. He can carry a tune, if you don't mind the tune getting dropped and stepped on occasionally. He never remembers anyone's name until he's heard it at least three times. He likes animals, spacemen, Mexican food, Ethiopian food, monsters, puppets, comic books, 19th century art, skeletons, bugs, and robots.
Garlic and crosses are useless against Adam. Sunlight has been shown to be at least moderately effective. A silver bullet does the trick. Pretty much any bullet, really.
Adam is nearsighted, bad at all sports, learning to play the theremin, and usually in need of a shave. He can carry a tune, if you don't mind the tune getting dropped and stepped on occasionally. He never remembers anyone's name until he's heard it at least three times. He likes animals, spacemen, Mexican food, Ethiopian food, monsters, puppets, comic books, 19th century art, skeletons, bugs, and robots.
Garlic and crosses are useless against Adam. Sunlight has been shown to be at least moderately effective. A silver bullet does the trick. Pretty much any bullet, really.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
January 23, 2012
This book had me until the very end - the satirical look at breakfast cereals (who wouldn't want to try Burlap Crisp or KoKo Lumps?), the unicat, Harvey the semi-invisible rabbit-man were all fun and a little charming. I got the joke about Sir Reggie Dwight being John Doe. The idea that Emily and Erno had a strange (ok, bizarre) home life, that Scott saw strange things, that Goodco was, well, evil? All well and good.
The setting is New Jersey and Goodco is a multi-national cereal company that also dabbles in other things (like medicine, and physics). Scott's mother moves to Goodborough because everyone working for the company lives in the company town, and Scott has to, once again, try to fit in. He meets Emily and Erno, twins who live with their foster Dad, and starts settling down. Until he sees Harvey, and rescues Mick (a leprechaun) and life changes a lot. Emily and Erno have grown up playing weird intellectual games created by their Dad, who suddenly disappears. And that's when the fun starts...
As I said, the premise and the execution were really good, until the end. There's a really long passage near the end where the Big Villian does one of those "now I have you - I'm going to explain my evil plan and evil history and go on for so long that you figure out how to get out of your predicament" speeches, which is where the book lost me. Otherwise this would have been a solid four-star.
ARC provided by publisher.
The setting is New Jersey and Goodco is a multi-national cereal company that also dabbles in other things (like medicine, and physics). Scott's mother moves to Goodborough because everyone working for the company lives in the company town, and Scott has to, once again, try to fit in. He meets Emily and Erno, twins who live with their foster Dad, and starts settling down. Until he sees Harvey, and rescues Mick (a leprechaun) and life changes a lot. Emily and Erno have grown up playing weird intellectual games created by their Dad, who suddenly disappears. And that's when the fun starts...
As I said, the premise and the execution were really good, until the end. There's a really long passage near the end where the Big Villian does one of those "now I have you - I'm going to explain my evil plan and evil history and go on for so long that you figure out how to get out of your predicament" speeches, which is where the book lost me. Otherwise this would have been a solid four-star.
ARC provided by publisher.
February 7, 2012
Read the complete and original review at Word Spelunking
Magical creatures (leprechauns, rabbit-men, fay, a might be bigfoot), clever young characters, wicked baddies, and an action packed, wildly fun and funny story…Cold Cereal by Adam Rex has everything you could ever want in an MG fantasy…and a heck of a lot that you never even knew you wanted!
SUMMARY ON BACK OF ARC
Scottish Play Doe—aka Scott—is used to being a little different, and not just because of his name. Sometimes he hallucinates things no one else can see: mermaids. Unicorns. A talking rabbit-man in tweed pants.
But then one of these hallucinations tries to steal Scott’s backpack, and he comes face-to-face with an honest-to-goodness leprechaun in a tiny red tracksuit. Mick not only claims that Scott must be part faerie, but desperately needs his help—Mick’s on the run from, of all things, the Goodco Cereal Company.
With the help of his friends Erno and Emily (who have their own weird connection to Goodco), and their enormous and suspiciously hairy housekeeper, Biggs, Scott and Mick uncover Goodco’s sinister plans—and take the first steps in saving the world from the evil cereal company.
~~~~
If asked to describe this book in one sentence, I’d go with:
It’s deliciously kooky and slightly twisted.
To me, this description best conveys the awesomeness of Cold Cereal. With this book, Rex offers readers an exciting and captivating story full of imagination and originality.
This is a longer MG book, at over 400 pages, but it’s easy to devour in one or two sittings. Fast paced, the story flows quickly but efficiently, and will hold the attention of even younger readers from beginning to end. The writing is smart and perfect for its intended audience.
The storyline itself follows a well-known and used, basic MG outline (new kid moves to town, befriends outsiders, discovers some strange, evil plan, goes on a crazy adventure to stop the bad guys) just enough to give readers a sense of familiarity, but mixes things up by stepping outside the (cereal) box. One of the aspects I love best about this book is that expected things happen in sensationally unexpected ways. The twists, turns, and surprises never stop coming!
So, what makes this story so deliciously kooky (and I use the term “kooky” in the most complimentary way)? Well, there are the fantasy elements which are enchanting, fantastical and odd…or as I like to put it- enchantastically (I will be trademarking this totally boss new word) odd. Now, for many older readers the words “kooky” and “odd” may be a deterrent, but for younger readers these words are like marshmallows in cereal- they pretty much guarantee awesomeness. Then there’s the satirical Goodco Cereal Company. Older readers will find the satirical look at consumerism amusing and maybe even thought-provoking, but younger readers will get it too…but I’ll discuss this notion more in a bit. And of course, there’s the humor, the wildly over the top (but in the best way possible) situations, and the eclectic, eccentric characters…all of which add to the overall wondrous kookiness.
But what about the slightly twisted part, you ask? Rex takes his story to some very surprising places and not just surprising as in not expected, but surprising as in Oh snap! Did they really just Go There in a MG book?!. I love a book and author who isn’t afraid to Go There and Cold Cereal definitely goes there.
And of course, among all this kooky twistedness are some wonderful characters. The characters in this book are superbly written and developed, and are all engaging and compelling. Our three main younger characters, Scott, Erno and Emily, are endearing; likable; relatable; and easy to root for. Emily is an especially intriguing character that is delightfully unstable…and having written a character that I am compelled to describe as such is, on its own, enough of a reason to be impressed with author Adam Rex.
Like a lot of MG books, the younger characters in Cold Cereal kind of run the show, which I love and I think many younger readers do as well. They are the ones who outsmart the baddies, take the dangerous risks, and save the day. And like the clever young characters in the story, I think younger readers will appreciate the fact that Rex doesn’t over simplify his story and plot because he believes that his young readership will simply “get” his story. And they will. They’ll get (and totally dig) the kookiness and they’ll handle and be fascinated by the twistedness.
The ending sets up future books nicely, but also offers a satisfying stand-alone conclusion.
***Important Update Because I Forget To Mention This***
There is a Goonies reference in this book....!!!!!!!.....that is all.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Adam Rex’s Cold Cereal offers a colorful and tasty reading experience. Readers of all ages will be captivated by this book and crave seconds. A definite MUST read!
Magical creatures (leprechauns, rabbit-men, fay, a might be bigfoot), clever young characters, wicked baddies, and an action packed, wildly fun and funny story…Cold Cereal by Adam Rex has everything you could ever want in an MG fantasy…and a heck of a lot that you never even knew you wanted!
SUMMARY ON BACK OF ARC
Scottish Play Doe—aka Scott—is used to being a little different, and not just because of his name. Sometimes he hallucinates things no one else can see: mermaids. Unicorns. A talking rabbit-man in tweed pants.
But then one of these hallucinations tries to steal Scott’s backpack, and he comes face-to-face with an honest-to-goodness leprechaun in a tiny red tracksuit. Mick not only claims that Scott must be part faerie, but desperately needs his help—Mick’s on the run from, of all things, the Goodco Cereal Company.
With the help of his friends Erno and Emily (who have their own weird connection to Goodco), and their enormous and suspiciously hairy housekeeper, Biggs, Scott and Mick uncover Goodco’s sinister plans—and take the first steps in saving the world from the evil cereal company.
~~~~
If asked to describe this book in one sentence, I’d go with:
It’s deliciously kooky and slightly twisted.
To me, this description best conveys the awesomeness of Cold Cereal. With this book, Rex offers readers an exciting and captivating story full of imagination and originality.
This is a longer MG book, at over 400 pages, but it’s easy to devour in one or two sittings. Fast paced, the story flows quickly but efficiently, and will hold the attention of even younger readers from beginning to end. The writing is smart and perfect for its intended audience.
The storyline itself follows a well-known and used, basic MG outline (new kid moves to town, befriends outsiders, discovers some strange, evil plan, goes on a crazy adventure to stop the bad guys) just enough to give readers a sense of familiarity, but mixes things up by stepping outside the (cereal) box. One of the aspects I love best about this book is that expected things happen in sensationally unexpected ways. The twists, turns, and surprises never stop coming!
So, what makes this story so deliciously kooky (and I use the term “kooky” in the most complimentary way)? Well, there are the fantasy elements which are enchanting, fantastical and odd…or as I like to put it- enchantastically (I will be trademarking this totally boss new word) odd. Now, for many older readers the words “kooky” and “odd” may be a deterrent, but for younger readers these words are like marshmallows in cereal- they pretty much guarantee awesomeness. Then there’s the satirical Goodco Cereal Company. Older readers will find the satirical look at consumerism amusing and maybe even thought-provoking, but younger readers will get it too…but I’ll discuss this notion more in a bit. And of course, there’s the humor, the wildly over the top (but in the best way possible) situations, and the eclectic, eccentric characters…all of which add to the overall wondrous kookiness.
But what about the slightly twisted part, you ask? Rex takes his story to some very surprising places and not just surprising as in not expected, but surprising as in Oh snap! Did they really just Go There in a MG book?!. I love a book and author who isn’t afraid to Go There and Cold Cereal definitely goes there.
And of course, among all this kooky twistedness are some wonderful characters. The characters in this book are superbly written and developed, and are all engaging and compelling. Our three main younger characters, Scott, Erno and Emily, are endearing; likable; relatable; and easy to root for. Emily is an especially intriguing character that is delightfully unstable…and having written a character that I am compelled to describe as such is, on its own, enough of a reason to be impressed with author Adam Rex.
Like a lot of MG books, the younger characters in Cold Cereal kind of run the show, which I love and I think many younger readers do as well. They are the ones who outsmart the baddies, take the dangerous risks, and save the day. And like the clever young characters in the story, I think younger readers will appreciate the fact that Rex doesn’t over simplify his story and plot because he believes that his young readership will simply “get” his story. And they will. They’ll get (and totally dig) the kookiness and they’ll handle and be fascinated by the twistedness.
The ending sets up future books nicely, but also offers a satisfying stand-alone conclusion.
***Important Update Because I Forget To Mention This***
There is a Goonies reference in this book....!!!!!!!.....that is all.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Adam Rex’s Cold Cereal offers a colorful and tasty reading experience. Readers of all ages will be captivated by this book and crave seconds. A definite MUST read!
April 23, 2012
Oh, Adam Rex. You are so cool, I can't really stand it.
Example:
In the prologue of this book, a series of people are passing by a pet carrier in an airport...
"A woman with a tight ponytail that hoisted her face into a permanent, painted grin bent in front of the cage.
'Aw, hewwo, widdle Chihuahua,' she said. 'Hewwo.' Then she rose to go wherever it is people like that come from."
Seriously. I love this man. I want all his tshirts.
That said...
There is A LOT going on in this book. Junk Food Factory, puzzles/treasure hunts, magic, leprechauns, ancient and epic quests, scientific testing, mythical creatures, movie stars, weird names, secret societies... The list goes on. I enjoyed many of the elements of this book, Rex's particular way of turning a phrase at the top of that list, but I have to admit that things never really gelled into euphoria for me.
When I think of The True Meaning of Smekday (Rex's previous book for this age group), I think of the whole new vocabulary Rex created, the major revelation near the end of the book about Gratuity and her mom, and of course, the hilarious illustrated bits Rex inserted into the story about Boov and such. Here, the illustrations are limited to the cover, a couple of stills from TV commercials, and some full-page illustrations. Which were a bit ho-hum to me. At least for Rex, who's raised my standards for out-of-the-box(es) J fiction.
I started out this book laughing out loud and ripping through it (after a string of books I had to drag myself through), but when I was less than 50 pages from the end of this 420 pg monster, I felt no hesitance in dropping it for a week to rip through the fifth Gone novel.
Also, I can never quite figure out the perfect audience for booktalking his stuff. The illustrations and ages of the characters say upper elementary, but the sophistication of the humor and the themes he's riffing on say middle school. Which I guess averages into 6th grade?
Goofy hipster innocence.
Example:
In the prologue of this book, a series of people are passing by a pet carrier in an airport...
"A woman with a tight ponytail that hoisted her face into a permanent, painted grin bent in front of the cage.
'Aw, hewwo, widdle Chihuahua,' she said. 'Hewwo.' Then she rose to go wherever it is people like that come from."
Seriously. I love this man. I want all his tshirts.
That said...
There is A LOT going on in this book. Junk Food Factory, puzzles/treasure hunts, magic, leprechauns, ancient and epic quests, scientific testing, mythical creatures, movie stars, weird names, secret societies... The list goes on. I enjoyed many of the elements of this book, Rex's particular way of turning a phrase at the top of that list, but I have to admit that things never really gelled into euphoria for me.
When I think of The True Meaning of Smekday (Rex's previous book for this age group), I think of the whole new vocabulary Rex created, the major revelation near the end of the book about Gratuity and her mom, and of course, the hilarious illustrated bits Rex inserted into the story about Boov and such. Here, the illustrations are limited to the cover, a couple of stills from TV commercials, and some full-page illustrations. Which were a bit ho-hum to me. At least for Rex, who's raised my standards for out-of-the-box(es) J fiction.
I started out this book laughing out loud and ripping through it (after a string of books I had to drag myself through), but when I was less than 50 pages from the end of this 420 pg monster, I felt no hesitance in dropping it for a week to rip through the fifth Gone novel.
Also, I can never quite figure out the perfect audience for booktalking his stuff. The illustrations and ages of the characters say upper elementary, but the sophistication of the humor and the themes he's riffing on say middle school. Which I guess averages into 6th grade?
Goofy hipster innocence.
February 12, 2012
I wanted to love this book . . . I really did. The premise of an evil cereal manufacturer stealing the magic of leprechauns, rabbits, and vampires to make its cereals so addicting is genius. But I just couldn't get into this book. It seemed like there was just one crazy thing happening after another and one crazy creature being introduced after another . . . many from completely out of nowhere. It kind of reminded me of the bedtime stories I made up for my kids when they were younger . . .adding to them each night, but just kind of rambling and going on with new events without a lot of structure. I also never felt like I got close to or cared much about the characters. I could have easily put this book down anytime.
This is not a bad book. It's just not for me. I think kids who liked Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow would enjoy this one.
This is not a bad book. It's just not for me. I think kids who liked Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow would enjoy this one.
June 2, 2013
Ever wonder what really is in your kids' cereal? Goodco Cereal Company claims "There's a little bit of magic in every box." Of course, most consumers don't realize that there is truth to this statement and that Goodco has an agenda for children all over the world. Scott's mom works for Goodco and the family moves to Goodborough, NJ where the Goodco headquarters is. He meets Erno and Emily Utz, a set of twins his age, who are geniuses. The kids soon find out that Goodco is experimenting on children, has an underground society of Freemen, the leprechaun and rabbit on their cereal boxes are real, and that there really was a King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table. How this all fits together is too hard to explain but once again Rex takes real life institutions and puts an amusing spin on them.
Middle school
Middle school
November 27, 2020
I have to give this book five stars for its utter originality. It is strange and funny and compelling at the same time. Adam Rex really had his work cut out when he devised this bizarre story, and he managed somehow to make every element plausible. I was really engaged. It's a book about an evil breakfast cereal company run by a crazy cult, and yet I was able to buy in completely. That's an imppressive piece of writing. I look forward to the sequel.
August 28, 2012
This book has everything: non-stop action, a host of interesting and well-developed characters, complex and creative world-building, tons of humor but many touching parts as well, and charming illustrations. Also, a unicat.
July 30, 2018
Where were these books when I was a kid? Spoofing popular cereal names and formulating a plot to take over the world by fay creatures using sugary breakfast foods just sounds ridiculous. Yet Adam Rex pulls it off magnificently and with humor that is just right for young readers.
He may have tried a little too hard not to kill anyone unnecessarily (you'd think being run over by a car would do the trick), but I feel it shows his intent is to keep this accessible to as many young readers as possible. The only curse word I could find was "Oh balls!" A light-hearted reference to red & pink dragons making pink dragons was the only sexual content. The last bit a parent may want to consider is a short reference to being a fairy that played on the difference between a gay man and a mythological fairy. Even that bit only gave an allusion and was actually more a defense against calling people names.
I feel confident in allowing young readers this literary experience. The challenge of a few foreign names and words that must be sounded out is a good learning opportunity (but don't tell the kids that!)
He may have tried a little too hard not to kill anyone unnecessarily (you'd think being run over by a car would do the trick), but I feel it shows his intent is to keep this accessible to as many young readers as possible. The only curse word I could find was "Oh balls!" A light-hearted reference to red & pink dragons making pink dragons was the only sexual content. The last bit a parent may want to consider is a short reference to being a fairy that played on the difference between a gay man and a mythological fairy. Even that bit only gave an allusion and was actually more a defense against calling people names.
I feel confident in allowing young readers this literary experience. The challenge of a few foreign names and words that must be sounded out is a good learning opportunity (but don't tell the kids that!)
September 3, 2024
Would be a fun family road trip listen. If you wanted to you could read some harsh social commentary, or just accept satire as fun. Will listen to the next few books down the road.
June 13, 2012
I loved Adam Rex's first foray into middle grade books, the award-winning THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY. COLD CEREAL, unlike SMEKDAY, doesn't begin with an alien invasion and thus takes a bit longer to get off the ground. Instead, we're introduced to the Cold Cereal Trilogy's rather large ensemble which includes Erno and Emily Utz, twins who look nothing alike and live with their foster father and giant nanny, and Scottish Play Doe, the new kid in school who sees strange things. One of those things being Mick, a clurichaun who claims that local company Goodco is capturing magical creatures.
But once COLD CEREAL gets going, it's a terrific ride. There's a variety of things being mocked, from the claims made on the side of children's cereal boxes to mystical cults. Even symbolism takes a hint. And it isn't just leprechauns and pooka's running around Goodborough - there's many unexpected legends waiting to make their appearances.
There are lots of riddles to solve, which I always loved in books as a child. There's nothing like trying to play along. I really enjoyed the two sibling relationships. Scott and his little sister Polly get on each other's nerves and Erno and Emily are forced into false competition, but both are obviously loving. I think Biggs might be my favorite side character, if only because his scenes were always hilarious.
The ARC didn't contain all of the illustrations, but the ones I could see were terrific. Adam Rex's illustrations are detailed and I love the comics done to illustrate Goodco's commericals. (It's a wonder Goodco ever rose to prominence considering one of they sold "Burlap Crisp" with a surly magical spokesman.) You can see some of the illustrations on his blog, as well as download yourself a Mick paper doll.
Today it seems like many trilogies take that as an excuse to leave the first book open-ended. While the evil Goodco still exists, COLD CEREAL does have an actual climax. Scott, Erno, Emily, and their friends prove to be a formidable opposition to the cereal corporation. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy!
But once COLD CEREAL gets going, it's a terrific ride. There's a variety of things being mocked, from the claims made on the side of children's cereal boxes to mystical cults. Even symbolism takes a hint. And it isn't just leprechauns and pooka's running around Goodborough - there's many unexpected legends waiting to make their appearances.
There are lots of riddles to solve, which I always loved in books as a child. There's nothing like trying to play along. I really enjoyed the two sibling relationships. Scott and his little sister Polly get on each other's nerves and Erno and Emily are forced into false competition, but both are obviously loving. I think Biggs might be my favorite side character, if only because his scenes were always hilarious.
The ARC didn't contain all of the illustrations, but the ones I could see were terrific. Adam Rex's illustrations are detailed and I love the comics done to illustrate Goodco's commericals. (It's a wonder Goodco ever rose to prominence considering one of they sold "Burlap Crisp" with a surly magical spokesman.) You can see some of the illustrations on his blog, as well as download yourself a Mick paper doll.
Today it seems like many trilogies take that as an excuse to leave the first book open-ended. While the evil Goodco still exists, COLD CEREAL does have an actual climax. Scott, Erno, Emily, and their friends prove to be a formidable opposition to the cereal corporation. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy!
March 12, 2012
Have you ever picked up a book on a sheer whim? Maybe it wasn't a whim exactly which led me to read, "Cold Cereal" but the book's odd brand of whimsy radiated from the moment I laid eyes on the cover.
In a plot that might delight fans of Terry Pratchet, Lemony Snicket and Monty Python, a clash of fairies, knights and breakfast cereals come together in a hodgepodge of humor and adventure that makes up the first in what appears to be a new series.
Scottish Play Doe (Scott) is the son of a movie star father and a physicist mother who had split years ago. Since then, Scott's mom has collected boyfriends, jobs and new addresses. This would be stressful enough if Scott didn't seem to suffer from delusional visions of mythical creatures. When Scott and his sister (Polly AKA Polly Esther Doe) relocate to accommodate their mother's new job at the Goodco cereal company, Scott's delusions begin to spiral out of hand. On his way to his first day of school he encounters a Rabbit-Man wearing pants who begs Scott to hide him from some mysterious enemy. Scott ignores what he believes to be a figment of his imagination (especially since the Rabbit-Man is followed by the vision of a unicat. Sort of like a unicorn but a cat) which somehow seems even more insane than the talking Rabbit.
However when Scott rescues a lephrechaun from capture while on a field trip who suggests Scott himself may be a changeling the story surges forward at a madcap pace with grins and action at every turn.
Along with orphaned twins Erno Utz (genius) and Emily Utz (super genius and mysterious outcast) who have been wards of Goodco as long as they can recall, Scott and his magical companions uncover a mystery which began in the days of King Arthur.
I will be recommending this one to my avid readers who adore a little oddness with their brand of fantasy.
In a plot that might delight fans of Terry Pratchet, Lemony Snicket and Monty Python, a clash of fairies, knights and breakfast cereals come together in a hodgepodge of humor and adventure that makes up the first in what appears to be a new series.
Scottish Play Doe (Scott) is the son of a movie star father and a physicist mother who had split years ago. Since then, Scott's mom has collected boyfriends, jobs and new addresses. This would be stressful enough if Scott didn't seem to suffer from delusional visions of mythical creatures. When Scott and his sister (Polly AKA Polly Esther Doe) relocate to accommodate their mother's new job at the Goodco cereal company, Scott's delusions begin to spiral out of hand. On his way to his first day of school he encounters a Rabbit-Man wearing pants who begs Scott to hide him from some mysterious enemy. Scott ignores what he believes to be a figment of his imagination (especially since the Rabbit-Man is followed by the vision of a unicat. Sort of like a unicorn but a cat) which somehow seems even more insane than the talking Rabbit.
However when Scott rescues a lephrechaun from capture while on a field trip who suggests Scott himself may be a changeling the story surges forward at a madcap pace with grins and action at every turn.
Along with orphaned twins Erno Utz (genius) and Emily Utz (super genius and mysterious outcast) who have been wards of Goodco as long as they can recall, Scott and his magical companions uncover a mystery which began in the days of King Arthur.
I will be recommending this one to my avid readers who adore a little oddness with their brand of fantasy.
September 11, 2013
I read this because Adam Rex's 'The True Meaning of Smeckday' is a five-star, read aloud, fun-for-the-whole family, intended for kids (but adults will love it too) kind of a book. This, however, is only for kids. And not for kids who like the depth of Harry Potter (and Smeckday) but more for slower, ADD-riddled, younger, stupider, kids.
This story is less thought out, less deep, and the characters are less developed than Smeckday. The plot, that is the only thing that is more....more confusing.
I'm actually amazed that this book is allegedly written by the same author.
I have serious doubts that it was.
Based on reading these two books I think the only way they were written by the same person, is if he had his sense of humor surgically removed and replaced with the belief that what makes a character interesting is a funny costume and a strange voice.
That, or he spent years writing and polishing and re-writing Smeckday, got a big paycheck. And later received a massive advance on a series of books which he has decided to pound-out as fast and with as little thought as possible.
Or...he's a bad author who got lucky with Smeckday.
Have I said that you and your kids should read Smeckday enough?
This story is less thought out, less deep, and the characters are less developed than Smeckday. The plot, that is the only thing that is more....more confusing.
I'm actually amazed that this book is allegedly written by the same author.
I have serious doubts that it was.
Based on reading these two books I think the only way they were written by the same person, is if he had his sense of humor surgically removed and replaced with the belief that what makes a character interesting is a funny costume and a strange voice.
That, or he spent years writing and polishing and re-writing Smeckday, got a big paycheck. And later received a massive advance on a series of books which he has decided to pound-out as fast and with as little thought as possible.
Or...he's a bad author who got lucky with Smeckday.
Have I said that you and your kids should read Smeckday enough?
February 5, 2013
Scott, whose real name is Scottish Play Doe, has recently moved to Goodborough, New Jersey due to his mother’s new job at Goodco Cereal Company. Scott, who sometimes experiences hallucinations before getting migraines, begins to see some unusually strange, imaginary creatures such as a man with a rabbit head, a unicat (a cat with a single spiraling horn in the center of its forehead), and a leprechaun named Mick.
Mick informs Scott that Goodco has been kidnapping magical creatures for their magic to add to their cereal. Goodco’s motto “There’s a Little Bit of Magic in Every Box!” is literal and the company has even been using that magic to experiment on Scott’s new friends, Erno and Emily Utz. When they all discover the evil scheme of Goodco, it’s up to them to stop Goodco’s evil ploy of taking over the world.
With characters from legendary King Arthur’s days to even Bigfoot (a.k.a. Biggs), this fast-paced story offers fantasy, adventure and mystery for readers. A strange but exciting and humorous read that begins a trilogy series for grades 4th-6th.
Mick informs Scott that Goodco has been kidnapping magical creatures for their magic to add to their cereal. Goodco’s motto “There’s a Little Bit of Magic in Every Box!” is literal and the company has even been using that magic to experiment on Scott’s new friends, Erno and Emily Utz. When they all discover the evil scheme of Goodco, it’s up to them to stop Goodco’s evil ploy of taking over the world.
With characters from legendary King Arthur’s days to even Bigfoot (a.k.a. Biggs), this fast-paced story offers fantasy, adventure and mystery for readers. A strange but exciting and humorous read that begins a trilogy series for grades 4th-6th.
May 30, 2017
The weirdness of the premise is what attracted me: a book about an evil cold cereal company, secret societies, mad scientists, magical creatures, and abused orphans. Lots of action, a bit of horror, dark comedy, and tragedy.
Unfortunately the author doesn't seem that confident in the story he's telling. It moves too fast without taking the time to let this bizarre setting simmer. It rushes over plot holes. The action sequences are undone by coincidence after coincidence. There is a lot of noise and movement, but no real tension.
The most disappointing thing is the author's dependence on Arthurian legend. When I started I felt I was exploring a new world created by the author. By the end I felt he had lost confidence in his ability to create that world.
Unfortunately the author doesn't seem that confident in the story he's telling. It moves too fast without taking the time to let this bizarre setting simmer. It rushes over plot holes. The action sequences are undone by coincidence after coincidence. There is a lot of noise and movement, but no real tension.
The most disappointing thing is the author's dependence on Arthurian legend. When I started I felt I was exploring a new world created by the author. By the end I felt he had lost confidence in his ability to create that world.
February 11, 2015
I think I need to read this book as opposed to listening to the audiobook. Where Adam Rex's humor shines in The True Meaning of Smekday, I wasn't quite feeling it as much in Cold Cereal. I think part of that had to do with the audiobook narrator's deadpan expression throughout the entire story. The only time he used any sort of expression in his voice was when he was doing character voices and even then, his voice for Emily and Polly were pretty much identical. Even at the height of tension and action in the story, the narrator's voice remained unfazed, which made me miss quite a bit of the humor and fun of the novel.
Will definitely be giving this one a try again soon.
Will definitely be giving this one a try again soon.
March 30, 2012
Listen, this book is kind of cracked out. It's cracked out in a way I ultimately enjoyed, but there were times in this book where I was like "why am I still READING this?". Then Adam Rex would pull me back in and I would look at the clock and realize I had been reading a long time. Still, it's a hard book to booktalk and a hard book to sell if you give too much information.
Also, I don't think this is going to be a series so HOLY LOOSE ENDS, BATMAN. I feel like hardly anything got resolved at the end. I finished and was kind of thinking, "but what happened?"
I just reread this review and it sounds like I didn't like it. I did! It just came with baggage.
Also, I don't think this is going to be a series so HOLY LOOSE ENDS, BATMAN. I feel like hardly anything got resolved at the end. I finished and was kind of thinking, "but what happened?"
I just reread this review and it sounds like I didn't like it. I did! It just came with baggage.
April 25, 2012
This one is edging into 3.5 or 4 star territory, but I have to reserve that until I read the sequel. And, yes, there WILL be a sequel. This book ends fairly well, you are not left dangling off the cliff, but there's a lot more story available. And I did laugh. You can't help it.
The Goode and Harmliss Cereal Company, (now known as Goodco, "There's a little bit of Magic in every box") has found a way of trapping magical creatures and draining their magical powers to use for evil purposes. I really loved the part where the evil villainess was explaining her grand designs to our captured heroes.
The Goode and Harmliss Cereal Company, (now known as Goodco, "There's a little bit of Magic in every box") has found a way of trapping magical creatures and draining their magical powers to use for evil purposes. I really loved the part where the evil villainess was explaining her grand designs to our captured heroes.
January 21, 2015
Yet another fabulous audio book penned by Adam Rex. At this rate, I'm not sure I would enjoy reading the physical book as much on my own as hearing them read in such fabulous voices. This was a different narrator than "The True Meaning of Shmeckday", but the range was equally as impressive! The story had an excellent blend of characters, contemporary culture, mythology and advertising/consumption as a means to take over the world. A truly enjoyable read/listen, the only pro AND con was realizing that there were more books in the series and everything was not about to just wrap up nicely. Looking forward to the installment!
December 7, 2015
I was excited by the premise of this book. However, the pacing was all wrong. There wasn't enough tension in the beginning and I found myself dragging through the book. I kept reading because some of the characters were interesting, but as I got to the last 25% of the book I just really didn't care anymore. I skimmed through just to find out how it ended...and was extremely disappointed along those lines as well. Not going for the sequel. The book just was not well balanced.
June 12, 2012
a good read, creative, but at times painfully slow... pratchettesque... but would have been better paired down slightly... not sure if students will enjoy or not...
very odd book... quiet enjoyable overall to me, but with I think a small if fun audience... would make a good Terry Gilliam movie...
June 27, 2014
I loved The True Meaning of Smekday, and this one had a lot of the same humor and fun characters. It just had a little too much going on in it to get really rolling until the very end, when I didn't want to put it down. Maybe some better pacing or planning would've brought this to a 4 star read for me.
October 17, 2012
Really snappy text...vibrates with life and pulls the reader along for the ride. But the ride is a bit like that found in a pinball machine. The text bounces from idea to idea, as if it's as high on sugar as the kids eating the Goodco cereal. There is a point at which I thought I'd skipped a few chapters, the book jumped so wildly. Ultimately too disjointed for me.
November 6, 2015
Toužila jsem, aby se mi ta kniha líbila. A jistým způsobem se mi i líbila. Byla tady spousta skvělých nápadů a nadpřirozených bytostí k zbožňování. Ale nemohla jsem se pořádně začíst, moc mě nezajímalo, co se bude dít dál a myslím, že si za pár měsíců nevzpomenu, o čem to vůbec bylo. Nicméně za kočkorožce dávám 3* :)
March 11, 2016
I read "Cold Cereal" after immensely enjoying "The True Meaning of Smekday" series and found Adam Rex had stayed true to form: it was a well-crafted and hilariously fun book. I can't wait to read the rest of the series! Keep it up, Adam Rex!
March 23, 2013
Didn't have an ending. Getting next in series. Now.
August 6, 2013
My 10-year-old and I read this book together. We quit at Chapter 15 (pg 155) because we both thought it was so boring.
August 16, 2015
Great book! Tells how the cereal company, Goodco, could be doing bad things for the Fay, a magical group of animals, such as leprechauns, unicorns, and many more.
February 10, 2016
Je první díl Cereální ságy Křup! právě tak bláznivý a senzační jak se tváří?
http://books-postcards-geocaches.blog...
http://books-postcards-geocaches.blog...
August 30, 2021
Okay but a bit of a disappointment after Adam Rex's delightful Smek Day books.
December 20, 2017
Initial Response
WELL that was interesting.
High Lights
- Okay, so I really don't know how to review this book. It's like nothing I've ever read before.
- Scott was probably my favorite character, which is good because he was the main character. XD His full name is Scottish Play Doe and can I just? That name? Like, WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?
-
- All the names are like SUPER WEIRD AND AWESOME. But then you also have super normal names thrown into the mix. You have Polly Esther (like, as in, POLYESTER), Erno Utz, Biggs, Reggie Dwight, and then you have Emily, Mick, Harvey, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A CHARACTER NAMED JOHN. So yeah.
- The setting was really cool!! For some reason, it felt really a lot like Stranger Things?? But I haven't even seen that show?? It's a small town, with weird goings-on, and strange magic. But also cereal.
- It's its own genre. I have no idea how to categorize it! It's a mix of contemporary, sci-fi, fantasy, alternate universe-ish, and a hints of a bunch of other things. So weird, but so fascinating.
- It was always so tense. Like, even in the normal settings, it had a strange feel to it, like you just KNEW something bad was going to happen. And, spoiler, they usually did.
- The whole crazy idea is just so AWESOME. Evil cereal company that wants to take over the world? Um, YEAH.
- All of the characters were really, really fun. Everyone had their own personalities, and I could just breeze through a group conversation, entirely ignoring the dialogue tags because I knew who was talking every time. :)
-
Low Lights
- I think the only downside was that I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS THE FIRST IN A SERIES? The ending was SUCH A CLIFFHANGER WOW.
Conclusion
I think the best way to describe this book would be 'delightfully strange'. A mix of small town contemporary and out-of-this-world fantasy and adventure. If you're feeling a bit adventurous, and want to never trust cereal companies again, try this one out!
4/5.
WELL that was interesting.
High Lights
- Okay, so I really don't know how to review this book. It's like nothing I've ever read before.
- Scott was probably my favorite character, which is good because he was the main character. XD His full name is Scottish Play Doe and can I just? That name? Like, WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?
-
- All the names are like SUPER WEIRD AND AWESOME. But then you also have super normal names thrown into the mix. You have Polly Esther (like, as in, POLYESTER), Erno Utz, Biggs, Reggie Dwight, and then you have Emily, Mick, Harvey, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A CHARACTER NAMED JOHN. So yeah.
- The setting was really cool!! For some reason, it felt really a lot like Stranger Things?? But I haven't even seen that show?? It's a small town, with weird goings-on, and strange magic. But also cereal.
- It's its own genre. I have no idea how to categorize it! It's a mix of contemporary, sci-fi, fantasy, alternate universe-ish, and a hints of a bunch of other things. So weird, but so fascinating.
- It was always so tense. Like, even in the normal settings, it had a strange feel to it, like you just KNEW something bad was going to happen. And, spoiler, they usually did.
- The whole crazy idea is just so AWESOME. Evil cereal company that wants to take over the world? Um, YEAH.
- All of the characters were really, really fun. Everyone had their own personalities, and I could just breeze through a group conversation, entirely ignoring the dialogue tags because I knew who was talking every time. :)
-
Low Lights
- I think the only downside was that I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS THE FIRST IN A SERIES? The ending was SUCH A CLIFFHANGER WOW.
Conclusion
I think the best way to describe this book would be 'delightfully strange'. A mix of small town contemporary and out-of-this-world fantasy and adventure. If you're feeling a bit adventurous, and want to never trust cereal companies again, try this one out!
4/5.
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