Mrs. Noodlekugel

Mrs. Noodlekugel #1

by Daniel Pinkwater, Adam Stower (Illustrator)

Nick and Maxine live in a tall building with one apartment on top of another. So when they look out their window and see a little house they never knew was there, of course they must visit (especially when their parents tell them not to!). Going through the boiler room, they’re amazed to find to a secret backyard with a garden, a porch, and a statue of a cat. And they’re even more amazed when that cat starts to talk. . . . Welcome to the world of Mrs. Noodlekugel, where felines converse and serve cookies and tea, vision-impaired mice join the party (but may put crumbs up their noses), and children in search of funny adventures are drawn by the warm smell of gingerbread and the promise of magical surprises.

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Chapter Books, Humor, Fiction, Juvenile, Cats

80 pages, Hardcover

First published March 13, 2012

About the author

Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that task has passed to his wife Jill Pinkwater.

Reviews

[Joella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, seriously. I LOVE THIS BOOK! I didn’t know much about it going into reading it. I just knew that it had a good review. Well, now I know why! Seriously, I think that one of the happiest things in the world of juvenile fiction is that this is going to be a series of brilliant books. And that will make me very happy! Especially because this is a level that doesn’t have very many things that I love. It is harder than the easiest readers. But it isn’t as hard as a Nancy Drew book. It is probably on par with the Magic Treehouse sort of books. And it is the smaller size (for younger readers to hold) and has the larger text (for those just learning to read) and loads of white space and illustrations. Plus, the story is actually good. And not just good, it made me laugh out loud. Which is important! So what is it about you ask? Well, let me tell you.

Nick and Maxine move into a new apartment. One day Maxine has her brother come to her bedroom and stand on the dresser to look out the window. (And yes, Nick asks how Maxine knew that he needed to do that. Which is such a great question to bring up in this type of book. If kids are going to do weird, crazy things at least they might acknowledge that they are doing them…even if Maxine never really told Nick how she discovered that a kid needed to stand on top of a dresser to actually see something important.) Anyway, while Nick is on top of Maxine’s dresser he discoveres that behind all of the apartment buildings on the block is a tiny little house. But there is no way from the street to get to the house. And this leads to Nick and Maxine going on a quest to ask the janitor (who was in the boiler room) about the house and how to get there.

Mike the janitor tells them that the nice old lady Mrs. Noodlekugel lives there and that they just have to get to the house by going through the boiler room, but to not tell their parents that he told them. Of course later the parents randomly decide to tell Nick and Maxine that they should never go bother the nice Mrs. Noodlekugel or to go to her house or even step on her porch. And, you know exactly what adventure Nick and Maxine head off to do.

There they find a wonderful place with a nice old lady who is every bit as nice as Mike or their parents told them she was. And there is also a talking cat. And some mice who help with cooking.

Seriously, I will say it again. This was a great beginning chapter book! I also loved what the parents had to say at the end of the story. I really shouldn’t say too much more about this book. Because, well…it is one that should be read and enjoyed. So stop reading this review and head out to find this book. Then read it. Then read it to your favorite kiddo…or watch them read it. Because it is funny. That’s why.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute little fantasy story for early readers. Adults will require suspension of disbelief but kids who believe anything is possible will love Mrs. Noodlekugel (love her name) and her assorted unusual companion.

I got this book for my 7 1/2 year old niece (just finished first grade). She flipped through it and declared she could read it herself. I don't know if she will but I hope she does because I know she'll like it. Maybe we'll make some gingerbread mice together.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I CAN'T BELIVE THERE ARE TWO AND ONE STAR REVIEWS FOR THIS BOOK! IT'S SWELL!

I think Daniel Pinkwater is a genius. I don't love all is work, but this is certainly one I would have loved to have read when I was young. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle meets Hansel & Gretel in this quirky and fun short chapter book. 80 pages of delightful illustrations and unexpected narrative make this a great "urban fairy tale" for young independent readers.

For those who posted before me (the aforementioned minimal stars), I say, "Let the kids decide". I predict they will fall for this charming, magically enchanted tale.

[Jennifer Bacall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mrs. Noodlekugel is the eccentric neighbor who lives in a "little old-fashioned house," which catches the attention of the children Nick and Maxine who live in a huge skyscraper next door. The story has great potential but doesn't feel complete as some of the kid's queries are answered glibly and without mystery and other strange occurrences don't seem to shock the children. With pieces of numerous fairytales juggled about and a story that never decides if it will be a moral tale, or simply a humorous ride it would've failed completely if the pictures weren't so painfully, thrillingly lively and precious. every drawing is more adorable than the next as the characters come alive through each element of the illustrations. Mrs. Noodlekugel's fabulous cat Mr. Fuzzface is reason enough to give the book a whirl. Because the illustrations are so strong, it would be the perfect story to share with a child and challenge them to re-write the text. The target audience for this title is children ages 6-10.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. So that...was different. It's packaged like a chapter book, but really would make a much better picture book, if it had some more fleshed-out illustrations. The stilted dialogue, and lack of decent explanations wouldn't stand out quite so much. I really wanted to love it, as it has SUCH potential to be the most charming little story! I'm horribly afraid, however, that a 12 minute read does not a chapter book make. It really felt like an outline, truly. I would love to see an edition that would be about 4 times this size! It would be a bit of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle meets Mary Poppins, I think. So there's actually 2 options for making this better, then.

[Jena]

Mrs. Noodlekugel is a silly & sweet chapter book that I read to Calla. There are black and white illustrations to keep your young child entertained and the chapters are short. It started out a bit slow but after Mrs. Noodlekugel and her cat Mr. Fuzzface are introduced, Calla had a blast listening to it! There are 2 additional books in this series.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - this was cute and teddy enjoyed it and wanted to start the next one right after (we got derailed by daddy getting home though lol). i actually wish it was longer, but i do also think it's a really great length for a kid who's just starting to listen to chapter books, and i loved that it had a lot of illustrations too. it made us both laugh!

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's time to get a little bit silly, adventurous, whimsical, and down-right fun loving. Yes! It's time to explore Mrs. Noodlekuger by Daniel Pinkwater. Now as you can see from the cover image, Mrs. Noodlekuger is a delightfully cheerful little old lady.

Well, Nick and Maxine (our children in this delightful story) have discovered a tiny little house situated at the rear of the tall apartment building - in fact surrounded by tall buildings - in which they now live. Their curiosity gets the best of them and they begin their investigation.

This little book is just right for the young reader and the story line will capture their imagination. The illustrations by Adam Stower are first class and will indeed keep the young reader engrossed.

Kid appeal is high in this little book. Classic kid-book-illustrations and a silly, bizarre story line make this a first-rate book that I highly recommend.

About the author: Now you can skip over to this web spot and learn a bit about this famous and prolific author. Click or Skip Here

GIVEAWAY: Candlewick Press is graciously providing a copy of Mrs. NoodleKuger for 1 of Chat With Vera's lucky readers. Simple entries, too! Begins June 23 and ENDS July 5 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. USA only. Mommies or Daddies must enter for their kiddies. No one under 18 should apply. Of course, I'm not asking your age, just stating a desire that the kiddies get help entering.

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment here on Chat With Vera telling me why you would like to win this delightful little book. I'll need your email contact information, too.

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ISBN: 978-0-7636-5053-7 Publisher: Candlewick Press

Disclosure: I was happily given a complimentary copy of Mrs. Noodlekuger by Candlewick Press for the purpose of rendering my honest review and opinion. All opinions expressed are my own. Images gleaned from the following links without owners permission but I hope allowed with grace as my intent is only kindness: http://www.pinkwater.com/mrs-noodleku... and http://boingboing.net/2012/04/24/dani...

[Hollowspine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick and Max live in one of the tall apartment buildings in a neighborhood filled with tall apartment buildings, but they found a secret way into the strange little garden and house surrounded on all sides by the tall buildings. Mrs. Noodlekugel lives in that house and when their parents expressly forbid them from visiting her the kids try to do good, but the house is just too interesting to stay away from.

Once they meet Mrs. Noodlekugel and the cat Fuzzface and all the mice living with them they can't wait to visit again, but will they get in trouble, will Mrs. Noodlekugel want them to visit again? Will their parents let them?

I found it funny that we readers could see that the parents totally set Nick and Max up and actually wanted them to visit and befriend Mrs. Noodlekugel and her strange household of talking cats and very nearsighted mice. I fun book full of surprises and neat illustrations of all the odd things, like making Gingerbread Mice, talking cats and more.

This would be a great starting chapter book for children, the language isn't difficult, but it does provide some interesting word choices. The plot isn't much, but it won't frighten off first time readers and has some twists and turns before it's slightly abrupt but satisfying ending. Reminded me a bit of Mrs. Pigglewiggle, except without the lessons. Yay!

[annabeth ☼ · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5

While this is super adorable and I’m sure I would’ve loved it as a kid, I think it is a fail in some areas. It’s a sweet story, for sure, straightforward and one that I think many in the directed age range would love, but it just felt a bit incomplete to me. It feels really rushed and incomplete in parts, as if I came into the room halfway through the conversation even though I’ve been there the whole time. I was expecting something similar to Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and, as I saw another reviewer say, the set up for it was there but there was no carry out of it. Just the same, young children wouldn’t be able to tell the difference and I’m sure would just love the seemingly magical parts of this book (although that is no reason to half ass a book, imo; young children deserve just as esteemed literature as the older demographics get).

I honestly, probably wouldn’t recommend it. Odd for me, but I feel that I really wouldn’t, couldn’t in good conscience.

[Mari]

Help! I just finished this and have no idea how to rate it. There are some things about it that I LOVED. It was funny, whimsical, weird and goofy. And yet, there were parts where the writing really bothered me. I know it is inteded for kids transitioning from beginning readers to chapter books, but I expected the writing to be smoother. There are parts that seem abrupt and clunky. There is a decided lack of contractions in the dialogue that makes it feel like the kinds of writing that my kids HATED when they were just starting to read. The conversations feel clumsy, stilted, and like the book is being written "down" to a certain level. I SO wanted to love this one completely, and I don't. I might change my mind if I read it out loud to kids who then tell me they love it. I would love to hear what others think on this one. . .

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short, strange tale about an adorable little old lady who lives in a small, adorable house in the middle of a group of apartment buildings. The tale is entertaining, featuring a talking, singing, cooking cat and four very farsighted mice.

Both my husband and I had a good chuckle over the parents who forbid the kids to visit the little old lady, which, of course, they immediately do. It makes me wonder what Nick and Maxine might have done had their parents encouraged them to visit the little old lady. The numerous black and white illustrations and large font make this short chapter book appear longer than it really is. It was a quick, fun story to read aloud and we enjoyed reading it together.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you stand on the dresser in Maxine’s new high-rise bedroom and look out of the very corner of the window, you might see a tiny little cottage, tucked in behind all the skyscrapers in the neighborhood. That is the home of Mrs. Noodlekugel and her talking, baking cat, Mr. Fuzzface. Nick and Maxine aren’t sure how to get to the backyard of the skyscraper to meet Mrs. Noodlekugel, but with the help of the Mike the janitor (who likes to eat stewed tomatoes out of the can), they find their way to the tiny cottage and their adventures begin. If Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books are way too long and too outdated for your liking, Mrs. Noodlekugel with delight you. Great for bedtime read-alouds and liberally sprinkled with charming illustrations to keep the interest of even very young listeners.

[Monica Edinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. The title and illustrations suggest some sort of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle-ish woman, but the story isn't that. It is sort of shaggy dog, meandering, and odd, but something about the writing and deadpan amusing elements (e.g. nearsighted mice) absolutely charmed me. The ending is a tad abrupt, but it is the first in series so I will be interested to see where it goes.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love many other works by Pinkwater, but this is just too odd *for me* and I can't get over the parents being sneaky and the kids being disobedient. And I really wish Jill Pinkwater had illustrated it. But I have the sequels checked out, and they are *very* short, so I guess I'll keep reading.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful fantasy for beginning readers. Refreshingly old fashioned in that it relies on running gags to move the plot along. No violence.

[Patti · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. My 4 year old did really like it, and it is a good transition from picture books because the illustrations are numerous and excellent. The text, though, was lacking. There is no plot development, really, which even (or especially) in children's books drives me bonkers, and the conversation is painfully stilted.

Oh, and the kids visit Mrs. Noodlekugel when their parents told them not to, which is apparently what the parents planned, in order to pique the kids' interest. The kids disobeyed without even thinking twice. The parents had a non-reaction when the kids calmly told them that they disobeyed. Not.a.good.message. I may have to return this one to the library quickly to avoid reading it again.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cute cover of this little emerging reader chapter book caught my attention. Then I read it and it wasn’t what I expected. When the parents confess that they told their kids NOT to bother the little old lady (whom they have visited) the kids are told that Mrs. Noodlekugel will be their new babysitter. WHAT?? That is too big of a disconnect for me. And the book continued its downhill slide from there. Funny things happen—her cat talks, cooks, and plays the piano; the nearsighted mice try their best to help make cookies… which aren’t eaten. I wanted to like this story but it was too disjointed to enjoy.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read! This little chapter book might appeal more to 1st or 2nd grade readers interested in chapter books. I'm sad that I didn't love it. The title jumped out at me from the shelf (I love kugel) and I am a fan of Daniel Pinkwater, but the writing felt awkward and stiff. The illustrations were cute, though, and I think it would be a good recommendation for younger children interested in grades 3/4 literature. I, however, will pass on the next books in this series.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

We very much enjoyed this tale of whimsy. Miss 4 loved the gingerbread mice. A lovely early chapter book; we will look for the rest in the series!

Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick and Maxine live in a large apartment house, surrounded by other apartment houses. But when you stand on the bureau in Maxine's room and crane your neck and peer out the window, you can see grass and trees and a little house. They soon learn that Mrs. Noodlekugel lives there, with her talking cat and her four far-sighted mice, and that she's their new babysitter! Not much plot in this first book, but a lot of charm.

[Alicia Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this aloud in < 30min to my 7 year old and 5 year old, who gave this book five stars and four stars, respectively. I also give it four stars. I understand that some people are dissatisfied because it seems to have ended abruptly. It is a series and I am requesting them for my local library immediately. I love to say Noodlekugel.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Bizarre yet hilarious. Nick and Maxine notice a tiny house outside their apartment building. They decide to explore and meet Mrs. Noodlekugel and her talking cat, Mr. Fuzzface. Hilarity ensues.

Nice and easy chapter book. The sentence structure is easy and lots of repetition in sentences.

[Ms. Arca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wait I’m sorry this book just cracked me up.

Perfect type of peaceful cozy weird. I want this for my personal library.

I was reading it on my ereader so I had no idea when it would end and the ending just made me laugh and laugh. I love an odd little duck vibe book and this one hit the mark on that.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I found this at the library used book sale for fifty cents. A great layout and storyline for my second graders. Talking animals, kids their age and an older neighbor who could be a witch?

[Paige Perrin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mrs. Noodlekugel is an excellent book choice for a beginning reader to transition from picture books to a chapter book. It's short, goofy, whimsical, and has silly illustrations. However, I didn't love the ending. I felt like some of my questions were left unanswered.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute! This is a chapter book. I would give it a
5 but there needs to be a bit more explaining of some of the strange happenings. I get it's magical, but they don't say that. Just needs a bit more.

[Lizzy Hartwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple story with few characters, perfect for budding readers. The protagonists are a boy and a girl, so the book can appeal to both genders. This is a good read for children who have moved beyond leveled readers.

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter loved it. I thought it was missing some of that classic Pinkwater zing.

[Elisabeth Ensor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet realoud for any age- my 5-year-old loved it! Especially the ginger mice ☺️