The Princess of Neptune

by Quentin Dodd

By the winner of the first Eleanor Cameron/Golden Duck Award
Theora Theremin needs a subject for her science project and at the last minute decides to practice the scientific method to determine whether the storied local lake monster, Big Phil, is real or not. While studying the water's surface in the company of her pesky younger brother, Verb, she finds herself witnessing the emergence, not of a prehistoric creature, but of the submarine of the world-famous scientist Dr. ubermind. It is merely the first of many unusual meetings that ensue, as Theora and Verb find themselves whisked away to Burger Buckeroo, where the manager, a giant cockroach from the moon who's also an aspiring journalist, enlists Theora to enter the Cavalcade of Loveliness, an intergalactic beauty pageant being held on Neptune. When they reach this far planet, things grow ever stranger as Theora is enlisted to hunt down the Beast of the Mall and then to help stop her very own science teacher from his diabolical plan to rule the universe's pop music charts.
The laughs keep coming in this science fiction comedy, which sends up everything from fast food franchises to Jonny Quest.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Humor

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2004

About the author

Quentin Dodd lives in Indiana with his wife and children. He collects old cameras, old postcards, and old pens. He has written the script for a low-budget movie and has been thrown from a moving vehicle. He isn't sure whether he's ever seen a ghost or not.

For a free short story featuring supernatural detective Dean Sherwood, please click here.

Reviews

[Jennifer Sommer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine being kidnapped by a giant cockroach from the Moon, who runs the local Burger Buckaroo in disguise, to take part in the Cavalcade of Loveliness Beauty Pageant on the planet Neptune. Imagine that the talent portion requires you to capture the Beast of the Mall, which turns out to be a giant plant named Claude. Then imagine that your science teacher from school, who had the students take care of his cacti, turns out to be a misguided alien seeking revenge by brainwashing everyone attending the pageant while he impersonates the most famous Moon Cockroach Pop-Star, Hortense Benway. This is what happens to our hero Theora, a teenage punk-rock drummer who was out by the lake one day working on a science project, when she and her pesky little brother witness a submarine rising out the lake owned by the Ubermind Institute and operated by the famous scientists who publish bestselling books about their adventures. The Cavalcade of Loveliness Battle of the Bands, between the real Hortense Benway and her back-up punk-rock Band with No Name and the imposter Mr. Pinweed with his Big Band of Cactuses, is the grand finale to this fast-paced story that is chock-full of adventures and plot twists. This would be a good follow up for fans of Captain Underpants and other humorous books. It is fun and kids will get a laugh from this science fiction that is sillier than science would allow.

[Katilyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trying to be Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy amusing but failing. The whole seal of "knowing stuff is good" loses its meaning when this book does nothing to encourage knowing any science. Introduces fancy futuristic sounding tech but only in the least useful areas. Expositron, really?

[Brooklyn Teen-central · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by delil1(TCRC)

When drummer Theora Theramin goes lake watching for a science project she and her little brother Verb accidently stumbles upon the submarine of scientist/explorer Dr. Übermind. This mishap begins a wacky and sometimes just plan weird journey that takes them out of this world. Along the way they run into six foot tall talking beauty queen cockroaches, man eating cactuses, mall monsters, talking ferns and alien wannabe pop stars. All Theora wants to do is go home but in order to do that she has to win a intergalactic beauty contest on Neptune, the discovery of the Beast of the Mall, and the defeat of a nefarious plot by her evil alien science teacher. This book is the reason the word ridiculous it will have you laughing from the first page to the last one.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter picked this one out at the library because it said it won the Golden Duck award, and maybe because of the title. It was a fun read, not perfect, but quirky and cool. I was interested to see how it would turn out. Really out there sometimes, but that's okay.

[Debrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious silliness! Like Hitchhikers’ Guide for 11 year olds. When Theora and her brother Verbert find out the local Burger (Boy?) is run by giant lunar cockroaches, it isn’t long before they are whisked off to an intergalactic beauty contest on Neptune to solve a mystery.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A children's book, but younger middle school students might enjoy it--funny, fast-paced, giant cockroaches.

[Teen]

A children's book, but younger middle school students might enjoy it--funny, fast-paced, giant cockroaches.

[Raine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been years since I read this book and I still remember how funny and quirky it was! Definitely recommend, especially for middle graders or early high schoolers.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book ever!