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Templeton Twins #1
The Templeton Twins Have an Idea: Book One
Suppose there were 12-year-old twins, a boy and girl named John and Abigail Templeton. Let's say John was pragmatic and played the drums, and Abigail was theoretical and solved cryptic crosswords. Now suppose their father was a brilliant, if sometimes confused, inventor. And suppose that another set of twins—adults—named Dean D. Dean and Dan D. Dean, kidnapped the Templeton twins and their ridiculous dog in order to get their father to turn over one of his genius (sort of) inventions. Yes, I said kidnapped. Wouldn't it be fun to read about that? Oh please. It would so. Luckily for you, this is just the first in a series perfect for boys and girls who are smart, clever, and funny (just like the twins), and enjoy reading adventurous stories (who doesn't?!).
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2012
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2118 people want to read
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July 30, 2021
i read this because i came across an excerpt that made it sound really fun. despite my aversion to twins, and my not reading much middle grade, i thought i would enjoy this, because - puzzles! and chapters with names like Other Things Happen In An Exciting Manner!and an intrusive aggressive narrator who berates the reader throughout the story and gives questions at the end of every chapter such as What were the names of Abigail and John, the Templeton twins? and Explain, in fifty words or less, why you believe the story will actually get started, and why it will be wonderful. sign me up, even though i am so much taller than all the other readers of this series!
now, i have never read any of those lemony snicket or pseudonymous bosch books, but i gather the tone and the device are similar? and judging by the continued success of those books, i guess the kids go nuts for it. but this one has very limited crossover appeal into the world of the adult reader. again - i know tons of grown folk love that lemony snicket fellow, so it's probably quite different than this one, which i think is best left to younger readers.
for me, the gimmick of the narrator's self-insertion was overused. the book doesn't even start until seven pages and three fake prologues of stalling, and the plot is constantly interrupted by more of the same. it's cute at first, but it gets old quickly. if you remove all the asides and interruptions, you lose at least half of the actual pages, and you never even learn who the narrator actually is, and why they are being forced to write this story, despite all the hints and promises - probably to encourage readers to continue with the series. and the tone of the narrator changes too frequently, from abusive to cajoling to pandering to megalomaniac to just silly.
the story itself, in the spaces when it is allowed to occur, is fine, nothing special. i did enjoy the puzzles, even though they are scaled down to middle-grade level, but it's still fun to encounter puzzles in a story, although Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library did it better.
shrug. it's a kid's book, and younger readers will probably have a blast reading it while they are rolling around on those little wheeled sneakers of theirs and living rent-free while shoving bags of candy into their skinny little bodies and getting to sit on stuffed animals bigger than they are.
conclusion: being a grown-up is no fun at all.
sigh.
come to my blog!
now, i have never read any of those lemony snicket or pseudonymous bosch books, but i gather the tone and the device are similar? and judging by the continued success of those books, i guess the kids go nuts for it. but this one has very limited crossover appeal into the world of the adult reader. again - i know tons of grown folk love that lemony snicket fellow, so it's probably quite different than this one, which i think is best left to younger readers.
for me, the gimmick of the narrator's self-insertion was overused. the book doesn't even start until seven pages and three fake prologues of stalling, and the plot is constantly interrupted by more of the same. it's cute at first, but it gets old quickly. if you remove all the asides and interruptions, you lose at least half of the actual pages, and you never even learn who the narrator actually is, and why they are being forced to write this story, despite all the hints and promises - probably to encourage readers to continue with the series. and the tone of the narrator changes too frequently, from abusive to cajoling to pandering to megalomaniac to just silly.
the story itself, in the spaces when it is allowed to occur, is fine, nothing special. i did enjoy the puzzles, even though they are scaled down to middle-grade level, but it's still fun to encounter puzzles in a story, although Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library did it better.
shrug. it's a kid's book, and younger readers will probably have a blast reading it while they are rolling around on those little wheeled sneakers of theirs and living rent-free while shoving bags of candy into their skinny little bodies and getting to sit on stuffed animals bigger than they are.
conclusion: being a grown-up is no fun at all.
sigh.
come to my blog! 
June 5, 2012
A longer review to come as the publishing date approaches (we're still some three months out for this one).
What I do like about THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA is that the narrator challenges the reader to double back and consider, "Do I remember that the narrator said this earlier?" or "Do I remember this aspect of the story?" Elements of foreshadowing and revelation would make THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA an excellent text to demonstrate these literary elements.
Further, when the narrator challenges the reader's "knowledge." If you have children around you--right now--ask them what burlap material is. Chances are they may not know. And so a reader might think, "Do I know this reference?" "How do I know this reference?" "When did I come upon this?" These kinds of authorial intrusions (or in this case, insertions by the narrator), can lend to a reader's cultural literacy as much as build their confidence for the things they know that a snarky narrator believes they may not. English teachers and friends in the English teaching business will appreciate a passing reference to Donald Hall.
And, somehow. . .it looks like I am writing a review. Which I am not. You must have sensed that I was merely making some connections after having read the book. What kind of responsible reviewer would write a review for a book that's three or more months from release. Might I not even know what "buzz" is all about?
In the meantime, THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA does have some neat ladders to other titles that are available now (you do have some summer reading to do, right?) that present in a similar fashion of narrators who speak directly to the reader or deal in hilarious scenarios that all seem to come together in the end:
Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger
Leaving the Bellweathers and The Butler Gets a Greak by Kristin Clark Venuti
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
And while you wait for THE TEMPLETON TWINS, here is a cryptic for you:
I HOBOS LOVE KIT. Mix. Review. (4)
What I do like about THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA is that the narrator challenges the reader to double back and consider, "Do I remember that the narrator said this earlier?" or "Do I remember this aspect of the story?" Elements of foreshadowing and revelation would make THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA an excellent text to demonstrate these literary elements.
Further, when the narrator challenges the reader's "knowledge." If you have children around you--right now--ask them what burlap material is. Chances are they may not know. And so a reader might think, "Do I know this reference?" "How do I know this reference?" "When did I come upon this?" These kinds of authorial intrusions (or in this case, insertions by the narrator), can lend to a reader's cultural literacy as much as build their confidence for the things they know that a snarky narrator believes they may not. English teachers and friends in the English teaching business will appreciate a passing reference to Donald Hall.
And, somehow. . .it looks like I am writing a review. Which I am not. You must have sensed that I was merely making some connections after having read the book. What kind of responsible reviewer would write a review for a book that's three or more months from release. Might I not even know what "buzz" is all about?
In the meantime, THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA does have some neat ladders to other titles that are available now (you do have some summer reading to do, right?) that present in a similar fashion of narrators who speak directly to the reader or deal in hilarious scenarios that all seem to come together in the end:
Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger
Leaving the Bellweathers and The Butler Gets a Greak by Kristin Clark Venuti
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
And while you wait for THE TEMPLETON TWINS, here is a cryptic for you:
I HOBOS LOVE KIT. Mix. Review. (4)
November 3, 2012
My review of this book should be split into two parts: the story and the way the story is told.
The first part I am very excited about. The Templeton Twins, twelve-year old John and Abigail (making me think of the Adamses) are fun kids. John is a drummer and Abigail solves cryptic crosswords so they're smart and creative thinkers. They get tangled up in the schemes of another set of twins with a grudge against their father and outwit the villains in a most clever way. I really enjoyed everything about their story.
The second part though includes the narrator, who I found extremely grating. The narrator is definitely going to be off-putting to some people, of which I was one. The narrator talks directly to the reader-which I often like but in this case it is to act superior. I guess I was not in the best mood so I was a little bit more ruffled by this than I otherwise would have been. The narrator kind of reminded me of Lemony Snicket in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" but it has either been a very long time since I read that series or Snicket was much less in your face than this narrator. Basically my irritation with the narrator stifled my enjoyment of this book.
One other element to note is that this book does have illustration. However since I received an ARC, I have not seen the final drawings. I did really enjoy the sketches though and feel like they were a great addition to the story. That was actually a major draw for me when requesting this book-I am really growing to love when books have additional content like that.
Overall: I feel like the narrator is make-or-break it for the book. Try and read a chapter or two to see if it works better for you!
The first part I am very excited about. The Templeton Twins, twelve-year old John and Abigail (making me think of the Adamses) are fun kids. John is a drummer and Abigail solves cryptic crosswords so they're smart and creative thinkers. They get tangled up in the schemes of another set of twins with a grudge against their father and outwit the villains in a most clever way. I really enjoyed everything about their story.
The second part though includes the narrator, who I found extremely grating. The narrator is definitely going to be off-putting to some people, of which I was one. The narrator talks directly to the reader-which I often like but in this case it is to act superior. I guess I was not in the best mood so I was a little bit more ruffled by this than I otherwise would have been. The narrator kind of reminded me of Lemony Snicket in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" but it has either been a very long time since I read that series or Snicket was much less in your face than this narrator. Basically my irritation with the narrator stifled my enjoyment of this book.
One other element to note is that this book does have illustration. However since I received an ARC, I have not seen the final drawings. I did really enjoy the sketches though and feel like they were a great addition to the story. That was actually a major draw for me when requesting this book-I am really growing to love when books have additional content like that.
Overall: I feel like the narrator is make-or-break it for the book. Try and read a chapter or two to see if it works better for you!
September 10, 2012
I found the narrator, who speaks directly to the reader to be utterly annoying. Maybe kids would find the sarcasm and stupid questions at the end of each chapter funny, but I didn't. I was so tempted to take the book back to the library without finishing it, something I rarely do.
January 29, 2014
i kinda liked it. it reminded me of the unfortunate events a lot because the two twins, Abigail and John, act a LOT like Violet and her brother. the dog, Cassie, is like Sunny. there are two other adult twins named Dan D. Dean and Dean D. Dean who are like count Olaf. The narrator is soo funny!! YOU ALL SHOULD READ IT!
April 25, 2013
The recent crop of metafictional books has left me not lovin' this technique as much as when I first encountered it in children's literature. Or perhaps, reading authors who are really good at it, reveals the lesser talents. Either way, this one goes on my hoo-rah list. I loved it like I love fresh corn on the cob (I'm making a connection with my crop statement. I'm also hungry. I'm also giving you a taste of how this book is written). Imagine a Lemony Snicket-type snarky narrator wired on 10 cups of coffee and inserting his thoughts so much I would argue he is the main character. That's the book, "The Templeton Twins." The over-the-top, babbling narrator never shuts up, pointing out how the book is organized, why he chose to write it this way, why he is using certain words, and basically poking fun at everything under the literary sun. (By the way, I reeeeeaaaallly like the word, "snarky". It has a snappy ring to it, don't you know. What's that? You want to know what it means? Look it up yourself. I have a review to write.)
Figures of speech, acronyms and character names are in every chapter such as the metonymic expression, "Abigail's eyes fell on that drawing of a balloon mounted on the refrigerator. By that, I do not mean that her eyeballs literally dropped out of her head onto the drawing. I mean the picture caught her attention." (I think that's called, metonymy. Isn't it? Ahhhh, please correct me if I'm wrong. This is the reason I NEVER became an English teacher. As Weiner would say, "LET'S MOVE ON.") Acronyms scatter the pages like leaves with my personal favorite, the STB or Self-Tensioning Book Ends ("beloved by librarians throughout the universe") and names that bounce like a superball such as Dan D. Dean - sounds like dandy, Dean D. Dean - sounds like dee-dee-dee, or Nanny Nan Noonan- sounds like na-na-na-na-nah. You'd think this nattering narrator would get annoying, but I never reached that point; the author reigns in at the right point keeping the pace going along with my laughter. The "Questions for Review" at the end of each chapter have hilarious questions that parody reviews or tests students take in school:
What were the names of Abigail and John, the Templeton twins?
Bonus Question: There is no bonus Question. Proceed to Question 3.
Isn't it a splendid thing that we have begun? (Hint: No. It means I must write some more. LET'S MOVE ON.)
The author is experimenting with how stories are presented with graphics, photos, and voice in surprising ways. While the action and cartoonish characters take a back seat to the humor, I admired how Ellis Weiner ties the plot points together and creates his own unique, goofy story while exposing craft at the same time.
Meet the 12-year-old Templeton Twins: Abigail, the genius, and John, the inventor. Abigail and John's mom has just died and they are finagling their father into buying them a dog; a common theme in children's books. You'd think this overused method of moving the plot along would be boring, but the narrator explains he knows this and points it out by writing, "asking for a dog is as old as the human (and dog) race," then he imagines out loud Cain and Abel arguing about getting a dog with Adam and Eve. Bad boy, Cain, sasses his parents while Abel begs "PLEEEEEEASE?" Abigail doesn't want to ask for a dog in a normal way because that is "tedious and grim." The narrator says, "Now, if I were you, I would immediately think, 'Just a moment, Narrator. Do you seriously expect me to believe that a twelve-year-old child would use the words 'tedious' and 'grim' in private conversation with her brother? wouldn't she be much more likely to say something along the lines of 'But, like, John? If we ask Dad the same old way, won't it be, like, boring and sad and stuff?'" This constant poking fun at the writing craft had me howling in the gym as I worked out. My neighbors on the elliptical machines quirked their brows at my sporadic outbursts. Between my plugged ears and piston pumping legs, I bet my laugh was much too boisterous. What do you expect from a Midwestern gal? I was having fun in my make-believe world. What's that? Oh, all right. I'll MOVE ON. I was just having a bit of a chit chat with you. I thought we could get to know each other.
When the Templeton's absent-minded professor-of-a-father moves the family to a different university, the twins get kidnapped by the idiotic villain, Dean D. Dean, AKA Tweedle Dee; aided by his equally idiotic twin brother, Dan D. Dean, AKA Tweedle Dum (my aliases). I love that Dean turns to crime because the professor gave him an F in class. He's even the moustache-twirling "Mwuh-ha-ha" stereotypical character, but because the narrator points it out, I found it funny. Dean's biggest problem is he accuses the Professor of stealing his idea to build a Personal-One-Man Helicopter. The notion that an idea can be stolen is so ludicrous that its humorous and on a metafictional level points to the fact that many ideas are reused in children's literature. Weiner's presentation is what works. At least for me. I do have an odd sense of humor. While structure and plot are the building blocks of craft, it is the author's language and voice that makes this story rise on its own.
The parody of the slapstick villains and doofy adults is a familiar trope in children's literature where the adults are idiots and the young protagonists solve the story's problem because they are smarter and wiser. (Do you know the meaning of trope? "How very disappointing. And yet I know exactly what it means. Isn't that fascinating?" It means an overused theme or device.) Here Abigail and John not only unkidnap themselves, they save Dad in the process. They are helped by their ridiculous dog , Cassie a hyper fox terrier, that "runs and spins and wags its little tail like a metronome that has lost its mind. When you bring out the leash to take it for a walk and you tell it to "Sit!," it proceeds to leap straight up into the air, like a dolphin in a SeaWorld show, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over until you finally give up and say, 'Oh for goodness' sake,' and you just hold it down and clip on its leash. You may do this four thousand times over the course of five years and it will never, ever sit." Are you laughing? No? Then I suggest you read the SERIOUS book, "Bomb: The Race to Build --and Steal-- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon." Do you get the idea of what this book is like with an in-your-face narrator? Good. "LET'S MOVE ON."
Figures of speech, acronyms and character names are in every chapter such as the metonymic expression, "Abigail's eyes fell on that drawing of a balloon mounted on the refrigerator. By that, I do not mean that her eyeballs literally dropped out of her head onto the drawing. I mean the picture caught her attention." (I think that's called, metonymy. Isn't it? Ahhhh, please correct me if I'm wrong. This is the reason I NEVER became an English teacher. As Weiner would say, "LET'S MOVE ON.") Acronyms scatter the pages like leaves with my personal favorite, the STB or Self-Tensioning Book Ends ("beloved by librarians throughout the universe") and names that bounce like a superball such as Dan D. Dean - sounds like dandy, Dean D. Dean - sounds like dee-dee-dee, or Nanny Nan Noonan- sounds like na-na-na-na-nah. You'd think this nattering narrator would get annoying, but I never reached that point; the author reigns in at the right point keeping the pace going along with my laughter. The "Questions for Review" at the end of each chapter have hilarious questions that parody reviews or tests students take in school:
What were the names of Abigail and John, the Templeton twins?
Bonus Question: There is no bonus Question. Proceed to Question 3.
Isn't it a splendid thing that we have begun? (Hint: No. It means I must write some more. LET'S MOVE ON.)
The author is experimenting with how stories are presented with graphics, photos, and voice in surprising ways. While the action and cartoonish characters take a back seat to the humor, I admired how Ellis Weiner ties the plot points together and creates his own unique, goofy story while exposing craft at the same time.
Meet the 12-year-old Templeton Twins: Abigail, the genius, and John, the inventor. Abigail and John's mom has just died and they are finagling their father into buying them a dog; a common theme in children's books. You'd think this overused method of moving the plot along would be boring, but the narrator explains he knows this and points it out by writing, "asking for a dog is as old as the human (and dog) race," then he imagines out loud Cain and Abel arguing about getting a dog with Adam and Eve. Bad boy, Cain, sasses his parents while Abel begs "PLEEEEEEASE?" Abigail doesn't want to ask for a dog in a normal way because that is "tedious and grim." The narrator says, "Now, if I were you, I would immediately think, 'Just a moment, Narrator. Do you seriously expect me to believe that a twelve-year-old child would use the words 'tedious' and 'grim' in private conversation with her brother? wouldn't she be much more likely to say something along the lines of 'But, like, John? If we ask Dad the same old way, won't it be, like, boring and sad and stuff?'" This constant poking fun at the writing craft had me howling in the gym as I worked out. My neighbors on the elliptical machines quirked their brows at my sporadic outbursts. Between my plugged ears and piston pumping legs, I bet my laugh was much too boisterous. What do you expect from a Midwestern gal? I was having fun in my make-believe world. What's that? Oh, all right. I'll MOVE ON. I was just having a bit of a chit chat with you. I thought we could get to know each other.
When the Templeton's absent-minded professor-of-a-father moves the family to a different university, the twins get kidnapped by the idiotic villain, Dean D. Dean, AKA Tweedle Dee; aided by his equally idiotic twin brother, Dan D. Dean, AKA Tweedle Dum (my aliases). I love that Dean turns to crime because the professor gave him an F in class. He's even the moustache-twirling "Mwuh-ha-ha" stereotypical character, but because the narrator points it out, I found it funny. Dean's biggest problem is he accuses the Professor of stealing his idea to build a Personal-One-Man Helicopter. The notion that an idea can be stolen is so ludicrous that its humorous and on a metafictional level points to the fact that many ideas are reused in children's literature. Weiner's presentation is what works. At least for me. I do have an odd sense of humor. While structure and plot are the building blocks of craft, it is the author's language and voice that makes this story rise on its own.
The parody of the slapstick villains and doofy adults is a familiar trope in children's literature where the adults are idiots and the young protagonists solve the story's problem because they are smarter and wiser. (Do you know the meaning of trope? "How very disappointing. And yet I know exactly what it means. Isn't that fascinating?" It means an overused theme or device.) Here Abigail and John not only unkidnap themselves, they save Dad in the process. They are helped by their ridiculous dog , Cassie a hyper fox terrier, that "runs and spins and wags its little tail like a metronome that has lost its mind. When you bring out the leash to take it for a walk and you tell it to "Sit!," it proceeds to leap straight up into the air, like a dolphin in a SeaWorld show, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over until you finally give up and say, 'Oh for goodness' sake,' and you just hold it down and clip on its leash. You may do this four thousand times over the course of five years and it will never, ever sit." Are you laughing? No? Then I suggest you read the SERIOUS book, "Bomb: The Race to Build --and Steal-- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon." Do you get the idea of what this book is like with an in-your-face narrator? Good. "LET'S MOVE ON."
July 12, 2017
This middle grade book about fraternal twins and their inventor father is reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events, complete with an over-the-top narrator. I love the comprehensive questions at the end of each chapter, where the narrator's snark shines.
June 6, 2024
QUICK SUMMARY (some spoilers)
The Templeton Twins is relayed by a narrator who never fails to mention at every given moment how wonderful he is and that he is doing a great job telling the story. We must all agree with him especially since he is forced to tell us this story. He doesn’t state why.
Anyways, the narrator tells us about the Templeton twins, Abigail and John, children of professor and inventor John Templeton (I love the rhythm of his name). On the day they were born, the Professor was badgered by a student to whom he gave a bad grade. But that’s the student’s fault.
The story jumps 12 years. The Templeton twins’ mother has died and now they live alone with their father, who is depressed and withdrawn. Shortly after convincing their father to allow them to have a dog (a ridiculous dog), the Templetons relocate so that their father can continue his research on a new invention at the Tickeridge-Baltock Institute of Technology (Tick-Tock Tech), a university with a clock on every building that rings and alarms at every hour (how annoying).
There, the Professor is badgered again by the same student from 12 years ago, Dean D. Dean, who accuses the Professor of stealing his idea for the invention. The Professor denies this but obsessed with proving himself right, Dean and his twin brother Dan kidnap the twins.
MY THOUGHTS
We readers become hooked as the story picks up from here. The exciting parts are when the Templeton twins use their talents and analytical skills to turn an unfortunate situation into one they can benefit from. The narrator keeps the story interesting with his comical interjections and the characters move the story along with their silly antics.
This is a story to be read aloud. The reader/speaker must take on the persona of the opinionated narrator. The silly questions and the play on words throughout the story makes this story perfect for being read aloud to an audience of children, and adults too.
The illustrations, done by Jeremy Holmes, fit the story perfectly. Since the story is based on inventions, the illustrations are like a diagram of sorts. If there is an illustration of an object, it is accompanied by tiny arrows that show how it works. There are also illustrations of machine-hands throughout the book that point helpfully to key points and phrases or simply to the next chapter.
Since The Templeton Twins have an Idea is the first in a series, I can’t wait for the others to be published. My favorite character was the narrator and I already miss him.
As posted on Zezee with Books.
The Templeton Twins is relayed by a narrator who never fails to mention at every given moment how wonderful he is and that he is doing a great job telling the story. We must all agree with him especially since he is forced to tell us this story. He doesn’t state why.
Anyways, the narrator tells us about the Templeton twins, Abigail and John, children of professor and inventor John Templeton (I love the rhythm of his name). On the day they were born, the Professor was badgered by a student to whom he gave a bad grade. But that’s the student’s fault.
The story jumps 12 years. The Templeton twins’ mother has died and now they live alone with their father, who is depressed and withdrawn. Shortly after convincing their father to allow them to have a dog (a ridiculous dog), the Templetons relocate so that their father can continue his research on a new invention at the Tickeridge-Baltock Institute of Technology (Tick-Tock Tech), a university with a clock on every building that rings and alarms at every hour (how annoying).
There, the Professor is badgered again by the same student from 12 years ago, Dean D. Dean, who accuses the Professor of stealing his idea for the invention. The Professor denies this but obsessed with proving himself right, Dean and his twin brother Dan kidnap the twins.
MY THOUGHTS
We readers become hooked as the story picks up from here. The exciting parts are when the Templeton twins use their talents and analytical skills to turn an unfortunate situation into one they can benefit from. The narrator keeps the story interesting with his comical interjections and the characters move the story along with their silly antics.
This is a story to be read aloud. The reader/speaker must take on the persona of the opinionated narrator. The silly questions and the play on words throughout the story makes this story perfect for being read aloud to an audience of children, and adults too.
The illustrations, done by Jeremy Holmes, fit the story perfectly. Since the story is based on inventions, the illustrations are like a diagram of sorts. If there is an illustration of an object, it is accompanied by tiny arrows that show how it works. There are also illustrations of machine-hands throughout the book that point helpfully to key points and phrases or simply to the next chapter.
Since The Templeton Twins have an Idea is the first in a series, I can’t wait for the others to be published. My favorite character was the narrator and I already miss him.
As posted on Zezee with Books.
August 15, 2012
I sometimes chat with people while reading books. It's a rare sometimes, because most of the time I prefer to focus on my book rather than talk to people. I tend to talk when I need to think something through.
In the case of THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA, I was having issues with the narrator. Now, the narrator is very funny. Hir voice is idiosyncratic, with a strong opinion on the story, and often digressing to things like meatloaf recipes rather than the main plot. Yes, it is very much like Lemony Snicket. A Series of Unfortunate Events ended a little more than five years ago. There's room for a new story in the same vein. But there were times I found the style uncomfortably similar.
Abigail and John Templeton are fraternal twins living with their inventor father. After their mother's death, their father decides to go to work at a different university. There a man accuses their father of stealing his idea and demands credit. Dean D. Dean and his identical twin Dan D. Dean are willing to kidnap the Templeton twins in order to get what they want. But fortunately Abigail and John are experts at cryptic puzzles and the drums, respectively.
THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA is very funny and smart in a way that's accessible to younger readers. I particularly liked the quiz questions at the end of each chapter. They're silly - either easy, not a real question, or a facetious request for an essay - but I felt like they did increase my engagement with the text.
I liked Jeremy Holmes's artwork. I read an ARC so most of the illustrations were only sketches, but I liked the way they looked. Each image is stylish and dynamic. And the design of THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA extends from the illustrations to include playful borders and some special speech bubbles. It's both attractive and tempts rereading in order to find more details.
Young puzzle lovers and Lemony Snicket fans will enjoy THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA. I think there's always an audience for hilarious books about smart kids getting in and out of trouble. At least, I hope there is. And that audience will find THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA.
In the case of THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA, I was having issues with the narrator. Now, the narrator is very funny. Hir voice is idiosyncratic, with a strong opinion on the story, and often digressing to things like meatloaf recipes rather than the main plot. Yes, it is very much like Lemony Snicket. A Series of Unfortunate Events ended a little more than five years ago. There's room for a new story in the same vein. But there were times I found the style uncomfortably similar.
Abigail and John Templeton are fraternal twins living with their inventor father. After their mother's death, their father decides to go to work at a different university. There a man accuses their father of stealing his idea and demands credit. Dean D. Dean and his identical twin Dan D. Dean are willing to kidnap the Templeton twins in order to get what they want. But fortunately Abigail and John are experts at cryptic puzzles and the drums, respectively.
THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA is very funny and smart in a way that's accessible to younger readers. I particularly liked the quiz questions at the end of each chapter. They're silly - either easy, not a real question, or a facetious request for an essay - but I felt like they did increase my engagement with the text.
I liked Jeremy Holmes's artwork. I read an ARC so most of the illustrations were only sketches, but I liked the way they looked. Each image is stylish and dynamic. And the design of THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA extends from the illustrations to include playful borders and some special speech bubbles. It's both attractive and tempts rereading in order to find more details.
Young puzzle lovers and Lemony Snicket fans will enjoy THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA. I think there's always an audience for hilarious books about smart kids getting in and out of trouble. At least, I hope there is. And that audience will find THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA.
October 25, 2012
This is the story of 12-year-old twins, John and Abigail Templeton and their inventor father. This is also the story of a set of adult twins named Dean D. Dean and Dan D. Dean who feel that Mr. Templeton has stolen the idea for a Personal One-Man Helicopter from Dean (well Dean D. Dean, in this case). Confused yet? It's not as nearly as complicated as it seems but the twins (Templeton twins) are kidnapped in an attempt to force their father to hand over all of the materials for the invention of the flying machine. One of the instant strengths of this book are the quirky illustrations, speech bubbles and diagrams of some of the inventions. My main complaint is with the Narrator who is snarky and quite humorous in the beginning but at times in my opinion is a little to intrusive in the story for me. What comes off as humorous at the beginning is less so at the end, for that reason I wish that the Narrator had faded into the background toward the end and let the story shine more on its own. Children who enjoy reading Lemony Snicket will mostly likely not mind this so much as I did. Aside from that, the book has some wonderful "cryptic crosswords" that Abigail will need to solve and the action keeps the story going at a good pace.
November 12, 2012
Basically, I find this to be a poor imitation of Lemony Snicket's series. The author seemed like he was trying way too hard, and there really wasn't much of a story to tell. If the "narrator" had quit interfering in the story so much, the book probably would not have even been 200 pages. I know that this was meant to add some humor to the story, but it was overdone. Honestly, I found it to be incredibly annoyiing. Frankly, the only thing I took away from this story was the meatloaf recipe, which sounds quite good. If you're interested in the recipe, ask a friend who's read it, but I do not recommend this book.
January 31, 2013
I am currently reading Ellis Weiner's The Templeton Twins Have an Idea
December 3, 2021
The Templeton Twins is about two twins whose mother dies when they were very young and their father gets depressed and gives up everything he enjoys. A couple years later their father gets a job proposal from a university. The twins are finally getting used to their new house and then... I would recommend this book to kids or teen who enjoy books with mystery. I personally love the style of how the narrator tells this story.
October 27, 2017
This book had me smiling through the WHOLE THING! It was so funny, the author did a good job coming right out and facing the fact that books are not always fun to write, and a hassle to read. I enjoyed it. A simple story, but the way it was written out made it an adventure to read. I would read this again! XD
March 8, 2021
I recommend this book, especially to teens.
There was lots of humor in the beginning which brightened my mood. It's really funny when the first sentence on the first page is "The End". Also, this book was intense when Dean and Dan kidnapped the Templeton Twins. I love it when books get intense. If there was no part where you can get slightly scarred or get immensely concentrated, the book would seem boring to me. With these aspects, it is a good book.
I highly recommend this book, due to the humor and intensity.
There was lots of humor in the beginning which brightened my mood. It's really funny when the first sentence on the first page is "The End". Also, this book was intense when Dean and Dan kidnapped the Templeton Twins. I love it when books get intense. If there was no part where you can get slightly scarred or get immensely concentrated, the book would seem boring to me. With these aspects, it is a good book.
I highly recommend this book, due to the humor and intensity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2020
I read this out loud to my kids over the course of months. An okay story infused with lots of silly and over the top humor. I had a great time reading it and like the silliness of characters named Dean D. Dean and Dan D. Dean as well as the absurd quizzes at the end of each chapter which were mostly focused on how awesome the narrator is.
March 18, 2017
The book didn't really start until about a third of the way through, and the narrator was annoyingly (though intentionally) pretentious, but I was entertained and even laughed a couple of times. I like that it puts a positive spin for kids on science and research, but I would have liked to see a bit more actual science and research in it.
November 1, 2021
Well well well😂 So I really liked the beginning but found the narrotor a bit annoying🙁 The narrator was self prasing themself throughout the book!!😂 I didn’t find this book funny, but it was really interesting in the first few pages😋❤️ The end was not that great but it was happy!❤️❤️
Go for it!❤️
Go for it!❤️
September 3, 2019
My son and I both read this and agreed that it was a case of the writer trying to hard to be funny that it just became eye-roll annoying.
September 10, 2012
Daisy (11) for Big Book Little Book
Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book really appealed to my sense of humour. After a (if I may say so) rubbish blurb and a slightly more informative front flap, I started reading. The illustrations and layout of the book are quirky and clever and the story was funny. The story starts off with the twins, Abigail and John being born. Twelve years on, their mother dies leaving them with their Dad who is a professor at a university. What I forgot to tell you was, when the twins were born the professor had just given one of his students an F. The student was very sad so he tried to talk him into giving him a C but of course the twins were being born so he left without giving the man what he wanted. Now all he wanted was revenge on the professor and the twins. So you think this story is going to be about the student’s quest for revenge but it turns out, however, that this is just a sideline. The story is more about Cassie the ridiculous dog, the one-man helicopter and the twin’s hobbies, as well as how the twins outsmarted the evil student. They cleverly foil kidnap, revenge and manage to persuade their Dad to get a dog along the way.
At the end of every chapter the narrator asks the reader some questions about the previous chapter which were by far the best bits in the story. They were generally so hilariously funny that I was sent straight into fits of giggles. My favourite part in the whole book was when the narrator asked the reader: “How do you think the twin’s lives would have been different if they had never been born?” This and other silly questions were my personal highlights of the book.
Verdict: This is an off the wall, slightly crazy, story of two normal twins… or so you think. I would recommend it to 8-14 year old girls and boys. I loved this book and I think I nearly wet myself laughing at one point in the story. It definitely has the LOL factor!
Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book really appealed to my sense of humour. After a (if I may say so) rubbish blurb and a slightly more informative front flap, I started reading. The illustrations and layout of the book are quirky and clever and the story was funny. The story starts off with the twins, Abigail and John being born. Twelve years on, their mother dies leaving them with their Dad who is a professor at a university. What I forgot to tell you was, when the twins were born the professor had just given one of his students an F. The student was very sad so he tried to talk him into giving him a C but of course the twins were being born so he left without giving the man what he wanted. Now all he wanted was revenge on the professor and the twins. So you think this story is going to be about the student’s quest for revenge but it turns out, however, that this is just a sideline. The story is more about Cassie the ridiculous dog, the one-man helicopter and the twin’s hobbies, as well as how the twins outsmarted the evil student. They cleverly foil kidnap, revenge and manage to persuade their Dad to get a dog along the way.
At the end of every chapter the narrator asks the reader some questions about the previous chapter which were by far the best bits in the story. They were generally so hilariously funny that I was sent straight into fits of giggles. My favourite part in the whole book was when the narrator asked the reader: “How do you think the twin’s lives would have been different if they had never been born?” This and other silly questions were my personal highlights of the book.
Verdict: This is an off the wall, slightly crazy, story of two normal twins… or so you think. I would recommend it to 8-14 year old girls and boys. I loved this book and I think I nearly wet myself laughing at one point in the story. It definitely has the LOL factor!
October 26, 2023
I read a lot of good to great children's literature. This book doesn't qualify. The characters are flat and predictable, the plot is wafer-thin, there is no sense of setting, theme, or tone. In a nutshell, the story is this: two kids are kidnapped and held hostage so their father will sign over the rights to his invention to a delusional ex-student. They "oh-so-cleverly" escape and proceed to find their father and foil the kidnappers.
My question is this: Who includes instructions for solving cryptic crossword puzzles in a book? And seriously, who adds a full and complete meatloaf recipe to a kid's story? Why are these here? They add nothing and they disrupt everything, bringing the entire story to a grinding, screeching, halting "Huh? What the ...?"
The worst part of this book? An arrogant, patronizing narrator who keeps running off topic then saying, "Let's move on," as though you're the one holding things up. Here are just a couple quotes from the narrator so you see just how annoyingly rude he is:
"Forgive me, but I'm sure you wouldn't be capable of thinking up something as clever as that."
"I don't expect you to know what that idea was. You would have to be even more intelligent than I am to be able to guess what John's scheme was. And I think the odds of that being the case are rather small, don't you?"
How much more patronizing and self-congratulatory can a narrator be? It's as if, all in one book, the author was trying too hard while simultaneously acting like he's doing you a favor by writing the book.
My advice: Don't waste your time. Don't waste your children's time. Pick up a copy of Fablehaven or Chomp instead.
My question is this: Who includes instructions for solving cryptic crossword puzzles in a book? And seriously, who adds a full and complete meatloaf recipe to a kid's story? Why are these here? They add nothing and they disrupt everything, bringing the entire story to a grinding, screeching, halting "Huh? What the ...?"
The worst part of this book? An arrogant, patronizing narrator who keeps running off topic then saying, "Let's move on," as though you're the one holding things up. Here are just a couple quotes from the narrator so you see just how annoyingly rude he is:
"Forgive me, but I'm sure you wouldn't be capable of thinking up something as clever as that."
"I don't expect you to know what that idea was. You would have to be even more intelligent than I am to be able to guess what John's scheme was. And I think the odds of that being the case are rather small, don't you?"
How much more patronizing and self-congratulatory can a narrator be? It's as if, all in one book, the author was trying too hard while simultaneously acting like he's doing you a favor by writing the book.
My advice: Don't waste your time. Don't waste your children's time. Pick up a copy of Fablehaven or Chomp instead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2012
This middle grade novel is short, cheeky and easy to read. The novel has a very irreverent tone with the narrator informing us that he is clearly being put upon to write the story of the Templeton twins and it is not something he would have willingly done otherwise. The story itself is brisk and moves along at a rapid face with the conflicts being faced and resolved in quick succession. The funnest part of the novel were the end of the chapter review questions which were nothing of the sort and instead were free reign for the narrator to showcase his own wit.
I did feel that there was too much narrator interference in the novel – to its detriment. I wasn’t able to connect with the characters as I usually do because the narrator refused to let me and therefore I couldn’t really get behind any of the characters because they ended up being caricatures drawn up by the narrator and not characters.
However, the novel is short, amusing and has an amazing meatloaf recipe that I’d love to try out. I would comment on the art but they were pretty raw, just sketches really, in the e-arc form so I don’t think I’ve seen enough of it to form a conclusive opinion of them.
The novel is refreshingly innovative and should appeal to middle grade kids.
I did feel that there was too much narrator interference in the novel – to its detriment. I wasn’t able to connect with the characters as I usually do because the narrator refused to let me and therefore I couldn’t really get behind any of the characters because they ended up being caricatures drawn up by the narrator and not characters.
However, the novel is short, amusing and has an amazing meatloaf recipe that I’d love to try out. I would comment on the art but they were pretty raw, just sketches really, in the e-arc form so I don’t think I’ve seen enough of it to form a conclusive opinion of them.
The novel is refreshingly innovative and should appeal to middle grade kids.
October 9, 2015
For a children's book, this is quite a refreshing story. It does have a resemblance to A Series of Unfortunate Events (hence the narrator, unique illustrations and the atmosphere) but both hold their own originality. The humor is definitely not for everyone and though some kids might find it hilarious, others might find the narrator's humorous tongue a bit annoying. I enjoyed the narrator's voice who, I must admit, found to be just a little bothersome in some early pages but as arrogant he might come off he still delivers a nice plate of comical aspect.
As for the writing, kudos to Ellis Weiner for his wonderful work and touch of inventiveness. The illustrations were great, felt like more wouldn't have hurt. The story is very interesting and fun to read though it did feel too fast? But then again, it's a children's book not a 300+ pages YA Novel. I wish there had been just a bit more of background story for the main characters, they were very likable and I needed more. Like said before, it is intended for a younger audience so the characters are well written for such intentions. If you miss "ASoUE" you might want to give this book a chance for a similar yet unique taste. Cannot wait to know more about the lives of the Templeton Twins.
As for the writing, kudos to Ellis Weiner for his wonderful work and touch of inventiveness. The illustrations were great, felt like more wouldn't have hurt. The story is very interesting and fun to read though it did feel too fast? But then again, it's a children's book not a 300+ pages YA Novel. I wish there had been just a bit more of background story for the main characters, they were very likable and I needed more. Like said before, it is intended for a younger audience so the characters are well written for such intentions. If you miss "ASoUE" you might want to give this book a chance for a similar yet unique taste. Cannot wait to know more about the lives of the Templeton Twins.
October 13, 2012
I don't know what I like best about this book—the cover, the antagonistic narrator, or the word puzzles. Or maybe it's the meatloaf recipe. Or the end-of-chapter quizzes, with questions like:
1. Mary has five oranges. She gives two to Tom. Tom buys twice as many as Mary has left and gives half of them to her. Who cares?
2. Why are some dogs ridiculous, whereas other dogs are utterly ridiculous?
3. Have you ever walked around the block? Would you like to do so now? The rest of us will wait here until you return. Or will we?
It's a fun book, visually and textually. The Templeton twins are clever kids with an inventor father, so obviously some Caractacus Potts-style inventions come into play. And speaking of ridiculous dogs, the way the narrator talks about Cassie the Ridiculous Dog is my other favorite thing about this book. He calls her that as though it's her official name; toward the middle he starts abbreviating it to Cassie the R. Dog, and by the end it's C. the R.D., which just makes me laugh. Kids should find the book funny, and although the sarcastic narrator is a bit heavy-handed at times, it's still pretty fun for adults to read, too.
1. Mary has five oranges. She gives two to Tom. Tom buys twice as many as Mary has left and gives half of them to her. Who cares?
2. Why are some dogs ridiculous, whereas other dogs are utterly ridiculous?
3. Have you ever walked around the block? Would you like to do so now? The rest of us will wait here until you return. Or will we?
It's a fun book, visually and textually. The Templeton twins are clever kids with an inventor father, so obviously some Caractacus Potts-style inventions come into play. And speaking of ridiculous dogs, the way the narrator talks about Cassie the Ridiculous Dog is my other favorite thing about this book. He calls her that as though it's her official name; toward the middle he starts abbreviating it to Cassie the R. Dog, and by the end it's C. the R.D., which just makes me laugh. Kids should find the book funny, and although the sarcastic narrator is a bit heavy-handed at times, it's still pretty fun for adults to read, too.
December 21, 2023
I did not like it! I despised it! It was the worst book in my experience like ever and some books I really hate but this was the worst one yet!
Fort of all why is the author acting in like he is better than us? The stories plot was horrible but what was even worse was that the narrator was criticizing us. Now I’m normally not one to complain about criticism, but this criticism was so it wasn’t even criticism. It was the author a.k.a. the narrator, thinking he was better than us, which is just annoying. Like I’ve been leaning towards I really don’t recommend this book. It’s the worst book I’ve ever read in my entire life. It is horrible.
I wrote this a while ago so I don’t remember every detail of it but I do remember this one time in the book it was like but the key isn’t in the car like it normally is in the movies because this is not a movie blah blah blah blah it’s so annoying
I’m speaking of annoying the plot had so many twists. It had more twists than a Twizzler! It wasn’t engaging at all I was just so boring. I don’t understand why someone would read this book let alone write it.
It all up is the worst book ever!
Fort of all why is the author acting in like he is better than us? The stories plot was horrible but what was even worse was that the narrator was criticizing us. Now I’m normally not one to complain about criticism, but this criticism was so it wasn’t even criticism. It was the author a.k.a. the narrator, thinking he was better than us, which is just annoying. Like I’ve been leaning towards I really don’t recommend this book. It’s the worst book I’ve ever read in my entire life. It is horrible.
I wrote this a while ago so I don’t remember every detail of it but I do remember this one time in the book it was like but the key isn’t in the car like it normally is in the movies because this is not a movie blah blah blah blah it’s so annoying
I’m speaking of annoying the plot had so many twists. It had more twists than a Twizzler! It wasn’t engaging at all I was just so boring. I don’t understand why someone would read this book let alone write it.
It all up is the worst book ever!
March 24, 2013
This book was absolutely delightful - a must read for all fans of a good middle grade. The Templeton Twins Have an Idea is quirky and fun in a uniquely formatted book.
Jeremony Holmes's illustration and way The Templeton Twins Have an Idea is set up makes it very accessible for all readers. The book is very fun to read and the format only enhances that. Each chapter ends with silly questions which really made me engage with the book even more.
The characters are oh so quirky - they all bring something different to the story. Abigail has her unique puzzles, while John has his drums. The book has a Narrator telling the story who is absolutely charming. Much of the time, the Narrator is fishing for compliments or dropping a hint about how great he was, which was pretty fun.
Reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Templeton Twins Have an Idea is a book that will charm the socks off you. I can think of no other way to describe it but clever. I cannot wait for the follow up novel, The Templeton Twins Make a Scene, which is due on in September.
Jeremony Holmes's illustration and way The Templeton Twins Have an Idea is set up makes it very accessible for all readers. The book is very fun to read and the format only enhances that. Each chapter ends with silly questions which really made me engage with the book even more.
The characters are oh so quirky - they all bring something different to the story. Abigail has her unique puzzles, while John has his drums. The book has a Narrator telling the story who is absolutely charming. Much of the time, the Narrator is fishing for compliments or dropping a hint about how great he was, which was pretty fun.
Reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Templeton Twins Have an Idea is a book that will charm the socks off you. I can think of no other way to describe it but clever. I cannot wait for the follow up novel, The Templeton Twins Make a Scene, which is due on in September.
April 18, 2016
John and Abigail Templeton are twins whose father is an inventor and professor at a university. When a disgruntled former student of their father kidnaps them, they must find a way to outsmart him.
I chose this for a girl's book club I am doing for work this summer, but I'm kind of regretting it. The story itself is okay, but the narrator is unbelievably annoying, condescending, and rude. I know the narrator is meant to be amusing, but I think it misses the mark. This really put a damper on my experience with the book. Beyond the narrator, the story and characters are a bit bland, not bad, just bland. It will be interesting to hear what my book club kids think.
The one thing I did enjoy is the illustrations, which are really cool and unique.
So, I wrote the above review before the book club meeting. My personal thoughts still stand, but the girls loved it. They thought it was very funny.
I chose this for a girl's book club I am doing for work this summer, but I'm kind of regretting it. The story itself is okay, but the narrator is unbelievably annoying, condescending, and rude. I know the narrator is meant to be amusing, but I think it misses the mark. This really put a damper on my experience with the book. Beyond the narrator, the story and characters are a bit bland, not bad, just bland. It will be interesting to hear what my book club kids think.
The one thing I did enjoy is the illustrations, which are really cool and unique.
So, I wrote the above review before the book club meeting. My personal thoughts still stand, but the girls loved it. They thought it was very funny.
December 3, 2021
This book is about a twins and their dad. The kids mother had passed away. The dad is really sad about his wife dying and is turning depressed. He is giving up so much of his life. The family decided to move to a new town. They moved because they wanted to start a new life and forget about what happened to their mom\wife. In this new town the dad got a new job and is living a good life so far. The twins are happy that their dad is recovering from their mothers death. Suddenly something terrible happened to the twins... read the book to find out.
I really enjoyed this book because of the narrator. He is funny and just makes the book so much better overall. This book is amazing and kids would really like it. I suggest that younger kids around 7 and younger should have the book being read to them by a parent or teacher. I am sure that if you are 8 and older the book should be clear to read.
I really enjoyed this book because of the narrator. He is funny and just makes the book so much better overall. This book is amazing and kids would really like it. I suggest that younger kids around 7 and younger should have the book being read to them by a parent or teacher. I am sure that if you are 8 and older the book should be clear to read.
October 2, 2022
This book was just too predictable and didn't make sense at times. For a lot of middle grades, the parents won't even make an appearance, but the dad was there for the last 1/4 of the book and didn't help whatsoever. The kids did everything to get away from their kidnappers. Are you telling me that as someone has a gun pointed at your kid the dad would do nothing?!? The "questions" at the end of each chapter also was pointless to me and annoying to run into. I liked the layout of the book but that is pretty much it.
July 30, 2015
I really tried. Through several chapters I tried. Perhaps the writing style will delight someone. It just annoyed me. Not because it was morose, or broke the barrier between me and the narrator. Because it was trying SO HARD to be clever, or innovative, or something.
This looks promisingly in the vein of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It's not. Really not.
Maybe download the sample - it might be just your thing? It clearly wasn't my thing.
This looks promisingly in the vein of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It's not. Really not.
Maybe download the sample - it might be just your thing? It clearly wasn't my thing.
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