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Project Jackalope
A junior high student is on the run from men in black with a scary science experiment in his backpack in this exciting adventure.
Jeremy’s troubles begin when his eccentric neighbor leaves him an “experiment” for safekeeping—a jackalope! This so-called mythological creature looks like a bunny rabbit but comes with razor-sharp antlers and is purported to be a ruthless killer. When government agents show up at Jeremy's house seeking the jackalope for their own nefarious purposes, Jeremy must find a way to protect the jackalope, and himself. So, he reluctantly joins forces with Agatha, his holier-than-thou genius neighbor. Together, with the jackalope (and his weapons-grade antlers) tucked away in a backpack, they have only one chance to save Jack and still get their science fair projects in on time . . .
With her striking sense of humor, Emily Ecton has created a hilarious and suspenseful adventure, complete with a compelling and unforgettable cast of characters.
Praise for Project Jackalope
“A very satisfying thriller. . . . Readers will . . . be eager for a sequel.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Will keep readers smiling to the very end.” —School Library Journal
Jeremy’s troubles begin when his eccentric neighbor leaves him an “experiment” for safekeeping—a jackalope! This so-called mythological creature looks like a bunny rabbit but comes with razor-sharp antlers and is purported to be a ruthless killer. When government agents show up at Jeremy's house seeking the jackalope for their own nefarious purposes, Jeremy must find a way to protect the jackalope, and himself. So, he reluctantly joins forces with Agatha, his holier-than-thou genius neighbor. Together, with the jackalope (and his weapons-grade antlers) tucked away in a backpack, they have only one chance to save Jack and still get their science fair projects in on time . . .
With her striking sense of humor, Emily Ecton has created a hilarious and suspenseful adventure, complete with a compelling and unforgettable cast of characters.
Praise for Project Jackalope
“A very satisfying thriller. . . . Readers will . . . be eager for a sequel.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Will keep readers smiling to the very end.” —School Library Journal
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2012
14 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Emily Ecton
20 books61 followersEmily Ecton is a former writer and producer for Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, the NPR news quiz. She has also been a playwright, a chinchilla wrangler, an ice cream scooper and a costume character. After years of living in Chicago, she now lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her dog, Binky.
Also writes under the name Emily Fairlie
Also writes under the name Emily Fairlie
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 10, 2023
A kid occasionally helps out an eccentric professor who lives in the same apartment building. But one day when he comes home, he finds a letter from the professor. The professor left a science project in the kid’s room for him to take care of for a while. When the kid enters his room, he finds a rabbit with horns. He instantly recognizes it for what it is: a jackalope. And it doesn’t take long for men with suits and evil intentions to knock on the kid’s door, looking for the jackalope.
It’s a lighthearted and fun story that moves at a very fast pace. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which only adds to the enjoyment. And I really like the concept. Hiding something strange or alien from the government immediately reminds me of E.T., Stranger Things, The Shape of Water, … The characters don’t get much time to develop themselves because the pacing is so fast, but they still manage to come across as quite charming and fun.
Until quite recently, I had never heard of a jackalope. So I don’t really have any affection for this particular North American mythical creature. But it’s basically a rabbit with horns. And it’s supposed to be a natural born killer. Which actually reminds me a bit of the killer rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But since this is a children’s novel, the story doesn’t really show it. It’s mostly just the jackalope cutely blinking or wiggling its nose, and the protagonist responding by nearly jumping out of his skin, thinking the jackalope will attack him. And it mostly stays at that level throughout the story. It’s basically played more for laughs than anything else.
It’s a lighthearted and fun story that moves at a very fast pace. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which only adds to the enjoyment. And I really like the concept. Hiding something strange or alien from the government immediately reminds me of E.T., Stranger Things, The Shape of Water, … The characters don’t get much time to develop themselves because the pacing is so fast, but they still manage to come across as quite charming and fun.
Until quite recently, I had never heard of a jackalope. So I don’t really have any affection for this particular North American mythical creature. But it’s basically a rabbit with horns. And it’s supposed to be a natural born killer. Which actually reminds me a bit of the killer rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But since this is a children’s novel, the story doesn’t really show it. It’s mostly just the jackalope cutely blinking or wiggling its nose, and the protagonist responding by nearly jumping out of his skin, thinking the jackalope will attack him. And it mostly stays at that level throughout the story. It’s basically played more for laughs than anything else.
April 30, 2012
This book was funny and unique and the concept behind it is fantastic. The concept itself can be a Dreamworks animated movie where I think kids will definitely have a good time watching the story unfold. However, the story failed to reach its potential in many ways. Here are some of the issues I had with the book:
1) Character development. Everything was so rushed. Jeremy, the main character finds a Jackalope in his room; left there by his mad-scientist neighbour, and immediately things begins to roll. Actually, more like Usain-Bolt-lightning-speed. The next thing you know is he is teaming up with his other neighbour, Agatha to find the missing professor. Many things felt left out and the relationships between characters seem to be easily dismissed. Can be get more of an introduction to Bob? Can we know more about Jeremy and Agatha's relationship? They claim to be just acquaintances, then why do they seem to know so much about each other? I often had to read back a page just to make sure I didn't miss anything.
2) Not very believable. To think men in black suits come and visit your house and school looking for you, you'll think there will be some suspense to this novel but the plot just became very unbelievable. Jeremy's parents doesn't seem to question the two men staking outside their apartment, no one at school ratted Jeremy and Agatha out when the two men came to their school and raided their lockers. You will think someone must have seemed them leaving the school...through the front doors. After leaving school, they walked to the zoo. Oh really??? Oh they also sneaked into the zoo's lab and picked the lock. Who are these kids?
3) Why a jackalope? Wouldn't it sound scarier and more intense had the animal been a baby dragon? I think so.
Finally, a praise - Being a science student myself, I did enjoy some of the science aspect to this story but I think it is also this science background that made me doubt so many of the events in this book. It touched on topics that high school students will understand, which was fun for me to read.
This book is like Meet the Robinsons and I think a 9 year old who enjoys science will eat this book right up. Did I mention this book is very funny and I laughed out loud a couple of times? :)
1) Character development. Everything was so rushed. Jeremy, the main character finds a Jackalope in his room; left there by his mad-scientist neighbour, and immediately things begins to roll. Actually, more like Usain-Bolt-lightning-speed. The next thing you know is he is teaming up with his other neighbour, Agatha to find the missing professor. Many things felt left out and the relationships between characters seem to be easily dismissed. Can be get more of an introduction to Bob? Can we know more about Jeremy and Agatha's relationship? They claim to be just acquaintances, then why do they seem to know so much about each other? I often had to read back a page just to make sure I didn't miss anything.
2) Not very believable. To think men in black suits come and visit your house and school looking for you, you'll think there will be some suspense to this novel but the plot just became very unbelievable. Jeremy's parents doesn't seem to question the two men staking outside their apartment, no one at school ratted Jeremy and Agatha out when the two men came to their school and raided their lockers. You will think someone must have seemed them leaving the school...through the front doors. After leaving school, they walked to the zoo. Oh really??? Oh they also sneaked into the zoo's lab and picked the lock. Who are these kids?
3) Why a jackalope? Wouldn't it sound scarier and more intense had the animal been a baby dragon? I think so.
Finally, a praise - Being a science student myself, I did enjoy some of the science aspect to this story but I think it is also this science background that made me doubt so many of the events in this book. It touched on topics that high school students will understand, which was fun for me to read.
This book is like Meet the Robinsons and I think a 9 year old who enjoys science will eat this book right up. Did I mention this book is very funny and I laughed out loud a couple of times? :)
July 17, 2023
A slacker finds he is on the run from Men In Black type agents when his scientist neighbor leaves his scientific project, a jackalope in his apartment.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
July 20, 2015
Imaginary Fun!
That thing, the one that had destroyed the contents of my hamper in what, thirty minutes flat? It was a bunny.
Yeah, I know. A tiny little fluffy bunny with soft tufty feet and huge Hallmark card eyes. Oh yeah, and a set of nasty-looking razor sharp antlers coming out of its head.
It was a jackalope.
--Chapter 2
This book is written from the point of view of the main character, Jeremy (a kid in junior high). The following people live in his apartment building: Professor Twitchett (a quirky old man who has Jeremy run his errands), Agatha (Jeremy's sort-of friend) and her mom, a flight attendant who is never around, the Garcias (who make cookies on Saturdays), Mrs. Simmons (an old lady who "doesn't have all her socks in the drawer") and Jeremy and his parents. So, when two men in fancy suits show up at the building, Jeremy knows that something isn't right. Turns out Professor Twitchett left his latest secret experiment in Jeremy's care and there are people who are desperate to get that experiment for themselves.
Jeremy & Agatha spend the book trying to figure out what to do with the Jackalope and how to stay hidden from the suit guys. They don't know who to trust and even start to question each other's loyalty. It is a fun adventure with a few suspenseful moments. And there are a few twists that you might not see coming.
I totally enjoyed this book. It isn't very realistic, but come on, it's about a jackalope. You don't really expect a book like that to be grounded in real life. It is a fast-paced fun read that middle grade students will surely enjoy.
Recommended to:
Kids in grades 5-8, both boys and girls should enjoy this book. The action gets a bit intense at times, but nothing too scary. Reluctant readers may find this one a fun, quick read.
That thing, the one that had destroyed the contents of my hamper in what, thirty minutes flat? It was a bunny.
Yeah, I know. A tiny little fluffy bunny with soft tufty feet and huge Hallmark card eyes. Oh yeah, and a set of nasty-looking razor sharp antlers coming out of its head.
It was a jackalope.
--Chapter 2
This book is written from the point of view of the main character, Jeremy (a kid in junior high). The following people live in his apartment building: Professor Twitchett (a quirky old man who has Jeremy run his errands), Agatha (Jeremy's sort-of friend) and her mom, a flight attendant who is never around, the Garcias (who make cookies on Saturdays), Mrs. Simmons (an old lady who "doesn't have all her socks in the drawer") and Jeremy and his parents. So, when two men in fancy suits show up at the building, Jeremy knows that something isn't right. Turns out Professor Twitchett left his latest secret experiment in Jeremy's care and there are people who are desperate to get that experiment for themselves.
Jeremy & Agatha spend the book trying to figure out what to do with the Jackalope and how to stay hidden from the suit guys. They don't know who to trust and even start to question each other's loyalty. It is a fun adventure with a few suspenseful moments. And there are a few twists that you might not see coming.
I totally enjoyed this book. It isn't very realistic, but come on, it's about a jackalope. You don't really expect a book like that to be grounded in real life. It is a fast-paced fun read that middle grade students will surely enjoy.
Recommended to:
Kids in grades 5-8, both boys and girls should enjoy this book. The action gets a bit intense at times, but nothing too scary. Reluctant readers may find this one a fun, quick read.
July 27, 2012
Jeremy thought he was doing Professor Twitchett a favor by running errands for him after the professor and Agatha have a falling out. But when the professor disappears leaving Jeremy with what appears to be a jackalope and suited men showing up to question him, he has to turn to Agatha for help. Together the two of them try to solve the mystery of the professor’s disappearance, elude the men with secret weapons who are chasing them, find out about a traitor, and save the mythical creature they become attached to.
Project Jackalope by Emily Ecton, is a middle-school adventure with intrigue, high level science experiments, neighbors who are more than they seem and two young teens who discover that what goes on in the lunchroom and in the hallways of school is not necessarily the most important things in life.
Jeremy is funny as the hapless kid who unwittingly gets involved in high-level intrigue. But he’s got a soft spot for animals, even one as ornery as Jack, who likes to drink whiskey and can shred clothing with his horns but maybe isn’t so vicious after all. Project Jackalope is truly delightful. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end where she talks about real-life inventions that we may hear more of in the future.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review.
Project Jackalope by Emily Ecton, is a middle-school adventure with intrigue, high level science experiments, neighbors who are more than they seem and two young teens who discover that what goes on in the lunchroom and in the hallways of school is not necessarily the most important things in life.
Jeremy is funny as the hapless kid who unwittingly gets involved in high-level intrigue. But he’s got a soft spot for animals, even one as ornery as Jack, who likes to drink whiskey and can shred clothing with his horns but maybe isn’t so vicious after all. Project Jackalope is truly delightful. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end where she talks about real-life inventions that we may hear more of in the future.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review.
September 22, 2017
If your not a big book reader, i guarantee you will like the, "Project Jackalope". This book starts out at a pretty good pace with our main character Jermy. Jermy received a box that doesn't exactly look normal. But he suddenly gets the urge to open this package, in it is a hybrid animal that consists of a antelope and a jack rabbit. Jermy's adventure starts right there when he realizes that this jack rabbit with very sharp horns is attracting the FBI and he has to leave everything behind for his evil furry buddy.
This book was very interesting and it kept me on my toes for the whole book. my favorite character was Jermy because he always was scared of turning the corner to see his next challenge. This brought him to either returning the gone wrong project or to save it so it can be free.( Spoiler Alert) My favorite scene is when he exits the hotel and him and his friend spot a lot of FBI agents trying to blend in. this makes them think of how they are going to escape the grasps of the agents.
( Spoiler Alert Over). This book was a great novel to read.
what i liked the most was how the Jackalope acted around Jermy. It was hilarious at times and it made me keep reading the book for hours. This was one of my favorite parts about this book. but one part i disliked was how violent the animal was twords the FBI agents because the jackalope's actions made me think he was going to hurt a agent. One weird part was when i discovered that jermey tamed the jackalope by using a very strong alcohol. This made me laugh as soon as i heard it.
My final thoughts on this amazing novel was that it was a great book to entertain people who read it and to always keep them on their toes by chapter after chapter. I do recommend this book because it is a book you will always remember for how great and funny it was.I suggest you read this book because it is a great book and I guarantee you will have a laugh.
This book was very interesting and it kept me on my toes for the whole book. my favorite character was Jermy because he always was scared of turning the corner to see his next challenge. This brought him to either returning the gone wrong project or to save it so it can be free.( Spoiler Alert) My favorite scene is when he exits the hotel and him and his friend spot a lot of FBI agents trying to blend in. this makes them think of how they are going to escape the grasps of the agents.
( Spoiler Alert Over). This book was a great novel to read.
what i liked the most was how the Jackalope acted around Jermy. It was hilarious at times and it made me keep reading the book for hours. This was one of my favorite parts about this book. but one part i disliked was how violent the animal was twords the FBI agents because the jackalope's actions made me think he was going to hurt a agent. One weird part was when i discovered that jermey tamed the jackalope by using a very strong alcohol. This made me laugh as soon as i heard it.
My final thoughts on this amazing novel was that it was a great book to entertain people who read it and to always keep them on their toes by chapter after chapter. I do recommend this book because it is a book you will always remember for how great and funny it was.I suggest you read this book because it is a great book and I guarantee you will have a laugh.
November 2, 2017
Project Jackalope is story about a boy named Jeremy who is used to getting weird messages and other things from his neighbor "Professor Twitchett." However, Professor Twitchett gave him something a bit weirder than usual: An actual, live creature: a jackalope. Jeremy then has to find ways to hide it from unusual men in suits that try to take it from him.
This story jumps right in, and going from beginning to end, not making you bored once! You always want to read more, and it's almost like you can never find a stopping point because something else always happens next. The details are great, letting you vividly imagine the scene as if you were there. The character development was perfect, letting you have reasons to like and dislike characters. Since the book is in Jeremy's point of view, it sets a different perspective of things, letting you see what Jeremy's opinion on certain things are.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I thought that the story could be a bit predictable at times. The story also had some clichés that you could obviously tell what was going to happen next.
Other than that, I feel that this story is great and I definitely would recommend this to read. It has good humor and it doesn't lose you, it's very easy to follow.
This story jumps right in, and going from beginning to end, not making you bored once! You always want to read more, and it's almost like you can never find a stopping point because something else always happens next. The details are great, letting you vividly imagine the scene as if you were there. The character development was perfect, letting you have reasons to like and dislike characters. Since the book is in Jeremy's point of view, it sets a different perspective of things, letting you see what Jeremy's opinion on certain things are.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I thought that the story could be a bit predictable at times. The story also had some clichés that you could obviously tell what was going to happen next.
Other than that, I feel that this story is great and I definitely would recommend this to read. It has good humor and it doesn't lose you, it's very easy to follow.
Read
June 17, 2019I think the theme of this book is to never stop doing what your no matter how hard things may become.
April 3, 2014
Jeremy thought he was helping out when he offered to run errands for his neighbor, Professor Twichett, but he never expected the professor to run away and leave the results of his latest experiment, a jackalope, in Jeremy's bed. Jackalopes, we learn, can be docile if fed whiskey, but have razor sharp antlers that can maim or kill if the horned bunny gets riled up. Jeremy teams up with a neighbor, Agatha, to figure out what to do. How do you hide a jackalope? Who are the men in black suits that are after it (and incidentally after Jeremy and Agatha)? Where is Professor Twichett.
Tongue in cheek funny but with the flavor of a middle schooler. Some of the story's background feels missing and is occasionally rushed. Adults who should know better cave to the will of the men in black suits. Nonetheless, the story still works for 4th graders. My bigger problem is the identity of the bad guys--DARPA. Really? DARPA does advanced research in all sorts of odd subjects, but people who work there are a bunch of mostly civilian and some military scientists, not men in black suits. I wish she'd used DARPA as the odd research group but had made up some other group to be the enforcers.
Tongue in cheek funny but with the flavor of a middle schooler. Some of the story's background feels missing and is occasionally rushed. Adults who should know better cave to the will of the men in black suits. Nonetheless, the story still works for 4th graders. My bigger problem is the identity of the bad guys--DARPA. Really? DARPA does advanced research in all sorts of odd subjects, but people who work there are a bunch of mostly civilian and some military scientists, not men in black suits. I wish she'd used DARPA as the odd research group but had made up some other group to be the enforcers.
May 28, 2019
Illinois author, Emily Ecton, has written a science fiction mystery taking place in the realistic world of junior high! The main character, Jeremy, does errands for his neighbor, Professor Twitchett. When the professor has disappeared, Jeremy finds one of his experiments in his apartment: a jackalope (a mythical beast who is a cross between a rabbit and an antelope). But is this creature a new species or just an imaginary animal? Suddenly adult officials are questioning everyone in the apartment building including Agatha, another student who was an assistant to the professor. They want the animal so Jeremy decides to hide the jackalope. Jeremy and Agatha try to solve the mystery of the jackalope, find Professor Twitchett, and prepare for their upcoming science fair. The reader is sure that the total story is science fiction until the end of the book when the author reveals facts about the interest the government has in scientific experiments! Students, ages 8-11, will be fascinated by this story!
September 4, 2021
Parts of this book were fun for me and were entertaining enough for my middle schooler to recommend it to me, with the caveat it was okay. The characters had wild adventures not out of line with an author like Stuart Gibbs and it was funny.
But as I read it, I had to wonder who was the intended audience. There were a lot of pop-culture references to things like Beanie Babies that would have made sense to someone who grew up in the 1990s, but in the 2010s, not so much. There were a few swear words, which is not something I typically expect from a book sold at an elementary school book fair. The humor was on line with the author's background in Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. If the author wrote a book for adults with this same sense of silliness, I would take a chance on it, but I wouldn't recommend it to kids, which is a shame, because who doesn't love a Jackalope.
But as I read it, I had to wonder who was the intended audience. There were a lot of pop-culture references to things like Beanie Babies that would have made sense to someone who grew up in the 1990s, but in the 2010s, not so much. There were a few swear words, which is not something I typically expect from a book sold at an elementary school book fair. The humor was on line with the author's background in Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. If the author wrote a book for adults with this same sense of silliness, I would take a chance on it, but I wouldn't recommend it to kids, which is a shame, because who doesn't love a Jackalope.
December 25, 2025
I loved this book! I would recommend it and I will likely buy it.
Action packed from the start, great character development for the length of it, funny, fun, and interesting. I also liked the mysterious aspect of it and then when the answers were revealed as time went on.
I wasn’t sure what a jackalope even was as I have never heard of one before. I think most people haven’t heard of it. So, the title piqued my interest while looking at the library for a book for my son. He decided not to read it so I did and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy spy stuff and science fiction so I like how it was a bit if both with that fictional animal the jackalope which was a rabbit and antelope combined, well sort of. A jackalope is something in else in it’s own right, and what it ate was very shocking. You will just have to read it to find out!
Action packed from the start, great character development for the length of it, funny, fun, and interesting. I also liked the mysterious aspect of it and then when the answers were revealed as time went on.
I wasn’t sure what a jackalope even was as I have never heard of one before. I think most people haven’t heard of it. So, the title piqued my interest while looking at the library for a book for my son. He decided not to read it so I did and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy spy stuff and science fiction so I like how it was a bit if both with that fictional animal the jackalope which was a rabbit and antelope combined, well sort of. A jackalope is something in else in it’s own right, and what it ate was very shocking. You will just have to read it to find out!
February 24, 2022
A lot of my issues are probably due to the middle-grade-ness of this book—though even for that age it felt a little toned down. I'm a sucker for jackalopes, and I liked the one here—I could have just read a book full of the jackalope, without being filtered through a kid's POV.
March 24, 2020
playful fasntasy, entertaining
Read
January 8, 2022Boy comes home to find secret agents lurking in the hallway, enters his bedroom to discover he's been given a jackalope, and hilarity ensues.
Read
October 16, 20151) Project Jackalope is a suspense/action-adventure book that consists of stealthy operations, and other amazing stunts that must be taken in order to secure the jackalope. Agatha and Jeremy must find a way to do something about the mess they got into, with Professor Twitchett...now a jackalope. The problem is a jackalope is a VERY dangerous animal, and the FBI chases Agatha and Jeremy, while they must tame this rogue animal into a rabbit-like behaving animal.
2) Somebody would want to read because it is a very intriguing and hooks you in from start to end of the book.
3) The characters, Agatha and Jeremy are a team but treat each other like typical siblings, Agatha is slightly rude but Jeremy is adventurous and is very "professional" when it comes to communicating and/or agreeing on a conflicting issue. The most significant relationship was between Agatha and Jeremy
4) The plot was very medium-paced and had you thinking and comprehending weird events along the way.
5) I would recommend this to any reader that enjoys action and adventure, because it consists of mainly that genre type.
2) Somebody would want to read because it is a very intriguing and hooks you in from start to end of the book.
3) The characters, Agatha and Jeremy are a team but treat each other like typical siblings, Agatha is slightly rude but Jeremy is adventurous and is very "professional" when it comes to communicating and/or agreeing on a conflicting issue. The most significant relationship was between Agatha and Jeremy
4) The plot was very medium-paced and had you thinking and comprehending weird events along the way.
5) I would recommend this to any reader that enjoys action and adventure, because it consists of mainly that genre type.
February 19, 2012
Review of an advance copy:
When Jeremy gets home from school one day, he finds a note from his eccentric scientist neighbor in the lobby and a jackalope in a box on his bed. Suddenly men in suits are following him everywhere, and Jeremy has to work with his neighbor Agatha to keep himself and the jackalope safe. The books is very funny and full of action and lots of crazy situations. I found it highly entertaining, and enjoyed the chase as well as finding out more about Professor Twitchell. I also liked seeing Jack and Agatha try to come up with explanations for their increasingly bizarre behavior.
(For those who are concerned with such things, I think I ran into two "hells," as in "no way in hell," and the jackalope has a fondness for whiskey. I thought the whiskey-drinking jackalope bit was funny, rather than objectionable, but the hells startled me - they seemed out of place, I guess. Neither is a deal-breaker for me, but I would be slightly more hesitant to recommend this to certain children or their parents.)
When Jeremy gets home from school one day, he finds a note from his eccentric scientist neighbor in the lobby and a jackalope in a box on his bed. Suddenly men in suits are following him everywhere, and Jeremy has to work with his neighbor Agatha to keep himself and the jackalope safe. The books is very funny and full of action and lots of crazy situations. I found it highly entertaining, and enjoyed the chase as well as finding out more about Professor Twitchell. I also liked seeing Jack and Agatha try to come up with explanations for their increasingly bizarre behavior.
(For those who are concerned with such things, I think I ran into two "hells," as in "no way in hell," and the jackalope has a fondness for whiskey. I thought the whiskey-drinking jackalope bit was funny, rather than objectionable, but the hells startled me - they seemed out of place, I guess. Neither is a deal-breaker for me, but I would be slightly more hesitant to recommend this to certain children or their parents.)
June 12, 2012
What would you do if your crazy professor neighbor broke into your house, left a dangerous experiment in your bed, and disappeared, leaving mysterious government agents stalking you in his wake? Project Jackalope answers that question with lots of great humor... and chase scenes.
While this book is aimed at younger readers (tweens), I think anyone could enjoy this book. I know I did! Jeremy is your average junior high kid. His parents are annoying (but he suffers them anyway), he's not popular, he hates the jocks, and his neighboring classmate Agatha is a science geek. All in all, he just makes it through the day and runs errands for weird Professor Twitchett for money.
That's before the jackalope. Now he's on the run, doesn't know who he can trust... and has to find some more whiskey before Jack goes psychotic. I laughed all the way through this book. It's a keeper for sure.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
While this book is aimed at younger readers (tweens), I think anyone could enjoy this book. I know I did! Jeremy is your average junior high kid. His parents are annoying (but he suffers them anyway), he's not popular, he hates the jocks, and his neighboring classmate Agatha is a science geek. All in all, he just makes it through the day and runs errands for weird Professor Twitchett for money.
That's before the jackalope. Now he's on the run, doesn't know who he can trust... and has to find some more whiskey before Jack goes psychotic. I laughed all the way through this book. It's a keeper for sure.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
August 15, 2012
When Jeremy unexpectedly finds a jackalope in his bedroom, left there by Professor Twitchett, a rather disreputable scientist who lives in the same apartment building, he's in trouble from the start. He barely knows the man who has disappeared, and there are several men wearing suits interrogating Jeremy and the rest of the tenants. Jeremy teams up with Agatha, another neighbor who is a classmate, and they try to protect the jackalope while figuring a way to outsmart the professor and government agency that wants to experiment on using the animal for the Department of Defense. There is plenty of action here, and lots of funny parts, especially the passages describing the jackalope's consumption of whiskey and Jeremy's distractive strategies with a hotel desk clerk. While the narrator's voice is strong and sounds like a young teen, I felt as though I didn't really get to know the main characters or the villains very well. Still, the author managed to evoke sympathy for that poor old jackalope being hauled all over town.
Want to read
April 1, 2012From the Publisher: You think jackalopes aren't real? THINK AGAIN.Jeremy's troubles begin when his eccentric neighbor leaves him an "experiment" for safekeeping-a jackalope! This so-called mythological creature looks like a bunny rabbit, but comes with razor-sharp antlers and is purported to be a ruthless killer. When government agents show up at Jeremy's house seeking the jackalope for their own nefarious purposes, Jeremy must find a way to protect the jackalope, and himself. So he reluctantly joins forces with Agatha, his holier-than-thou genius neighbor. Together, with the jackalope (and his weapons-grade antlers) tucked away in a backpack, they have only one chance to save Jack and still get their science fair projects in on time. With her striking sense of humor, Emily Ecton has created a hilarious and suspenseful adventure,complete with a compelling and unforgettable cast of characters.
March 13, 2014
Jeremy ran errands for his eccentric neighbor Professor Twichett, but that was the extent of their relationship. Then one day mysterious men in dark suits are hanging out in his apartment building, and Jeremy finds a package in his bedroom from the Professor. He's shocked to find a rabbit, with antlers and bloodthirsty eyes - a jackalope. Now on the run, not sure who to trust, he turns to Agatha, the weird, nerdy girl down the hall. Together, they try to find answers to what is going on, and to protect the jackalope from those who want to take him. But they have no idea just how dangerous he can be.
This book was fun, light-hearted, and engrossing. The mystery developed well, and the reader is left constantly trying to figure out the truth until the very end. It does have a few drunken rabbit scenes and some light cuss words, but nothing worse than that. Definitely an entertaining read.
This book was fun, light-hearted, and engrossing. The mystery developed well, and the reader is left constantly trying to figure out the truth until the very end. It does have a few drunken rabbit scenes and some light cuss words, but nothing worse than that. Definitely an entertaining read.
February 20, 2016
Genre: Middle-grade fiction
Worldview: Secular, clean
Pros: Just the kind of book I like. Quirky, fun, and includes a jackalope. The main protagonist is male, but he has a female sidekick. There are weird adults, a dubious professor, a crazy-lady neighbor, a creepy lab tech. They mystery is fun and the ending is satisfying. The main character learns about true friendship.
Cons: My only concern is that while there was no cussing in the book, the main female character is described as cussing frequently. It doesn't add anything to the story, and to have a young character "cuss" as part of their personality bothers me. It is not something I'd want my children to emulate.
Fun read.
Worldview: Secular, clean
Pros: Just the kind of book I like. Quirky, fun, and includes a jackalope. The main protagonist is male, but he has a female sidekick. There are weird adults, a dubious professor, a crazy-lady neighbor, a creepy lab tech. They mystery is fun and the ending is satisfying. The main character learns about true friendship.
Cons: My only concern is that while there was no cussing in the book, the main female character is described as cussing frequently. It doesn't add anything to the story, and to have a young character "cuss" as part of their personality bothers me. It is not something I'd want my children to emulate.
Fun read.
December 31, 2014
Oh I really wanted this book to be great, but I was a little disappointed. The beginning starts out funny with just enough snark to get you interested... it's the kind of book to read aloud. But then the jackalope drinks whiskey and the kids are cussing each other out (in their heads, no explicit words are actually printed, but still... do we really need to read that?). And some actual swear words make an appearance later in the book. The story in itself is good, I just don't know that I'd be comfortable sharing it with my students at school.
June 10, 2012
This book might be a five-star book, but...
Emily gets a point taken off for being a friend and writing such a readable, exciting book anyway.
And for writing "...one of those oldies songs, 'Highway to Hell'"
Fun book and great narrator who keeps lying to himself (and knows he's lying to himself) but won't back off from it, really (I mean, c'mon). - That was my inadequate attempt at capturing the hilarious tone of the book.
Emily gets a point taken off for being a friend and writing such a readable, exciting book anyway.
And for writing "...one of those oldies songs, 'Highway to Hell'"
Fun book and great narrator who keeps lying to himself (and knows he's lying to himself) but won't back off from it, really (I mean, c'mon). - That was my inadequate attempt at capturing the hilarious tone of the book.
February 6, 2016
This book is very cute and a lot of fun. It is an adventure story, but not to be taken to seriously. I think it would make a fun children's TV movie.
The book follows the adventures of Jeremy, whose mad scientist neighbor leaves his latest experiment in his care and disappears. Jeremy enlists the help of classmate and neighbor Agatha to help him escape the strange and mysterious government officials who are after the experiment.
The book follows the adventures of Jeremy, whose mad scientist neighbor leaves his latest experiment in his care and disappears. Jeremy enlists the help of classmate and neighbor Agatha to help him escape the strange and mysterious government officials who are after the experiment.
September 16, 2015
I'm not sure how this book made it on the sunshine state list. Even though it includes a jackalope it's not very imaginative or even particularly exciting. The inclusion of the jackalope as a main device is sort of pointless and most of the book involves them running from a secret organization that isn't that frightening or mysterious, although the author tries to make it so. It's my 13th sunshine state book and it doesn't belong with this group.
May 16, 2012
A crazy scientist drops off a mythical creature, and suddenly imposing men in suits are after Jeremy. Who are these men, and what do they want?
I enjoyed this book more than other books by this author, I think because it was more based in reality. I thought that this was something that could really happen.
I enjoyed this book more than other books by this author, I think because it was more based in reality. I thought that this was something that could really happen.
June 20, 2012
I almost put it down at page 3.
The narrator was talking to me. And I don't normally appreciate that.
But I kept at it, and I'm glad I did.
This would be the kind of book certain adventure-seeking boys would like, and I'm glad I stuck with it. How else would I know how to avoid DARPA or mad scientists?
The narrator was talking to me. And I don't normally appreciate that.
But I kept at it, and I'm glad I did.
This would be the kind of book certain adventure-seeking boys would like, and I'm glad I stuck with it. How else would I know how to avoid DARPA or mad scientists?
June 14, 2015
2 kids, who share an apartment building with a mad scientist type, a Hispanic family, and a not-all-there elderly lady, get left with the scientist's project. It isn't long before the g-men in suits show up looking to collect the project and the kids go on the run.
A silly little book about a mythical creature; if you don't expect much and just enjoy the ride, you'll thoroughly enjoy the tale.
A silly little book about a mythical creature; if you don't expect much and just enjoy the ride, you'll thoroughly enjoy the tale.
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