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Mischievians
Where’s my homework? Who took my other sock? What’s that in my belly button? The creators of the #1 New York Times bestselling and Academy Award–winning The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore have found the answers to these and other life mysteries…and no, it’s not your fault!Strange smells. Disappearing remotes. That itch you just can’t reach. It’s not your fault! It’s the Mischievians, an ancient race of global mischief-makers who do all the things that embarrass you. All the things that bug you. All the things that YOU get blamed for! There is no cause for alarm (sorta). Come meet the Homework Eater, the fiend who steals your homework! See the Endroller, the villain who uses up ALL the toilet paper! Discover the Yawn Mower, the creature who makes you yawn at the worst possible time! And many, many more. Read on, and be free.
56 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2013
9 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
William Joyce
164 books1,490 followersWilliam Joyce does a lot of stuff—films, apps, Olympic curling—but children’s books are his true bailiwick (The Numberlys, The Man in the Moon, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, Toothiana, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is also an Academy Award–winning short film, to name a few). He lives with his family in Shreveport, Louisiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
November 30, 2019
Within the first few pages I thought this was a creative idea. Then it dragged on. There was too much text and too much information and explanation and it dragged on and on. I love William Joyce’s work, but this was almost a miss for me.
The kids call for help as their homework is disappearing somewhere. Dr. Maximilian Fortisque Robinson Zooper (love that name) sucks them into an underground laboratory where he explains the Mischievians are responsible. He has an encyclopedia and so we have to go through each known Mischievian and what they do. One steals socks, one creates belly button lint, one hangs boogers out your nose. It gets kinda gross. My nephew loved that stuff, enjoying the ewwww the whole time, but it was even long for the nephew. It just loses its shine being so long.
The nephew thought it was pretty cool. He liked being grossed out. He gave this 4 stars.
The kids call for help as their homework is disappearing somewhere. Dr. Maximilian Fortisque Robinson Zooper (love that name) sucks them into an underground laboratory where he explains the Mischievians are responsible. He has an encyclopedia and so we have to go through each known Mischievian and what they do. One steals socks, one creates belly button lint, one hangs boogers out your nose. It gets kinda gross. My nephew loved that stuff, enjoying the ewwww the whole time, but it was even long for the nephew. It just loses its shine being so long.
The nephew thought it was pretty cool. He liked being grossed out. He gave this 4 stars.
June 23, 2015
This is the second book the Neff and I read together. I think he, like his auntie (me) who bought it for him, was attracted to the cover image cuteness. It was a little old for him, and he didn't really love it the same way as an older kid might. The humor is more of a mid grade age, I think. But he did really enjoy the pictures and trying to turn the pages. 18 month old boys are easy to amuse.
For me, since I got the humor, I thought it was pretty good. The premise is that there are little creatures that exist solely to mess with things. They make fart noises when you sit on leather couches, or eat your homework, or steal your socks, or make shy boogers hang out of your nose, etc.
Pretty cute but it's definitely a book he'll have to grow into.
For me, since I got the humor, I thought it was pretty good. The premise is that there are little creatures that exist solely to mess with things. They make fart noises when you sit on leather couches, or eat your homework, or steal your socks, or make shy boogers hang out of your nose, etc.
Pretty cute but it's definitely a book he'll have to grow into.
November 13, 2019
Concerned at the wealth of items that have gone missing from their home, a brother and sister write a letter asking for help, only to find themselves whisked off to the underground laboratory of the madcap Dr. Zooper the next moment. Here, the eccentric scholar explains that these odd occurrences are the result of a race of mischief-makers known as Mischievians. In question-and-answer format, the rest of the book is dedicated to outlining some of the major kinds of Mischievians, from Homework Eaters to RemoteToters...
Like many of his other picture-books, from The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs to The Man in the Moon and its sequels in the Guardians of Childhood series, William Joyce's The Mischievians is an inventive work of fantasy, one that highlights a particular category of magical creature. Unfortunately, although I found the gorgeously detailed artwork immensely appealing, and liked the idea of the book, I found this one a little weak, as it concerns the narrative. The middle section, formatted as a guidebook, just drags on a little too long, textually speaking, while the framing story, in which the boy and girl visit Dr. Zooper's laboratory, isn't strong enough to carry the middle section, or keep the reader involved. Recommended primarily to fans of William Joyce's artwork, or to those looking for guidebook-style picture-books about magical creatures.
Like many of his other picture-books, from The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs to The Man in the Moon and its sequels in the Guardians of Childhood series, William Joyce's The Mischievians is an inventive work of fantasy, one that highlights a particular category of magical creature. Unfortunately, although I found the gorgeously detailed artwork immensely appealing, and liked the idea of the book, I found this one a little weak, as it concerns the narrative. The middle section, formatted as a guidebook, just drags on a little too long, textually speaking, while the framing story, in which the boy and girl visit Dr. Zooper's laboratory, isn't strong enough to carry the middle section, or keep the reader involved. Recommended primarily to fans of William Joyce's artwork, or to those looking for guidebook-style picture-books about magical creatures.
August 4, 2021
It has become trite to say a book will be enjoyed by "young and old alike." This hilarious book really does - and then some. Another grand slam by our family-favorite William Joyce. (We are STILL quoting Rolie Polie Olie and my son is TEN!)
April 17, 2019
This is a book I used while teaching a mixed year 3/4 class. It was a wonderful book with lots of exciting opportunities for lesson ideas. The book is a comical story about the 'Mischievians', they are small creatures that get up to no good around your home and within your life. We used this book through a 'wow' lesson, the classroom was destroyed and the children had to figure out why, they then created their own Mischievian they thought has destroyed the classroom.
A whole scheme of work was created within the story, it allowed the children to be creative and I was able to see the excitement from the book in the children writing they produced.
Would recommend this book for years 1 to 4.
A whole scheme of work was created within the story, it allowed the children to be creative and I was able to see the excitement from the book in the children writing they produced.
Would recommend this book for years 1 to 4.
November 6, 2013
Have you ever wondered what happened to your homework, or who took the remote control for the TV? Or who makes you yawn and why do you sometimes get a song stuck in your head? Well William Joyce's newest must have read for children answers all those questions and more! The MISCHIEVIANS are responsible for those things and much more. What? You never heard of them? Neither did I until I read this book and now everything makes sense.
I knew there had to be a reason why we can have so many half pairs of socks, and why I always yawn, and why for some reason in my kids's bathroom there's never any toilet paper let, and yet everyone claims it wasn't them. We have a bad case of The MISCHIEVIANS. Those pesky little creatures are up to no good.... well not really no good. They're up to some good. After all they're doing what they know how to do.
After reading this book I feel like I finally have the answer to a question no one has been able to answer. These guys are responsible for the things that happen around our house that no one can explain. William Joyce gives the best answers to my burning questions. Chalk full of William Joyce humor, The Mischievians is a book that both children and parents will enjoy. This book has brought plenty of laugher during our bed time reading. It's also encouraged my kids to use their imaginations to come up with their own Mischievians. At the end of the book William left a page for kids to document their own Mischievians, and he wants the kids to share it with him. You never know, he just might use it in one of his up coming books (see the back of the book for more details).
I will say I loved some of William's other books more than this one, but it gets a solid 5 stars from my kiddos who loved this book.
Read my review here http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2013/1...
May 8, 2014
Aah, if there were ever a book more made for book-talking to an elementary school audience, I'm not sure I have found it. OK, well, maybe except for The Day My Butt Went Psycho. Have you ever wondered what causes you to yawn? What about what makes you laugh during SUPER SERIOUS moments? Well, you're in luck -- none of these things are actually your fault...it's all the fault of the Mischievians! These tiny little creatures will just NOT LEAVE HUMANS ALONE!
Probably the best part of this book are William Joyce's (as usual) AMAZING illustrations. These creatures are hilarious and bizarre, and are designed perfect for tormenting people. I also love that the book is written in the form of a Q&A (perfect for doing tandem book talks with another person), and that there's a little space in the back of the book for you to draw the Mischievians YOU discover! Will definitely be book-talking this for K-3rd graders when we do summer reading school visits this year.
Probably the best part of this book are William Joyce's (as usual) AMAZING illustrations. These creatures are hilarious and bizarre, and are designed perfect for tormenting people. I also love that the book is written in the form of a Q&A (perfect for doing tandem book talks with another person), and that there's a little space in the back of the book for you to draw the Mischievians YOU discover! Will definitely be book-talking this for K-3rd graders when we do summer reading school visits this year.
November 10, 2013
This book starts off with a pretty cool premise: finding out who is responsible for lingering smells, sneezes, missing socks, and more...
The "and more" part is what got me. The book, poised in a question-answer format about the various mischievians, with some letters of every question or answer missing due to unnamed mischievians, goes on and on in a quite predictable way until Dr. Zooper, the expert on mischievians, says it's time to go and the two protagonists hope to find more mischievians to record in a provided blank page.
Sorry, guys, but unless you're super into this particular subject matter, I wouldn't recommend this one.
The "and more" part is what got me. The book, poised in a question-answer format about the various mischievians, with some letters of every question or answer missing due to unnamed mischievians, goes on and on in a quite predictable way until Dr. Zooper, the expert on mischievians, says it's time to go and the two protagonists hope to find more mischievians to record in a provided blank page.
Sorry, guys, but unless you're super into this particular subject matter, I wouldn't recommend this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2013
While you might think this is a picture book, the writing and some of the humor will entertain the older kid to the adult. Bill Joyce follows a path that humorists have used for a while, let's explain why some of the things happen around the house that we can't seem to explain. What happens to socks? Homework? Etc.? The explanations are fun. Although, the drawings might be a little frightening for young children. All in all, enjoyable.
January 1, 2016
I read this one with my 5 year old niece. She seemed to really enjoy it. Some of the language was a bit beyond her comprehension level, but the premise of the story was good and entertaining for her.
July 13, 2016
Brought this home from the library to read with my son...all this time I thought it was the fairies giving me a hard time but it turns out it is the Mischievians, cute buggers. Both my son and I found this to be a fun book.
January 9, 2016
Adorable Children's Book! Beautiful illustrations. Fun for all ages!
My favorite Mischievian is the Giggler.... and no wonder I can never reach that itch on my back! lol!
My favorite Mischievian is the Giggler.... and no wonder I can never reach that itch on my back! lol!
September 13, 2014
The Mischievians is an older picturebook by William Joyce that explains the strange smells, disappearing remotes, missing homework, and all the little things that you have never been able to explain on your own. None of these lost things or weird experiences happen by chance, they are the work of the Mischievians. These creatures are an ancient race of troublemakers who do all the things that embarrass you, bug you, and that YOU get blamed for!
The Mischievians is a fun and mock-informational book about the little mischief makers that make life a little more difficult. readers will meet the Homework Eater (steals your homework), the Endroller (uses up ALL the toilet paper), the Yawn Mower (makes you yawn at the worst time), and many more. The use of imagination is powerful and the details here are impressive. I loved the illustrations and the ideas and possibilities that this book opened the door too. My only reservation here is that so many children, and adults, refuse to accept responsibility for their own mistakes and faults that this book might give some imaginative folk the feeling that their responsibility avoidance is okay. As someone that loses things on a regular basis, particularly after putting them in a specifically 'safe' place, I like the idea that something else is to blame but know the difference.
I enjoyed The Mischievians and would recommend it to older fans of picturebooks and for sharing in a group. The only people I would avoid sharing this book with are those that are regularly avoiding taking responsibility for themselves. It just might give them ideas that might amuse, could also continue or encourage bad habits.
The Mischievians is a fun and mock-informational book about the little mischief makers that make life a little more difficult. readers will meet the Homework Eater (steals your homework), the Endroller (uses up ALL the toilet paper), the Yawn Mower (makes you yawn at the worst time), and many more. The use of imagination is powerful and the details here are impressive. I loved the illustrations and the ideas and possibilities that this book opened the door too. My only reservation here is that so many children, and adults, refuse to accept responsibility for their own mistakes and faults that this book might give some imaginative folk the feeling that their responsibility avoidance is okay. As someone that loses things on a regular basis, particularly after putting them in a specifically 'safe' place, I like the idea that something else is to blame but know the difference.
I enjoyed The Mischievians and would recommend it to older fans of picturebooks and for sharing in a group. The only people I would avoid sharing this book with are those that are regularly avoiding taking responsibility for themselves. It just might give them ideas that might amuse, could also continue or encourage bad habits.
July 15, 2018
This is another wonderful children's fiction book by William Joyce. The story is about the Mischievians who are responsible for all sorts of crazy annoying things that happen in our daily lives. There is one who steals socks, thus explaining why single socks are always going missing. There is one who steals the remote, once and for all solving the mystery of who lost the remote - it wasn't lost, it was stolen!!! There's even one that causes blisters! As always the illustrations are fantastic, each mischievian is drawn in almost "mugshot" style. Throughout the book there are small details thrown into the illustrations and text to show just how mischievous these little creatures really are, and it's the small details that add to the overall charm of the book. The book is rated on Amazon at grades K-3, but I can see using this book through high school. It would be fun to have kids of all ages create mischievians of their own that explain the crazy things that happen in their daily lives that have no clear explanation. I like that at the end of the book, the kids are given a book on mischievians with a blank page where they can create their own. It's like the book was designed with extension activities in mind.
Read
February 16, 2014Opening: Who here has lost something that you had just seen yesterday? And who has been walking barefoot and stepped on something pointy but never saw where it came from. Imagine a world where rather than it just being your own mistakes, or carelessness there were little creatures that did all of this to you. In the world of the Mischievians all of these things and more can be blamed on those little rascals. While you're listening see if you can imagine some other Mischievians that the narrator doesn't talk about.
Opening Moves:Provide background information, share personal connection, raise interest in topic, raise questions to spark curiosity, raise questions in readers' minds, invite personal connections, draw attention to setting
Reasoning: The artwork in this book is fantastic, and I love anything that adds fantasy elements to the mundane. Books like this are excellent for sparking the imaginations of kids, which should be the goal of every fantasy book.
Review: (December 1st, 2013) School Library Journal. http://www.booksinprint.com/DetailedV...#
Opening Moves:Provide background information, share personal connection, raise interest in topic, raise questions to spark curiosity, raise questions in readers' minds, invite personal connections, draw attention to setting
Reasoning: The artwork in this book is fantastic, and I love anything that adds fantasy elements to the mundane. Books like this are excellent for sparking the imaginations of kids, which should be the goal of every fantasy book.
Review: (December 1st, 2013) School Library Journal. http://www.booksinprint.com/DetailedV...#
February 26, 2018
I love William Joyce and have been anxiously awaiting his new books. I loved that he kept with his classic art style for this book, and I found the concept to be very cute. I love the ideas of Brownies and other such creatures running around being the root cause of all of life's little annoyances. So, I loved the artwork, loved the concept, however, I didn't love the book. I just don't think it was my cup of tea, so I am still going to give the book four stars, because the good does outweigh the disappointing.
July 1, 2017
An absolutely incredible tale about all the little things that happen in life and who or what is actually causing them to happen. The art jumps off the page and the writing demands that character voices be used (I love when I get to use different voices to bring a story to life!). Also the end will blow your mind and have you flipping back through the pages.
July 25, 2017
Oh my! How fun is this book! My four year olds are convinced these are all real things causing mischief (perhaps they are). The format was a little over their heads but the illustrations are magnificent. And, my eight year old loves the details in the Q&A format. We all love this one.
January 14, 2019
A mischievous and imaginative encyclopedia of the creatures that make mischief (like missing socks), which kind of frightening looking at times but still a characteristic hallmark of Joyce's mischief creative style.
January 16, 2017
What an imaginative mind Joyce has! My favorite page was the one about Danglers who help boogers to dangle out of your nose. Awesome artwork!
March 14, 2017
The Mischievians perform tasks we might consider, but would never say aloud, genius!
July 26, 2017
Not my favorite but it is still very interesting and shows lots of imagination.
January 4, 2018
Very clever and fun premise. I liked the word play. Great read a loud!
February 9, 2019
I preferred The Borrowers.
July 8, 2019
Bought this for my son when he turned 3. He is turning 6 this year and still loves it.
September 9, 2020
A wondrously detailed catalogue of mischief-making creatures that warrants extensive re-reading.
August 24, 2020
While I normally love, love, love Bill Joyce's books, this one suffers from being a collaborative effort.
The story starts on the front endsheets with a mysterious message: "Things were disappearing in our house - ev ry day. Like, a LOT!" (A mysterious green hand is seen absconding with the missing "e".) The message continues on the next page, detailing the missing items. The message is attached to a red balloon and released into the air by a boy and girl (ostensibly the authors of it). The two drop into a hole in the ground that mysteriously appears, tumbling down a chute/slide in to the laboratory of Dr. Maximilain Fortisque Robinson Zooper, MD, PhD, LOL, OMD, QED, & Golly Gee. Dr. Zooper then shows the two his "encyclopedia of things that make mischief, make mayhem, make noise, and make you CRAZY!" In a Q&A format, Dr. Zooper explains what Mischievian has stolen or left behind any given item and their M.O.: homework, dangling boogers, belly button lint, blisters on your feet, remote controls, stickers in the grass, plus 11 more - for a total of 17 Mischievians. The two children are sucked back up the chute with a copy of the book. The last page is blank to fill in and create your own Mischievian.
There is no storyline through this book, no true plot, rather it is a catalog masked as a story. In an attempt to be humorous, some of the answers are verbose - particularly the further you get into the book. As a result, the writing feels uneven. A little editing could have made this breezy to read, rather than boggy in places.
The book design and artwork are the stars in this book and why I rated it highly. The jacket looks and feels like a well-loved picture book with a buckram cover. The full-page illustrations of each Mischievian are amazing to view. Each is unique and charming in their own way. The names are clever and funny, ex. the File Sucker (steals homework from computers), the Lintbellian (lint from socks that ends up in belly buttons), and a Mista Blista (the blister former in new shoes). The Mischievians are shown in a random order, each with a Figure number and funny name (ex. The Stinker is Fig. 4 Peeyou!!, The Funny Bones is Fig. 66 Ha-Ha, and The Endroller is Fig. 13 Uh-Oh). One of my personal favorites is the Yawn Mower, Fig. 6 Yaaaoh. I want to know more about the green multi-eyed creature that has been stealing letters throughout the book to spell "the end"...
This is a fun browser. It could be used as an exemplar for students to create and write about their own Mischievians.
Recommended for grades 4-6.
The story starts on the front endsheets with a mysterious message: "Things were disappearing in our house - ev ry day. Like, a LOT!" (A mysterious green hand is seen absconding with the missing "e".) The message continues on the next page, detailing the missing items. The message is attached to a red balloon and released into the air by a boy and girl (ostensibly the authors of it). The two drop into a hole in the ground that mysteriously appears, tumbling down a chute/slide in to the laboratory of Dr. Maximilain Fortisque Robinson Zooper, MD, PhD, LOL, OMD, QED, & Golly Gee. Dr. Zooper then shows the two his "encyclopedia of things that make mischief, make mayhem, make noise, and make you CRAZY!" In a Q&A format, Dr. Zooper explains what Mischievian has stolen or left behind any given item and their M.O.: homework, dangling boogers, belly button lint, blisters on your feet, remote controls, stickers in the grass, plus 11 more - for a total of 17 Mischievians. The two children are sucked back up the chute with a copy of the book. The last page is blank to fill in and create your own Mischievian.
There is no storyline through this book, no true plot, rather it is a catalog masked as a story. In an attempt to be humorous, some of the answers are verbose - particularly the further you get into the book. As a result, the writing feels uneven. A little editing could have made this breezy to read, rather than boggy in places.
The book design and artwork are the stars in this book and why I rated it highly. The jacket looks and feels like a well-loved picture book with a buckram cover. The full-page illustrations of each Mischievian are amazing to view. Each is unique and charming in their own way. The names are clever and funny, ex. the File Sucker (steals homework from computers), the Lintbellian (lint from socks that ends up in belly buttons), and a Mista Blista (the blister former in new shoes). The Mischievians are shown in a random order, each with a Figure number and funny name (ex. The Stinker is Fig. 4 Peeyou!!, The Funny Bones is Fig. 66 Ha-Ha, and The Endroller is Fig. 13 Uh-Oh). One of my personal favorites is the Yawn Mower, Fig. 6 Yaaaoh. I want to know more about the green multi-eyed creature that has been stealing letters throughout the book to spell "the end"...
This is a fun browser. It could be used as an exemplar for students to create and write about their own Mischievians.
Recommended for grades 4-6.
December 17, 2023
Meet an ancient race of global pranksters who do are the real causes of all the things in life that embarrass you: The Mischievians.
Goodreaders, have you been waiting your whole life to solve this mystery?
Adding to the fun, this book is in Q&A format. Here's a representative sample:
Question:
How long have Stinkers been stinking?
Answer:
Scientific studies show that Stinkers are among the most ancient of Mischievians. They appear in cave paintings and on ancient Egyptian scrolls....
They can smell great stinks of the past (spoiled yak milk from the lost city of Atlantis) or even stink of the future (rotten Twonk droppings from the planet Glumpt).
MY GUESS IS...
The intended audience is either more intelligent -- or just plain older -- than the typical picture book reader.
Fellow Goodreaders, you'll be able to tell if this book will either entertain, or else annoy, your favorite young reader.
On behalf of the intended audience, sure, FIVE STARS.
Goodreaders, have you been waiting your whole life to solve this mystery?
Adding to the fun, this book is in Q&A format. Here's a representative sample:
Question:
How long have Stinkers been stinking?
Answer:
Scientific studies show that Stinkers are among the most ancient of Mischievians. They appear in cave paintings and on ancient Egyptian scrolls....
They can smell great stinks of the past (spoiled yak milk from the lost city of Atlantis) or even stink of the future (rotten Twonk droppings from the planet Glumpt).
MY GUESS IS...
The intended audience is either more intelligent -- or just plain older -- than the typical picture book reader.
Fellow Goodreaders, you'll be able to tell if this book will either entertain, or else annoy, your favorite young reader.
On behalf of the intended audience, sure, FIVE STARS.
April 13, 2021
I enjoyed it so much myself and I can imagine the children aged 2-5 that I teach would love it as well!
I was taken in by the intricate, imaginative illustrations and found myself empathizing with some of the various problems the Mischievians get blamed for in this story.
I love that it invites creativity at the end by creating a new monster to join the ranks.
The clever wording and hungry eyes will be rewarded with snicker-inducing details.
Who says it's not entertaining for the older kids too?
I'm excited at the thought of conversations this would probably start, if I find the chance to share it with my niece and nephew (8 and 15).
I was taken in by the intricate, imaginative illustrations and found myself empathizing with some of the various problems the Mischievians get blamed for in this story.
I love that it invites creativity at the end by creating a new monster to join the ranks.
The clever wording and hungry eyes will be rewarded with snicker-inducing details.
Who says it's not entertaining for the older kids too?
I'm excited at the thought of conversations this would probably start, if I find the chance to share it with my niece and nephew (8 and 15).
November 12, 2018
Ok, so I love this book, but then again I love William Joyce and his stories, especially the art that accompanies them.
This book is about all the weird little creatures that steal the remote, or nab your socks, or eat your homework and cause you all manner of annoyance. Which is silly and funny most of the time. But the book itself is a little more wordy so it's not for anyone too young, and the images themselves can be slightly unsettling , so I wouldn't recommend this book to kids that aren't ok with some creepy looking monsters [cause it's gunna spook them a little bit].
This book is about all the weird little creatures that steal the remote, or nab your socks, or eat your homework and cause you all manner of annoyance. Which is silly and funny most of the time. But the book itself is a little more wordy so it's not for anyone too young, and the images themselves can be slightly unsettling , so I wouldn't recommend this book to kids that aren't ok with some creepy looking monsters [cause it's gunna spook them a little bit].
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