Zeb and the Great Ruckus

by Joshua Donellan

"What’s your favourite song?" If you answered, “Nothing, sir! Music is evil!” then you probably live in the land of Bravura, where the wicked Czar has outlawed music and all artists have been imprisoned or exiled.

As if that wasn’t bad enough the Alephs, magical creatures that eat music with their ears, are slowly becoming extinct.

Fortunately, Zeb and his best friend Flip are armed with magic, courage and weaponised toffee and they are about to begin their quest to bring back the legendary musician Smokey Waters so that he can restore the land with his Ruckus Music. Along the way they’ll face the Czar’s admonishers, steelhawks, bewilderbeasts and the most fearsome creature of all, the cave-dwelling Ruttersnarl. At least they’ll have an excuse for not finishing their homework…

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade

166 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2012

About the author

J M Donellan is an author, poet, musician, and teacher. He was almost devoured by a tiger in the jungles of Malaysia, nearly died of a lung collapse in the Nepalese Himalayas, fended off a pack of rabid dogs with a guitar in the mountains of India and was sexually harassed by a half-naked man whilst standing next to Oscar Wilde's grave in Paris.

He is the author of Rumors of Her Death, Killing Adonis, 19 1/2 Spells Disguised as Poems, several works of theatre, occasional work on video games, and some highly lauded bathroom graffiti. He has performed at the Sydney Opera House, the 2018 Commonwealth games, and some very prestigious basements.

He has won and been nominated for numerous awards but he won’t list them here because no one likes a braggart. He currently lives in Meanjin (Brisbane), Australia, with his wife, daughter, and the unnameable eldritch horror in the garage.

Reviews

[Lanae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zeb lives in a land much like ours. Kids go to school. Mothers create questionable recipes. Homework and chores exist. Bullies and quirky kids clash. Leaders abuse their power. Then again, Zeb's world is very different from ours. You never know what clay and music combined will get you. Birds can be your average run of the mill birds or made or clockwork. Animals can create magical music.

At it's core the story is simple - one extinct creature suddenly reappears. At the same time Zeb is turning twelve and receiving messages his father had written as he was dying, to be given to Zeb on his twelfth birthday Combined, the two events lead Zeb on the adventure of a lifetime. An adventure where he's seeking answers both for himself (about what kind of person his father was) and potentially his whole world ( surely an extinct musical being coming back means something for all of them given the czar has banned music?).

It's a short book targeted at the children's market but adults will love it just as much as any child will. Short or not, it would be a fast read because it's perfectly paced and even the darkest times keep a cheery tone that keep you wanting to trot onward, hopefully to a sing song happily ever after.

^Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for a review. I received nothing in the way of compensation beyond the free book. They received nothing beyond my word that I'd read it and review it honestly.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zeb and the Great Ruckus focuses on the fantasies and dreams of childhood. Zeb is a young boy living in a dictator driven society. The Czar (he's the president of this society) rules over the land and regulates the rules. One rule that the author chooses to focus on is absolutely no music of any kind. The only place that is allowed to have music is the Emporium. This book will delight and fright a child of any age - six to 99.
This book has everything a child or adult would want. It's for a child in the sense that the book is centered around two children - and the author does a good job with character development. The book is for adults because the book leaves you thinking about how the book is relevant to history. I would definitely recommend this book in my bookstore and to my friends and family.

[Vidya Tiru · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts: A Totally Awesome and Magical Book
This book reminded me of some of my favorite children’s book written for adults :) - ‘The Three Fat Men’ and ‘Haroun and the Sea of Stories’. The book talks about unjust governments, weird and unfair rules, and the citizens who stand up against wrongs. Yet it is a fun read with laughs in every page. How Josh accomplishes it is part of the magic of the book.
Metaphors and similes are scattered all over this book – in every page, in fact – like pearls in a beautiful ocean, like the stars in the perfect sky! They are musical, magical!
Zeb and his best friend Flip set off on a magical adventure and meet fantastical creatures like Alephs and Bewilderbeasts. Their mission – use the power of love and music to free their land from the tyrannical ruler. They are aided in this by Serena (Zeb’s mom who only talks in rhyme), Mr.Hemingdrake (their teacher), and Smokey (a talented musician and a great friend).
The children are clever, mischievous, and imaginative. I especially love Flip – I think she is my favorite character in this book. The adults (mentioned here) are just the type of adult I would love to be. The illustrations are perfect for the book.

My son is already reading it the second time around by the time I finished it :) and now I am tempted to read it once more, already, and I just put it down. (I actually am reading it again!). I am also going to read the first book by Josh (not a children’s book) and look forward to more from him.

Rating: A+
Reading Level: ages 8 – 99 and above
Reread Level: 5/5
Disclaimer:Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a digital review copy of the book above. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book was in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal opinions formed when I read the book.
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[Dena McMurdie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved it!

Crazy. Nutty. Completely wacky. Fantastically unique!

I absolutely loved this story. Books like this are the reason I read.

While the plot is nothing spectacular (it is a basic quest plot), it is the way the book is written that makes it so appealing. It is a brilliant new take on an old story. The characters are vibrant and lively, each with a distinct personality that makes them loveable and memorable.

To say that I was pleasantly surprised by this story would be an understatement. I was completely overjoyed when I realized that I was reading something entirely cooky and crazy. Zeb and the Great Ruckus was an addictive novel that felt like a cross between Dr. Seuss and Catherynne M. Valente. Josh Donellan has all of Valente's unique story telling ability while infusing it with Seuss's wackiness.

From the way that Zeb's mother speaks only in rhyme, to Flip's distracted obsession with food, and the way Smokey thinks of his guitar as a daughter, this story was full of surprises and bits of fun craziness. I sincerely hope to see many more books from this author.

The Cover: I can't really decide what to think about the cover. I love the artwork, and it goes very well with the story, but it doesn't stand out in any way. It was one of those books that I almost passed over (but I'm SO glad I didn't!).

[Jessica Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Burton and Baz Luhrmann should team up and make this into a film. I haven't read anything so FUN and NUTS in ages. I'm naming Joshua Donnellan, Roald Dahl's alter-ego; the guy that accidentally got into the medicine cabinet.

This book reads like a children's book, but it's not. It's extraordinarily clever and brilliant, some genius stuff in there that kids just would not understand, so don't even try to give it to a kid to read. Well you could try. They may not understand the jokes, but they might still enjoy the ride.

But YOU should definitely read it. It is laugh-out-loud funny in places, action-packed and even a tad of a tear-jerker (yes, I have to admit I shed a happy tear in the end, I think it channelled my child-soul or something).

Ever heard of a wereflamingo? Lettuce cake? A disease that makes you speak in rhyme? Abnormal fauna? What? You haven't? Then you'd better get with the program guys and read Zeb and the Great Ruckus.

[River · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much I immediately started to read it again when I finished it. Laugh-out-loud funny, full of quirky imaginative creatures and unconventional adventures. A must read.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy and a bit nutty, this was a fun adventure with some silly one liners sprinkled throughout. My 10-year old loved it too.

[BamBam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this adventure, and the cover art is just beautiful.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve year old Zeb celebrates his birthday with a rather unique birthday cake before making his way to school. He returns home in the afternoon with his best friend, Flip, who is eager to see Zeb open his birthday gifts, including a special gift from his father, Kingston, who had died ten years earlier. Zeb, Flip and his mother, Sarina, notice an odd-looking animal with giant ears and no mouth; when it is startled, it encapsulates itself with its ears, disguising itself as a rock. Flip sketches what they had seen and asks their teacher, Mr. Hemingdrake, about it, causing quite a stir as the animal is thought to have been extinct for over twenty years, having all been tortured to death by the ruthless and evil Czar. Mr. Hemingdrake gifts Zeb a harmonica for his birthday, hoping to introduce some music into Zeb’s life, but it is quickly confiscated and smashed by the school bully for fun, along with Zeb’s gift from his father. On his arrival back at home, a broken-hearted Zeb is greeted by two Admonishers (the evil Czar’s men) who demand to speak with his mother about the animal they had seen. When Zeb refuses to let them into his home, they leave with him two objects, one of which is in the guise of a birthday present, as well as a warning which chills Zeb to the core. Zeb learns that his father had been a musician who had played music with Zeb’s mystery animal, the Aleph, and in return, it would sing a beautiful and healing melody. As it had been Zeb’s father’s last wish that someday his son would hear the Aleph sing, Zeb will stop at nothing to bring his father’s wish to fruition, especially as the Czar’s actions are what had led to Kingston’s demise.

Zeb and the Great Ruckus is one of the most fun and cleverly-worded books I have ever read. The first chapter had me laughing out loud, wishing I could give a standing ovation. In a word: Hilarious! My favorite quote from the book describes the rain as sounding like a thousand pixies clog-dancing on the roof, bringing a stampede of memories rushing back to me from my childhood, when 'the big wet' would finally arrive after such a dry spell. It is quite difficult to pen a story of both darkness and delight, but Josh Donellan has managed to do just that, leaving me eager to turn each page to discover what happens next. The tragedy of seeing such a beautiful animal hunted and tortured into extinction sadly mirrors much of what happens in today’s world. Zeb’s determination to make his father’s dream come true was inspirational and a fight between good and evil takes hold, with Zeb facing almost impossible odds as coming out as the victor. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Zeb and the Great Ruckus and recommend it to all readers over the age of 7 years who enjoy action, humor, drama and determination in this musical adventure.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's A Fine Line Between Fantastical and Twee

The author manages to walk that line, but every now and then he threatens to wander into precious territory. Fortunately, and I assume intentionally, every time we start to get a bit too sugary the author adds a few drops of vinegar to keep us interested.

Zeb and Flip are on a quest to find Smokey Waters and return music to the land. Some fantasy creatures try to help; some creatures and humans oppose them. This is "Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles" territory, but that's fine, especially when the allegorical adventure is punctuated by action, inventiveness, and some dry and sly adult humor.

So, on one hand you have a gently demented Mom who speaks only in rhyming couplets and you have magical rabbit creatures who "eat" music through their ears. On the other hand you have menacing Admonisher enforcers and Trojans, useless consumer items that are used to captivate and distract villagers.

The whole theme based on the banning of music, (and by extension the issue of totalitarian control), is an interesting addition to the usual quest/magical item genre, and the author goes in a lot of new and unexpected directions without abandoning or making fun of the larger quest/adventure tradition. So, you get something new and different, but you still have a dependable plot and story frame.

There is a lot of snappy and witty dialogue here, and some very funny grace notes and throwaway lines. At first you suspect that this book is going to be very earnest and obvious and very heavy going. But, and especially once the quest to find Smokey gets going, it picks up the pace, lightens up and opens up. This is also the point at which Zeb's companion Flip comes in to her own, and the narrative moves away from third person and relies more on the interactions between Zeb and Flip. Since both kids are smart, funny and observant, and both have a bit of a deadpan sense of humor, this adds additional energy to the story.

I guess the upshot is that the book starts fine but gets even better as it goes along; the characters grow on you, and you begin to appreciate how well the author is doing what he's doing. This certainly feels like it would be a nice change of pace and sort of mellow addition to the family book shelf.

Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

[Cindy Cipriano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zeb and The Great Ruckus, is the tale of two friends, Zeb and Flip, and their journey to right a wrong, which has left their world void of the beauty of music. Skillfully written, the story transports the reader seamlessly from our world to Chromata, a town where even the smallest of sounds is viewed as a huge and forbidden commotion.

Author Josh Donellan has the amazing gift of expressing, with great accuracy, the musings of middle school kids. This strength is consistent throughout the story, which makes the characters three dimensional and loveable.

Children and adults will immediately connect with the characters, thanks to Josh's beautiful writing. Lines such as, “his fingers felt as if they were made of spaghetti,” and “Zeb froze, and wondered if he could even fit any more fear into his brain this evening…” put the reader square in the mind of Zeb, and this story is filled with many excellent examples.

At the same time, Josh has not forgotten adult readers. “Morning came along, as it tends to,” and “She liked to say that make-believe was reality’s better looking sister,” show the broad appeal of this novel.

I highly recommend this story if you are man, woman, or child, so that’s pretty much everyone.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure: I got an advance ebook copy of this title from NetGalley.

Boy, this book flew right by! This is a light-hearted, quick-paced children's book about a boy, his best friend, some bunny-like creatures, and the power of music. It's a cute story and the author's sense of humor really grabbed me. He uses a lot of creative similes throughout (some of which had me smiling enough that I read them aloud to my husband), and the language is very descriptive.

I would recommend this to the 8-12 set, with one caveat: for some reason, the author felt the need to use the word "hell" a lot. I mean, really, it just seemed so unnecessary, and it's something parents might have an issue with... other than that the book is perfectly suited to its age level and downright fun to boot.

[Laureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zeb and the Great Ruckus is a children’s book that really is suitable for any age. It’s short and excellently paced with adorable pictures sprinkled throughout. And like all good children’s books, the children are the heroes themselves. This is the story of Zeb, his friend Flip, and the extinct musical creatures who save the world from the evil ruler who has banished all music.

(More.)

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the flow of the book and how I got swept into the story. I am going to be saving this book for my daughter because she will want to read it in a few years when she is reading this type of book.


I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Pearl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. The story was magical and the Zeb and Flip were entertaining. I enjoy these two going on the adventures. I love the illustrations in the book too. I wish the middle of the book was longer but the story ended. Not bad.

[Sumire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful story that got me giddy with excitement. I love the characters and the playfulness of the language and of course the kick ass anarchy. I can't wait to read this aloud to my kids (one day).

[Missie Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

In which I say: Pushing Daisies fans unite (and read this book)!

Read more at my blog:
http://thebookfix.wordpress.com/2012/...