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Greta Zargo #1
Greta Zargo and the Death Robots from Outer Space
Nobody knew it at that moment, but only three things stood in the way of the complete destruction of the one elderly parrot; one eight-year-old spelling mistake; and an intrepid young schoolgirl-turned-reporter in search of a story.... Greta Zargo needs a big scoop if she's going to win the Prilchard-Spritzer Medal, the quite famous award for great reporting. But big scoops are in short supply in the quiet little town of Upper Lowerbridge, and all Greta's got to investigate is a couple of missing cakes. But then, with a whoosh of unknown energy, a mysterious silver robot descends from the sky.... A laugh-out-loud funny new series from the author of the critically acclaimed The Imaginary , perfect for fans of Mr Gum, Chris Riddell, and Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntryre's Oliver and the Seawigs .
234 pages, Paperback
Published September 7, 2017
7 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
A.F. Harrold
32 books126 followersA.F. Harrold is an English poet. He writes and performs for adults and children, in cabaret and in schools, in bars and in basements, in fields and indoors. He was Glastonbury Festival Website's Poet-In-Residence in 2008, and Poet-In-Residence at Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2010. He won the Cheltenham All Stars Slam Championship in 2007 and has had his work on BBC Radio 4, Radio 3 and BBC7. He is active in schools work, running workshops and slams and doing performances at ungodly hours of the morning, and has published several collections of poetry. He is the owner of many books, a handful of hats, a few good ideas and one beard
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
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November 27, 2017Review to come.
Highly enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek, start of a new Middle Grade series!
Bound to appeal to readers of The Last Kids on Earth and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Highly enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek, start of a new Middle Grade series!
Bound to appeal to readers of The Last Kids on Earth and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
December 28, 2017
Funny, odd, melancholy and very clever, this reads like Harriet the Spy meets Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Perfect for mystery lovers and sci fi fans alike, this is a very fun start of a new series. (8+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
March 6, 2018
Cake, aliens, and a girl who is dedicated to get her article on the front page!
I just love Middle Grade Mystery books + add to that the cover, and I just had to try this one out! And I quite loved it.
I quite liked that we went from Greta's story (and the cake mystery) to see how the aliens destroyed many planets for the sake of information (couldn't they just have left the planets alone instead of killing everything?). Sure, the alien stories were often quite a bit eyerolling (due to how the aliens were all getting screwed because of the robots and their inability to understand stuff), but I still quite liked reading them. I was quite interested in how it would end for Earth (and well, I have to say it ended quite anticlimactic, I had expected a bit more given the title).
I think my favourite parts were the cake mystery parts. I just adored Greta (though I do hope she gets a bit more diversity in her food. Toast for dinner is OK once, but all the time? No.), this girl sure knows how to get a scoop. She is also not afraid to reveal the truth, no matter how harsh or gossipy it may seem. Too bad that got her in trouble more than once, but at least she doesn't give up.
I was a bit disappointed at who she thought was the whodunnit. Sure, it was a great idea, and kudos to her trying, but I knew straight away what it may be or what it could be.
I also loved that this girl just tried out everything she could try (maybe also mostly because what is mentioned in the last will of her parents). Climbing trees? The higher the better. New hobbies? Sure!
I had a laugh why the robots thought they had to go to Greta to ask for the planet. Welp, nicely done parents. :P
Bonus points to Greta's aunt who just makes the best inventions (though the squirrel was maybe a bit too much, especially given how big it was).
The notes/extras on the sides/margins? Around halfway I just gave up on reading them. Not only did I have to flip the book all the time just to read them (which was annoying, just put them at the bottom), but they also distracted me from the story. Some were quite long, and by the time I had read one I just had lost track of the story. :( So yeah, nice idea and those that I did read were quite nice, but the fact they were rotated and hard to read... no.
The book was also filled with fun illustrations, I just love the style of them. They fit perfectly with the story + I love the character designs. I hope to see more of Joe Todd Stanton's art in books in the future.
So all in all, I really enjoyed this book and I hope to read more Greta Zargo books! Definitely recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I just love Middle Grade Mystery books + add to that the cover, and I just had to try this one out! And I quite loved it.
I quite liked that we went from Greta's story (and the cake mystery) to see how the aliens destroyed many planets for the sake of information (couldn't they just have left the planets alone instead of killing everything?). Sure, the alien stories were often quite a bit eyerolling (due to how the aliens were all getting screwed because of the robots and their inability to understand stuff), but I still quite liked reading them. I was quite interested in how it would end for Earth (and well, I have to say it ended quite anticlimactic, I had expected a bit more given the title).
I think my favourite parts were the cake mystery parts. I just adored Greta (though I do hope she gets a bit more diversity in her food. Toast for dinner is OK once, but all the time? No.), this girl sure knows how to get a scoop. She is also not afraid to reveal the truth, no matter how harsh or gossipy it may seem. Too bad that got her in trouble more than once, but at least she doesn't give up.
I was a bit disappointed at who she thought was the whodunnit. Sure, it was a great idea, and kudos to her trying, but I knew straight away what it may be or what it could be.
I also loved that this girl just tried out everything she could try (maybe also mostly because what is mentioned in the last will of her parents). Climbing trees? The higher the better. New hobbies? Sure!
I had a laugh why the robots thought they had to go to Greta to ask for the planet. Welp, nicely done parents. :P
Bonus points to Greta's aunt who just makes the best inventions (though the squirrel was maybe a bit too much, especially given how big it was).
The notes/extras on the sides/margins? Around halfway I just gave up on reading them. Not only did I have to flip the book all the time just to read them (which was annoying, just put them at the bottom), but they also distracted me from the story. Some were quite long, and by the time I had read one I just had lost track of the story. :( So yeah, nice idea and those that I did read were quite nice, but the fact they were rotated and hard to read... no.
The book was also filled with fun illustrations, I just love the style of them. They fit perfectly with the story + I love the character designs. I hope to see more of Joe Todd Stanton's art in books in the future.
So all in all, I really enjoyed this book and I hope to read more Greta Zargo books! Definitely recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 3, 2017
This is the first in a new series about Greta Zargo, a modern day Pippi Longstocking, a character who joins the ranks of other quirky orphans who have by circumstance been forced to live extraordinary lives. Greta is totally self sufficient, independent, intrepid and unwittingly determined to save the world while being an investigative reporter. Fans of Roald Dahl, Chris Riddell or Neil Gaiman will love this new series and Greta’s intelligence and quirky personality is endearing. Greta’s adventures continue in Book 2: Greta Zargo and the Amoeba Monsters from the Middle of the Earth will be available from May 2018
September 29, 2017
A relentless 11-year-old investigative journalist, a serial cake thief* (*not a cereal cake thief), and millions of robots with one mission: to harvest the entire planet earth for all of its resources, destroying everything and everyone. What could go wrong?
So ENORMOUSLY enjoyable. If you want a laugh, then read this book.
So ENORMOUSLY enjoyable. If you want a laugh, then read this book.
January 29, 2018
Last week, I got a few strange books when I was out for lunch. There I was sat in a favourite cafe (Fat Frgon in Liskeard if anyone is interested) with a burger and a mug of tea when I started chuckling to myself. Cue a few strange looks from other customers. The reason was that I was reading Great Zargo by A.F. Harrold. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually laughed out loud at a book, but I just couldn’t help myself.
With that introduction, I shouldn’t really need to say how funny this book is. Whether you’re a child or an adult, you will find something that brings a smile to your face – or causes you to laugh uncontrollably. On one hand, there are some absolutely ridiculous slapstick moments. Then there are some clever word plays (serial thief and cereal thief springs to mind) and a nice slice of science fiction for those who like a little more sophistication in our humour. All this is aided by the humourous side notes on each page.
Greta is an orphan, who lives all alone. Thanks to small mix up with her parents’ will. This has turned her into an fiercely independent and determined girl. Her main aim in life is to become a journalist and swoop a top journalistic prize. When cakes mysteriously go missing, Greta sees her chance to begin investigating. As she interviews witnesses and suspects, she soon closes in on the killer. While all this is happening, the death robots from outer space are on their way to earth in order to capture it. Unwittingly Greta has the fate of the whole world in her hands.
The space robots themselves provide a brilliant sub-plot. Throughout the book, chapters describe the ways they have taken over other planets in the galaxy in their quest for universally domination. We are introduced to quirky aliens from far away planets, all of whom gift their planet to the space robots. The increasingly bizarre ways in which this happens are a delight and one of my highlights in the book.
One the other hand, you have the story of Greta, who is an instantly lovable character. It may be a simple whodunit but the narrative fizzes along nicely. Children will love guessing who the cake thief is and may even solve the crime themselves – I can’t believe I didn’t! The illustrations are perfect and really add to the story.
For those wanting some humour, this is a great book to pick up. It would be perfect for a light-hearted class read and a book that almost any child can access. I can’t wait for another Greta Zargo adventure!
www.mrdaviesreads.co.uk
With that introduction, I shouldn’t really need to say how funny this book is. Whether you’re a child or an adult, you will find something that brings a smile to your face – or causes you to laugh uncontrollably. On one hand, there are some absolutely ridiculous slapstick moments. Then there are some clever word plays (serial thief and cereal thief springs to mind) and a nice slice of science fiction for those who like a little more sophistication in our humour. All this is aided by the humourous side notes on each page.
Greta is an orphan, who lives all alone. Thanks to small mix up with her parents’ will. This has turned her into an fiercely independent and determined girl. Her main aim in life is to become a journalist and swoop a top journalistic prize. When cakes mysteriously go missing, Greta sees her chance to begin investigating. As she interviews witnesses and suspects, she soon closes in on the killer. While all this is happening, the death robots from outer space are on their way to earth in order to capture it. Unwittingly Greta has the fate of the whole world in her hands.
The space robots themselves provide a brilliant sub-plot. Throughout the book, chapters describe the ways they have taken over other planets in the galaxy in their quest for universally domination. We are introduced to quirky aliens from far away planets, all of whom gift their planet to the space robots. The increasingly bizarre ways in which this happens are a delight and one of my highlights in the book.
One the other hand, you have the story of Greta, who is an instantly lovable character. It may be a simple whodunit but the narrative fizzes along nicely. Children will love guessing who the cake thief is and may even solve the crime themselves – I can’t believe I didn’t! The illustrations are perfect and really add to the story.
For those wanting some humour, this is a great book to pick up. It would be perfect for a light-hearted class read and a book that almost any child can access. I can’t wait for another Greta Zargo adventure!
www.mrdaviesreads.co.uk
March 18, 2024
Maybe I need to read another Greta Zargo book but the ending is pretty anticlimactic. I also thought having the two separate scenarios only connected barely would be confusing for a younger reader to follow.
The text itself (besides the plot) seemed easy enough to read.
The text itself (besides the plot) seemed easy enough to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2019
This was just about the cutest thing ever.
April 25, 2020
Brilliant book for kiddos! Love the absurdity that’s passed for ordinary every day life and the illustrations are fun and exciting.
May 8, 2023
Greta is determined to be a reporter who writes the scoop of the summer. This involves following the trail of crumbs to solve the mystery of the missing cake. Other significant characters are her eccentric inventor aunt and the Editor-in-Chief of the local newspaper. Alternating chapters contain a side plot where alien robots are being sent out to record and destroy planets across the universe. They go about this by asking permission, and after obliterating several planets, arrive on earth and pop the question to Greta. Is she paying enough attention to save the planet?
I didn’t find the plot especially engaging, the alien robots chapters got a little repetitive and I found I just didn’t care about the characters.
I didn’t find the plot especially engaging, the alien robots chapters got a little repetitive and I found I just didn’t care about the characters.
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November 29, 2017I️ loved the Imaginary but could not finish this. Lots of classic British wackiness but so much that I️ stopped caring. Goofy, names and crazy planets with odd creatures combined with a dark edge. The 11 year old reporter was banned from the school newspaper for taking a photo of the Head and another man kissing in the closet, entire planets and species are dismantled quite casually and our heroine never listens to her friend as she isn’t quite sure what friends are for. Any of these elements could turn to gold but I️ am not a fan of the ‘pile it all on’ school of writing and can’t imagine the American 4th or 5th grader I’d offer this to.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews