The Owlstone Crown

by X.J. Kennedy

This afternoon would be great for skating, but Timothy and Verity Tibbs must work in a frozen field, digging parsnips for mean Maw and Paw Grimble to boil into bad-tasting medicine. What a life! When private detective Lewis O. Ladybug brings news from another world, everything changes. Gran and Gramp are in trouble, and it's up to Timothy and Verity to rescue them. Led to Other Earth by the tiny detective, they meet a crew of unlikable characters, make some amazing new friends, and find themselves in the midst of one adventure after another.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Juvenile

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATED me when I read it as a kid in the 80s, and I was always so frustrated that nobody else seemed to have read - or even heard of - it! I eventually forgot the title and the author's name and spent many years trying to track it down just with a vague recollection of the plot (and a specific memory that parsnips were heavily involved) but to no avail. It wasn't until I was working as a librarian a decade and a half later that decided to spend hours and hours (over weeks and weeks) working through the long shelf full of massive volumes of the "books in print" reference librarians used to use before the age of google, and I FINALLY FOUND IT!

I was half-afraid to read it again, in case it didn't hold up and my fond memories were ruined - but I am happy to announce that I loved it every bit as much as an adult in 2001 as I had as a seven-year-old in 1985. I STILL haven't met anyone else who's read it (before I told them to, that is) and I'm still very frustrated to so many kids missed out on such a delightful, well-written, wise and clever book. So now I'm just trying to force everyone I know who has kids to have their kids read it, 39 years after it first came out!

Everyone go read this book! JUSTICE FOR THE OWLSTONE CROWN! :)

(And to X.J. Kennedy - if you ever happen to see this review, THANK YOU THANK YOU for writing one of the best and most-beloved books of my childhood! And for a kid who did basically nothing but read for the first 15 years of her life and grew up to become an English teacher, that is saying A LOT.)

[Denise Spicer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This YA fantasy from the 80s has abused and overworked twins Tim and Verity suddenly thrust into another world where they seek their grandparents. This other world has talking animals and a villainous dictator. In the course of fighting and outwitting the bad guy and his robot-like minions, Timmy learns new leadership skills. The book has cute characters, somewhat trite settings and situation, with obvious heavy-handed environmentalist themes. Cute talking Bug and Bear.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't figure out why this book didn't catch on and become an instant success-- well known by kids, teachers and librarians. The story is fun and memorable. A great fantasy for 3rd to 5th grades but slightly shorter and easier to read than others written for this age group. The adventure isn't overly complex with extensive vocabulary, which can challenge my students. The Owlstone Crown will get kids' attention from the first page in a read-aloud. It's unique! (And how many times can we say that about a time travel fantasy?)

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I was pretty young, and then found myself with the urge to read it again periodically over the years. I cannot say too much about the plot without giving anything away, but Timothy and Verity Tibb are two protagonists who will delight any child (or the young at heart, at the risk of sounding cliche).

[Shanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Timmy and Verity fall into an alternate world, the Land of the Moonstone. There they are reunited with their long-lost grandparents, make some unusual friends, and fight the evil dictator. Interesting, unique story, though with lots of coincidences.

[Robert Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4th grade teacher (Mr. Nizbet, 1987) in R.A.F. Greenham Common read this book to us. All I remember was the name of the book and how mesmerized we all were. I’m going to purchase this book to read to my daughters.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed revisiting this book from my childhood with my son.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this as a kid! My mom helped me remember the author and we found this today. Little orphans doomed to a life of parsnip farming with their evil relatives escape through a moonbeam or something to another world where their grandparents are still alive, but held prisoner by an evil dictator with a funky crown, and the evil dictator has big ships shaped like owls that fly around and drop big mudballs as owl poop on their enemies' houses. It was pretty sweet.

Read this again. It doesn't hold up like a true classic, but it's fun. The characters are funny and bond instantly and the bad guys are evil caricatures.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I desperately want to find this again. My third grade teacher read it to my class, and then I read it over and over during the next two years. Have only found it in a library once since then.

5/24/2011 - I finally found this again in a library! I of course checked it out and have already read it. Unfortunately, while I still enjoyed it and it's one of the few books that I would actually love to see a film adaptation, it wasn't as wonderful as I remembered (isn't that what always happens?).

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book went out of print for a number of years, I actually had to turn to ebay to find a copy. Its a very creative childrens story about two children who embark upon a quest to find their parents. Their guide is a talking ladybug who happens to be a detective...

[Amy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one of the books that has stuck with me. This is a children's book, and I read it as a children (er, child). But the phrase "room to bloom," which is prominent in the story, has stuck with me, and I often use it as metaphor for feeling too constrained.

[J.Aleksandr Wootton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suitable to read aloud to children up to age 6, and as such stories go, not bad. Hardly an enduring classic. Picked this one up for free somewhere along the way; read it; promptly added it to my used-bookstore pile.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another childhood favorite!

[Tana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember getting this with a school book order it was most likely the book that made me fall in love with reading. I hope I can find it in print so my daughters can read it.

[Mary McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite children's book of all time.

[Pablo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book as a child, it was a great escape.