Another Whole Nother Story

Whole Nother Story #2

by Cuthbert Soup, Jeffrey Stewart Timmins (Illustrator)

The plan was simple. Ethan Cheeseman, along with his three smart, polite, and relatively odor-free children, would travel back in time to end an ancient family curse and save their mother. Now that the LVR (a super-secret time machine) is in working order, it should be easy peasy. Except they didn't account for one basic rule of science: Murphy's Law, where everything that possibly could go wrong, does. So the Cheeseman family finds themselves on another madcap adventure, this time through stormy seas and haunted castles. And though their narrator, Dr. Soup, has a ton of unsolicited advice to offer young readers, he doesn't have much to say to help the Cheesemans. Just this one thing: Good luck!

Genres: Adventure, Humor, Fiction, Time Travel, Fantasy, Pirates, Science Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 23, 2010

Reviews

[Florenz Blancaflor · Rating 3 out of 5]

i should read more children's chapter books. i now realize i read the sequel before reading the original which makes sense because i was a lil confused and it hurt my ego because i am reading a children's book.

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book, "Another Whole Nother Story" is just as well-written and entertaining as the first. The family travels back in time to 1668 and find themselves in colonial America. They come into contact with a girl from a native tribe named Big and her not-pet fox named Dig. They also must deal with a pair of men who followed them from the future, witch hunters, Dutch rulers who may or not be the real Duke of Jutland and an evil pirate by the name of the Mailman.

This book is full of unsolicited advice from Dr. Cuthbert Soup on such subjects as Resisting Pierce Pressure, Advice for Explorers Everywhere and Psychic Powers. Readers everywhere will be thrilled and amazed at the feats the family, their friends and their foes attempt in an effort to set things right, or wrong as the case may be, with the world. The third and final title in this amazing series is titled "No Other Story."

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome story/sequel. It has really emotional and really funny parts. It has even more adventure than the first book. The way the characters solve problems in amazing and hilarious. This is one of the best books I have ever read!

[Cheryl Malandrinos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Cheeseman and his children travel back in time to see if they can end a family curse and thus reverse the death of their beloved wife and mother. With the LVR working it should be a cinch. But a crash landing leaves the LVR damaged, and technology in the 1600′s isn’t quite what it is in modern times. On the search for parts to repair the machine so they can carry out the rest of their mission, the family is chased by witch hunters. With Gateman Nametag hot on their trail the family must be smart and quick to avoid disaster.

In this follow-up to A Whole Nother Story, the Cheesman family is off on another hilarious adventure. My girls and I read this book together and they kept begging for more. Just as zany as the original, Another Whole Nother Story is filled with quirky characters, has a superb plot, and tons of action. You can’t help but laugh at all the craziness, but there are several tender moments too.

Boys and girls will both love this one!

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

One wonders how I could miss the fact that this book is the middle of a series, but I did. So, I can't comment on the beginning nor the end of the saga, but the middle section was alright. It's just as the back of the book says, "If Lemony Snicket and Dave Barry got married and had a baby, this book would be it" (Critiquing the World). It's really very Dave Barry-ish. But I'm not interested enough to read more. One thing I rather liked was a new approach to time travel wherein you can't go forward, you can only go backward.

[Nate Billy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely entertaining, yet lacks the overflowing originality which made the first installment an absolute delight. The former had a "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, World" crazy road trip vibe, while this addition feels -- when at it's best-- more along the lines of an incomplete draft of Terry Gilliam's "Time Bandits". The wacky, nonsensical humor is still intact; although less abundant, it's still a welcome breath of fresh (witty) air. Overall a good read for those who enjoyed the adventures of the Cheesemans the first time around.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book again. And left it open for another book after it. Laugh out loud funny again with quirky humor and good story. Not as good as the first one but still very good.

[D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sailed from the eastern United States to Denmark and never saw land between? Too many things like this to forgive.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cheesemans are in another wacky adventure as they attempt to negotiate the 17th century, complete with metal-pierced pirates, witch-hunting Frenchmen and false dukes. Yep, life’s never dull when the Cheesemans are on the loose.

You have to wonder at some certain plotholes. The Cheesemans left their LVR stranded in the 17th century and took another one home. How come it doesn’t worry them that someone might stumble across their time machine, an obvious anachronism? Then again, Gateman Nametag (a hilarious palindromic name), aka Mr. 5, née Milton Cornelius Flowers. went over a cliff and disappeared. It’s a common tactic in superhero comics. If the villain doesn’t leave a body, chances are really good that he’s going to turn up again in future. How better to do so than via an abandoned time machine?

No doubt more silly names, oddball villains, near-death experiences and quirky characters await the redoubtable Mr. Cheeseman and his name-changing children. If you’re a fan of off-the-wall children’s comedies, this series will keep you smiling.

[Kayla M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another whole nother story by Cuthbert soup. I do not like it,because it had pirate and i do not like them cuz i do not play with them at all unless i have cousins over to play with them. I do not like because it just talks about pirate and u do not have them in my house. Did you know that girls do not play with them.

I do not like it, because it has pirate and i do not play with them unless i have cousins over. Sometimes we play different games we play, ghost in the graveyard. The ether things that we do is play with nerf guns battle way.

I do not like them because it just talks about them and i do not like them we do not have them in my house. If you come to my house and you ask about them i say we do not have them,sorry .

Do girls play with them. I do not think so because they are problem in to like babies or barbles. Did you know that they are dump. Well if you did not know that they are.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, and it is just as weird as the first. While the story is written in such a way that younger kids could read it, I feel like you have to be a little older to actually understand it. There is time travel and name changes that sometimes make it hard to remember who is speaking, and what is going on where they are at.

There is nothing serious in this series. Even situations that seem like they would be serious, somehow end up being the opposite. This series almost reminds me of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It has the same type of tone.

Author: Cuthbert Soup
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: 23 Nov 2010

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the craziness continues, we get an upside down look at time-travel, the 1600s, sailing ships, pirates, thunder storms and the Royal family of Jutland. Ethan Cheeseman is a brilliant scientist, his 3 children are very brave, they deal with villains and work with friends. After experiencing so much they realize they hadn’t thought of all possibilities. Luckily they remember their mother’s brilliance and theory and continue on their adventure to save her life. What could possibly happen next?

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cheeseman family had invented a time machine, but it is only in this, the second book in the series, that they go back in time. They go to a muddled version of the time of pirates. The kids have new funny aliases here and the youngest kid takes on the name Teddy Roosevelt, because no one in the past would know who he was. This book is amazing, like the whole series, despite its historical inaccuracies.

[Jill A. Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My boys love these books!

I’ve read this 3 book series with both of my sons when they were both around 7. We all laugh loudly and are so glad we found this clever series. Very grateful the librarians had it on display!

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was book 2 in a fun and goofy trilogy. The kids really enjoyed both books. They are funny and entertaining. We were needing something to convince the older kids that it's still fun to be read to and this fit the bill.

[Declan Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books were amazing. I used to save up my money so i could get them and they were worth every penny i spent.

[Cooper Esten · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nathan Shebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because I read the first one and I really liked it. I also like that Mr.cheeseman and his three children were trying hard to save their mom.And that was why I liked the book.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun, clever installment in the adventures of the Cheeseman family! I liked this one just as much as the first one.

[Mrs. Terwilliger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a GREAT book that made us laugh out loud!

[Abby Crow (enneagrams)]

DNF-ing just because I liked it when I was little but now that I’m older I’m just not compelled to keep reading. I hate it when this happens 🙁

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll say this, these books aren't boring. Onwards to the third and (I think) final installment of this time travel journey.

[Alex Roe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought the book was bad and it was hard to get through because it was kind of boring.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Review: He’s done it again, and I just don’t know how! 'Dr. Cuthbert Soup' has managed to write a companion novel that is just as hilarious as the first! You think the story has gotten just about as funny as it can get, and perhaps it will even slow down a bit for a page or two to follow the storyline—then he’ll hit you off guard with some totally unexpected and random one-liner and you find yourself rolling on the floor holding your sides! We continue with the story of Mr. Cheeseman and his children trying to go back in time to save their mother. This time, we add Jibby and his crew and they join up with the Cheesemans to journey way back in time in order to break a family curse. We meet more bad guys along the way, such as Jacques Bon Mot, the French witch hunter; The Mailman and his 7 dwarfs gone bad (the Mailman has nothing to do with the post office and more to do with ‘heavy metal’); Gateman Nametag, who isn’t the trusty assistant he appears to be; and even an Evil Step-Twin! There is a Danish duke who ‘shpekkens prefekt Engelsk’, and a ghost who quotes Shakespeare. We get to read words like ‘mobbish’, ‘un-pirately’, ‘Danishy’, ‘alwayses’, and ‘noodly’. There is an exciting and intense boat chase that involves a lot of pirates and a huge lightning storm, and we even get to go exploring through the dungeon, I mean basement, of a castle! As always, the best part is the Unsolicited Advice. There is advice on body piercing, fighting, choosing a name, psychic powers, and more! Upon reaching the end, if Gateman Nametag were reading the story, I’m sure he’d say something like, “What? Another cliffhanger?!?... I mean, Another Cliffhanger! Hooray!” We’ll just have to have a wingdingle or a shindiggle while we wait for the next installment! Super fun! Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

PROFANITY: None

SEXUAL CONTENT: One very mild instance

VIOLENCE: A few mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 9+

Another great, clean and funny read from Dr. Soup! There was one instance of characters kissing, but it was sweet. A character is struck by lightning (I’m pretty sure he dies). Another character falls off a cliff after being attacked by an animal (I think he dies, too). I put mild on the mature themes just because there is a lot of ‘action’ and ‘peril’, even if it is really tame. A fun book and a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 9+.

This review was written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for a review

To see more fantastic books on review, visit us at Squeaky Clean Reads!!

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

Starting where the first book left off, Ethan Cheeseman and his three smart, polite, and relatively odor-free children are traveling back in time to the year 1668 to stop an ancient family curse and save their mother.

To do so, they'll need the help of a group of misfit circus performer/pirates to return a cursed goblet to its rightful owner, the ruler of Denmark. Easy, right? Wrong. Their landing in 1668 is nothing short of bumpy, and the time machine needs repairs. To succeed in stopping the curse and repairing the machine, the misfits set out to restore the goblet while the Cheesmans fix their ride home.

The situation only gets worse when the family's archenemy reappears to destroy them. Having thought they left him tied up in the back of a school bus for police, the family doesn't recognize the now 15 years older - and more cunning - Mr. Five, Mrs. Cheeseman's murderer. Well-disguised as an assistant to a friend and former professor of Ethan's, he is in the perfect place to carry out his unknown dastardly plans.

Will the Cheesemans break the curse? Will they figure out who Mr. Five is before it's too late?

ANOTHER WHOLE NOTHER STORY is a funny, quick read for fans of time travel tales and action-adventure stories. The characters are well-developed and even more charming than in the first book. The plot is well-developed and fairly fast-paced.

With a sock puppet that says funny, sometimes impolite comments; a really cute tour guide who causes the oldest male Cheeseman child, Chip, to constantly make a fool of himself; and other antics that readers will never expect, this book is a great addition to any collection. Just make sure to read A WHOLE NOTHER STORY first.

[Charlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ethan Cheeseman and his three children--recently renamed Chip, Teddy, and Penny--finally get the LVR (Cheeseman's secret time travel machine) to take them on their voytage back in time to rescue wife and mother Olivia Cheeseman. First, however, they plan a stopover in the year 1668 to return Captain Jibby and his fellow pirates to their own time period so that an ancient curse can be undone. The group successfully land in 1668, but a huge hole in the roof of the LVR guarantees that the family won't be using the unit for time travel anytime soon. When Cheeseman and children set out to find materials with which to repair the LVR, their problems multiply. Not only are they accused of being witches, but Agent 5 finds his way back in time to 1668 to get revenge for having been sent to prison. Along the way, Soup continues to dispense unneeded advice. Readers anticipating the rescue of Olivia Cheeseman will be disappointed, but this adventurous sidetrip will provide an entertaining diversion while waiting to read that story.

[Barbara Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Whole Nother Story is about a scientist, his three children, their dog, and a boatload of other characters and their adventures after having traveled through time to 1668. Mainly a comedic action story, the book also manages to sneak in some educational material, about history, language, physics, and pretty much everything.

The bright cover, comic like drawings, and the name of the author pretty much guaranteed that I would read this book. (How can you not read something written by "Dr. Cuthbert Soup"?) The writing style is tongue-in-cheek, matter of fact, and appealing.

This is obviously the second in a series, following the previous book "A Whole Nother Story" which I have not read. And the ending indicates a follow up story, leaving the reader with the line, "But that, my friends, is a whole nother story." However, the action and exposition in this story enable it to be read as a stand alone; if you can overlook the fact that you are in the middle of a larger story.

[Janene · Rating 3 out of 5]

We really enjoyed round two of the Cheeseman family! Still missing their mother and determined to reverse her death, this part of their journey takes them to 1668 Boston, first to obtain a ship, then overseas to undo the curse of the White Gold Chalice that has followed their family for generations. They are still accompanied by the entertaining Captain Jibby and his pirates, but we are also introduced to some new supporting characters, including a love interest for the eldest son, Chip.

My nine-year-old especially looks forward to the unsolicited advice that sometimes follows a chapter. This book was entirely engaging for him, but doesn't hold the attention of little brothers. I'm still trying to figure out why it takes us ages to read a chapter book together, but we will definitely hunt down the final in this series. I need to know how this ends up!

[Tamra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't realize, when I picked it up, that this was the second book in a series. For the record, the story went just fine without book 1. (Though, before I figured it out, I was thinking, "Sheesh. Seems like there's a lot of back story here.")

Delightful! I'm definitely for sure reading the next book in the series when it comes out.

This has been compared to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, which I loved dearly. But comparing the two makes Unfortunate Events seem too humor-laden, and Nother Story seem plot-driven and focused. Not sure the comparison does either series any favors. But that's neither here nor there (whatever that actually means).

I wholeheartedly recommend this book. But I would start with Book 1, if I were you.

[Robb Geweniger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny, enjoyable Middle Grade Fantasy. While Cuthbert Soup's first book "A Whole Nother Story," was wild, and a bit amusing, this one, his second in the series is a bit more preposterouts, but even funnier. It includes something the first book lacked, a bit of romance in the form of an unrequited love (disappointing from my veiwpoint, but perhaps the author is setting up the storyline for a future book). The first book left me with a mediocre desire to read the book but too many questions hanging in the air, too many strings left untied for me not to read the second book. On the other hand the second book, ended with more strings tied, but left me with a greater desire to read the next book simply because the second book was much more enjoyable.