Despicable Me: The Junior Novel

by Annie Auerbach

A smart, funny junior novelization of Despicable Me, an animated movie about "world's greatest villain" Gru, coming from Universal Studios in Summer 2010!

Read by the incomparable Tim Curry

Genres: Childrens, Humor, Fiction, Audiobook, Anime, Adoption, Young Adult

Audio CD

First published May 19, 2009

Reviews

[Sam Davis]

This book not only has gru, the best antihero in all of fiction, but also minions. Stuart is the best written character of all time, having amazing development throughout the minions movie. As an example, when Stuart changes his acoustic guitar into the electric guitar, he too changes as a person from an unsure minion who doesn’t know if the villain he is working with is worthy of his loyalty, to finding a gru, a villain that he is sure to follow and to be loyal to for the rest of his life.

[Monica]

Ah, another audiobook performed by Tim Curry. How could I resist?

And of course it's three hours of joy. Curry has his usual fun fun fun with these silly characters. It's just for kids, except that everyone will enjoy listening to this. A career arch villain tries to shrink and steal the moon with the help of a loan from the bank that caters to evildoers, but three orphans tame him.

Sparkling silliness.

[Katharine]

Okay. I do LOVE the Minions and the backstory of Despicable Me. Did I really need to listen to this junior novelization? No, but for the fact it is read by the one, the only, the incomparable Tim Curry. I could listen to him read the most archaic text or the most complex dissertation in physics, and I would still melt and be drawn to his voice like a moth to a flame.

[Rachel]

I know this book is for children and is an adaptation from the movie but I loved it :) Tim Curry narrates the audiobook and does fun character voices. There is also a lot of music in it too! :)

[Denorris]

Funny, exactly as the movie, the kids loved it.

[Lissa]

My kids and I listened to this audiobook together after watching some Minions mini-movies at a relative’s house. None of us had seen the movies that introduced the minions so I tracked this down for context. Listening to a well-done movie novelization on audiobook works better for my household than watching the movie, because the audiobook is less scary/intense, and requires more imagination.

We enjoyed this story and while we may not watch the minion movies, we might try more novelizations to get us the basic story and characters of popular licensed products.

[Joanna Loves Reading]

Tim Curry was a very good choice in narrator for this cute story. As is often the case with male narrators, the kids and women voices are not as good, but they were distinct. Great sense of drama to this production.

[Mrtfalls]

Not as good as the film. But still a really fun and simple read. On print some the antics and things strike me funnier than in the movie. I was disappointed that there was no dialogue from the minions.

[Qt]

4 stars for enjoyment!

[Alicia]

Did this one as an audiobook with the kids. Tim Curry did a great job as the narrator. For a novelization of a movie, a kid's movie at that, it was pretty well done.

[Alyson]

Despicable Me: The Junior Novel is a delightful read and fun audiobook to listen to. Tim Curry's narration was fantastic!

[Susan]

This was a fast read and was just like the movie. You can see the movie as you read the book. A great read if you want something light and funny.

[Hilarie]

This is just a novelization of the movie "Despicable Me". However...the AUDIO version is by Tim Curry. It's worth a listen just to hear Tim Curry do the voices and sound effects.

[Cindy]

I can’t believe kids read this junk.

[Reading]

A cute story made delightful because it’s narrated was narrated by Tim Curry.

[⤹ aerona˚♬୭]

i actually read this to my 9 yr old sister, since shes in her despicable me era rn lol

[Sarai]

I listened to this on CD because Tim Curry was the reader. He did a good job with voices and such, but I was disappointed in that he did not leave dramatic pauses or breath pauses between words and sentences, so it felt a little rushed.

As far as the story goes, I'd rather see the movie. :)

Product Description
A smart, funny junior novelization of Despicable Me, an animated movie about "world's greatest villain" Gru, coming from Universal Studios in Summer 2010! Includes a color insert of stills from the film!

[Katie]

Despicable me was a great movie so if you put it in a book it's going to be just as good. Gru "the worlds greatest villian" is trying to do something bigger than stealing the great pyramid....stealing the moon. But on his mission to steal the moon he gets a hold of three orphan girls which are trouble in his plan. Good book bit a better movie.

[Janelle]

it was a classic tale and a worth while read . worthy of your eyes .

[Torrance]

good so far

[Sean Yumul]

This is the best book ever!

[Johnny Bennett]

For being a book about a movie, this was the best I've read. It still wasn't one hundred percent faithful. But it was a pretty good translation. Inspired me to watch the movie again.

[Teddy]

Basically like listening to the movie without the visual, but I liked the movie, too so that is ok. Cute story.

[Sandy]

The audio with Tim Curry reading was really funny.

[Jaida Wardley]

i love it i got it from mc donalds i fin it really funny

[Jen]

Present tense. Why is the novel written in present tense?

[Kathy (McDowell) Miller]

I got this book on CD just because I love Tim Curry as a narrator. Fun, funny. Loved it!

[Hannah Chung]

I really love that Gru became a really loving dad. I think that he should also be a villain too. It's cool how he commit crimes ;)

[Stacie]

Just like the movie. Gru is a villain but with the help of Agnes, Margo, and Edith, he finds the real meaning of life.

[Jason]

Tim Curry's performance was bloody awful.