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Book
Squiggle

Author
B.B. Wurge

The Review
Squiggle is a delightful children’s story suitable for children ages 7 or 8 and up, although younger readers may prefer to have the story read aloud to them. After reading the book and pondering the children’s books of mine and my children’s childhoods, I would have to say Squiggle is a fanciful story that reminds me of the Dr. Seuss books, Alice in Wonderland, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Wizard of Oz, Freaky Friday, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks all rolled into one. Somewhat silly and nonsensical with made-up words and products, the story itself is reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, while the wild adventures of Squiggle make me think of Alice in Wonderland. An anthromorphic character, the monkey is easy to compare with The Velveteen Rabbit, but the lesson learned at the end of the story rather reminds me of The Wizard of Oz, though the lesson is different. And like Freaky Friday, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, the story is entirely fictional and fanciful, fantasy and magic, totally unrealistic and impossible and, as such, a delightful tale children will love.

I particularly enjoy the subtle lesson and moral of the story which, similar to The Wizard of Oz, is timeless, though I like that in this story the moral is never actually spelled out for the reader in exact words. It lets children figure out the lesson for themselves.

I also love that the story is outrageously imaginative, totally original, and charmingly simple.

As for the story itself, since I’m writing this review for adults, I’ll give you the synopsis, (knowing that it won’t spoil the ending for any children out there because you certainly won’t tell your child how it ends, will you?). Lobelia is a spoiled only child whose life revolves around junk food, television, and getting her rich parents to buy her everything she wants which, most recently, includes magic. Of course, that’s impossible, so Lobelia spends most of her “free time” (i.e., during commercials) throwing a hissy fit.

Then the Bureau of Emergency Magic sends her a pickfloo (a/k/a a genie) to grant her one wish and suddenly, realizing the magnitude of making and living with a single wish, Lobelia decides she doesn’t want any magic at all—but it is too late. The wish has been granted, the potion made, and the instructions given—drink it at midnight on the dot. But when Lobelia falls asleep, awakens at midnight exactly, and cannot think of a wish fast enough, the unthinkable happens. The potion explodes in her room, killing her, blowing off her head, and breaking her television.

Now I’ll admit this sounds violent, but bear with me and the writer here. The way he describes the situation makes it seems so ludicrous that it is hardly maudlin.

Lobelia finds that her mind or soul has taken up residence in the body of her stuffed monkey, which doesn’t seem so horrid initially—until she realizes her parents don’t miss her at all and are simply relieved to be rid of their snotty, spoiled daughter and free to travel now that they don’t have to worry about taking her along with them and embarrassing them. When she tries to speak to them and tell them who she is, they think she is a maniacal squirrel or some other creature, sending her scurrying for safety. And without her, her parents book a flight for Paris faster than Lobelia can say “pickfloo.” It’s a sobering wake-up call.

Fast forward to the part where Lobelia (now called Squiggle since that’s the monkey’s name according to her tag) realizes she wants to be a girl again and must get to the pickfloo where he lives at the top of the Eiffel Tower to ask if he will grant her wish to change her back. Ultimately, Lobelia is restored to life as a girl (albeit under the presumption of being a very life-like doll who is frequently “updated” by the pickfloo to maintain the appearance of a normal growing girl) and reunited with her parents where the three return to their home and live happily ever after—without television, junk food, or snotty, spoiled hissy fits—now that both parents and child realize the error of their ways.

It really is a funny, quirky story, and I think parents will also be amused, so this is a great read-aloud story!

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Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy of the book to review.