The Squickerwonkers: The Prequel

By: Evangeline Lilly

Narrated by: Sylvester McCoy

Length: 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

Come, step behind the curtain and enter a delightfully roguish world where mischief, mayhem and, perhaps, a dash of malice lurk....

Let us introduce you to the remarkable Squickerwonkers - a band of colorful marionettes, and stars of the fabulous Squickershow - and to Selma of the Rin-Run Royals - a clever little girl with a naughtiness lurking just beneath the surface. One day Selma stumbles upon this troupe of puppet-scoundrels and endures a cheeky test of character that leads to an unpleasant lesson; one The Squickerwonkers are only too happy to oblige in orchestrating. 

In this, the prequel to the multi-book Squickerwonkers series, Selma’s curiosity and the Squickerwonkers’ vices set the stage for a wonderful cautionary tale that will captivate old and young alike.

©2013 Evangeline Lilly (P)2014 Quiet Cocoon Productions

Critic Reviews

"This is a wondrous book...the best book I've ever seen! These books might be sold out." (Amelia Taylor, six years old)

“The Squickerwonkers is just such a wonderful tale. Children of all ages will delight in the book’s deliciously dark mischief.” (Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, creators of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies) 

“[Kids] are adventurers by nature, they love to test themselves against their fears. And they will LOVE to be unsettled by this book.... Dark and delicious.” (Martin Baynton, author of Jane and the Magician and The Dragon’s Purpose) 

“Fans of Gris Grimly and other creators of gentle horror should find their imaginations piqued.” (Publishers Weekly)   

“More Grimm than Disney, Lilly and Fraser-Allen are unafraid to challenge their young readers and offer up a cautionary tale that promises to delight those willing to take the journey.” (Comics Online) 

"Mystery, misanthropy, and mischief combine in this delightfully dark cautionary tale, written in an absorbing limerick style." (Foreword Reviews)   

"Lilly set out to write a book that both children and parents could enjoy. She has succeeded." (SheKnows.com) 

"The Squickerwonkers is a strange and wacky book but a fun one all the same." (Mugglenet) 

"A creepy crawly delight." (B&N Book Blog) 

"Parts Brothers Grimm, Roald Dahl and Tim Burton, The Squickerwonkers lurks at the shadowy end of the kids-lit spectrum” (Total Film) 

“Dark and kooky tale.” (Richard Taylor, head of WETA Workshop) 

“An amazing book.” (Comic Vine) 

"A clever, creepy children's book." (Vulture) 

"The rare kind of kids' book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike." (Movies.com) 

"The dark, alluring tale." (USA Today) 

"[A] delightfully dark read." (Comics Alliance) 

"A truly delightful and sophisticated children's book...and the easiest way to pitch it is to say were it a movie, it'd be right at home alongside the likes of Coraline and ParaNorman." (Movies.com) 

Very Creative!

This book series looks like it is going to be highly creative and entertaining!!! They are really enjoyable to read or listen to.Looking forward to all the future Squickerdom!!!

It is just wonderfully entertaining.

What made the experience of listening to The Squickerwonkers the most enjoyable?

The poetic story, the presentation voice, and the music.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Selma of course, girls cannot be spoiled nor can their quests.

What about Sylvester McCoy’s performance did you like?

I really enjoyed the timing to the music.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

A new bar has been set.

Brilliant!

A bit adult for my four year old but she loves the music. I really enjoyed listening too! Good stuff

Weird, short and noisy....

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

It's so short everyone should give it a go,

What could Evangeline Lilly have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Tried a bit less to be cleverly weird and tried a bit more to bring out a character to like.

What didn’t you like about Sylvester McCoy’s performance?

Noise. Couldn't quite hear what was being said sometimes over sound effects and through accents.

What character would you cut from The Squickerwonkers?

The quickerwonkers.

Any additional comments?

Try it - it will only take a few minutes - and it might press your buttons.

Impeccable!

If you could sum up The Squickerwonkers in three words, what would they be?

Greatest children's book!

What did you like best about this story?

That I could read this to my daughter and I could also sit down and read it by myself if I wanted. It is great for all ages!

Have you listened to any of Sylvester McCoy’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I have not but this one has held a high standard! Sylvester did an amazing job!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely

Any additional comments?

Evangeline Lilly did a wonderful job! Well worth the wait and cannot wait to read more about The Squickerwonkers!

Cliffhanger

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yeah, b/c it's totally sweet

What did you like best about this story?

introduces the human condition to kids

What about Sylvester McCoy’s performance did you like?

accents were awesome

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

the ending left me wanting more

Any additional comments?

looking forward to the sequels

simply love it, can't wait for more

very excited to see where this is headed. really hoping in years to come that this is still progressing. such imagination is a gift

squickerwonkerly awesome

this is right up there with the hobbit and Ronald Dahl it is genuinely brilliant

Very enjoyable... what you can hear of it

Where does The Squickerwonkers rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Somewhere in the middle.

What about Sylvester McCoy’s performance did you like?

McCoy's performance is charming, exuberant and delightfully over the top. I'm sure children of all ages will love it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's very short, so, yes.

Any additional comments?

Evangeline Lilly has written a sweet, little fairy story here which McCoy performs theatrically (and I mean that in a good way). It's a shame, then, that it has to compete to be heard in places with the multitude of background noises and music that have been layered on top of it. Turning the background noise down in the mix would improve this piece significantly.

AWESOME

What did you like about this audiobook?

FREE FOR ANYONE

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

I'M GONNA USE IT IN THE CLASSROOM #ESL

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

SHE IS MY FAVORITE ACTRESS

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

NOTHING

Do you have any additional comments?

Mrs. Evangeline Lilly is AWESOME