Dillweed's Revenge: A Deadly Does of Magic
written by Florence Parry Heide with Roxanne Heide Pierce, David Fisher Parry, and Jeanne McReynolds Parry
illustrated by Carson Ellis
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
I was immediately drawn to this book, being a fan of Carson Ellis' illustrations-think Decemberists' posters and the covers of The Mysterious Benedict Society series. The story is dark and strange, complete with nasty adults and a series of coffins that immediately gets one thinking about Edward Gorey. Which, it turns out, is exactly where one's mind should go, as Edward Gorey illustrated Heide's Treehorn series in the 1970s.
Dillweed and his strange pet, Skorped, are forced to do the servant's work when Dillweed's parents are away having fun, which is often. It's a miserable existence, but at least they have each other. That is until Perfidia, the maid, decides to get rid of Skorped.
This is a dark adventure that will be enjoyed by strange children, followed by terrible teens, and laughed at by absurd adults.
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