On a roll reading this last few new books from friends. Ella,
Minnow, Pea by Mark Dunn is a “cute” story of the fictitious island of
Nollop, names after the Nevin Nollop, who came up with the phrase: “the quick
brown fox jumps over the lazy dog!” And
why was that so significant? It was seen
as the shortest sentence using every letter of the alphabet. So with that tag line framed in block letters
on a memorial statue for the former leader of the island. What happens when letters start falling one
by one off the statue? The island
leadership enforces a rule that makes that letter “extinct” from all
vocabulary, meaning if you say that letter in a word, strike one! Three strikes and you are removed from the
island. The 18-year-old Ella Minnow Pea
and the rest of her family struggle to live through this new rule which has the
family separated. Ella’s cousin, Tassie,
and a US born researcher work to save the island by discovering a sentence with
the alphabet in less than 32 letters which will allow the government to
overturn the rule. They only have a few
weeks to do so. This play on words, and
letters causes chaos to the citizens and has some funny moments. It is a good book to help teach youngsters
that silly rules in life exist, plus have a bit of fun with the alphabet and
the creation of new words. In the end,
Ella’s father sarcastic request for them to send him alcohol, saves the island…
“pack my box with five dozen liquor jars,” only 26 letters!!! A neat play on words. Pretty surface level-book, not a lot of depth
here.
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