I preferred The Borrowers. ( )

Concerned at the wealth of items that have gone missing from their home, a brother and sister write a letter asking for help, only to find themselves whisked off to the underground laboratory of the madcap Dr. Zooper the next moment. Here, the eccentric scholar explains that these odd occurrences are the result of a race of mischief-makers known as Mischievians. In question-and-answer format, the rest of the book is dedicated to outlining some of the major kinds of Mischievians, from Homework Eaters to RemoteToters...

Like many of his other picture-books, from The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs to The Man in the Moon and its sequels in the Guardians of Childhood series, William Joyce's The Mischievians is an inventive work of fantasy, one that highlights a particular category of magical creature. Unfortunately, although I found the gorgeously detailed artwork immensely appealing, and liked the idea of the book, I found this one a little weak, as it concerns the narrative. The middle section, formatted as a guidebook, just drags on a little too long, textually speaking, while the framing story, in which the boy and girl visit Dr. Zooper's laboratory, isn't strong enough to carry the middle section, or keep the reader involved. Recommended primarily to fans of William Joyce's artwork, or to those looking for guidebook-style picture-books about magical creatures. ( )

William Joyce is quickly becoming one of my favorite children's authors. This is another of his fantastic stories! Have you ever wondered basic things like what happens to your homework when your dog does not eat it? Or where does belly-button lint come from? Where bad smells come from? What your funny-bone is? It is all the work of little known creatures called Mischievians. Excellent story for kids of ages! ( )

The Mischievians is a fiction picture book that explains the strange smells, disappearing remotes, missing homework, and all the little things that you have never been able to explain on your own. None of these lost things or weird experiences happen by chance, they are the work of the Mischievians. Michievians are imaginary creatures that create a lot of trouble for people in their everyday lives. This book contains humorous stories and the pictures draw you in immediately. With bright, bold illustrations created with acrylic paint this book is an excellent read from young to old this cleaver book will keep you laughing from front to back. ( )