Ben, Tom and Lindy Potter are ordinary children. They lead ordinary lives - until they meet the brilliant Professor Savant. He tells them all about the Whangdoodles, the wise and magical creatures who once lived on earth but then disappeared to another land, and were forgotten forever.

Except by Professor Savant and the three children, who are determined to visit Whangdoodleland, where the last of the really great Whangdoodles rules over his kingdom of fantastic creatures. Getting there isn't easy. The children must look "beyond" the ordinary, and see things in a completely different way. It's hard and dangerous work, and sometimes it seems that they'll never reach the Whangdoodle's castle. But little by little the children learn that with a bit of imagination, "anything" is possible.

This is a really weird book, and I find a great deal unsettling. I do not recommend it as a read aloud, even though my four year old is enjoying it. I hate that the children are asked to keep their adventures a secret from their parents. I also an unclear why the professor is insisting that travel to a place where they are clearly not wanted. I will probably not finish it since it is clearly not going to resolve any way I would want it to. ( )

Ben, Tom and Lindy Potter are ordinary children. They lead ordinary lives - until they meet the brilliant Professor Savant. He tells them all about the Whangdoodles, the wise and magical creatures who once lived on earth but then disappeared to another land, and were forgotten forever.

Except by Professor Savant and the three children, who are determined to visit Whangdoodleland, where the last of the really great Whangdoodles rules over his kingdom of fantastic creatures. Getting there isn't easy. The children must look "beyond" the ordinary, and see things in a completely different way. It's hard and dangerous work, and sometimes it seems that they'll never reach the Whangdoodle's castle. But little by little the children learn that with a bit of imagination, "anything" is possible.

This started off well, I liked the idea of whangdoodle land, but as it progressed I started doubting its suitability for kids.
First of all, it's quite phallic, whangdoode for instance contains two euphemisms for male genitalia.
Then there's the whole thing of these kids going to some land with a random man they do not really know, quite alarming ot be honest.
And the whangdoodle himself was rather creepy - and the cloning thing? Even creepier and a rather weird turn.
I don't know how I feel about this one. It's a shame, I was hoping it would like the Phantom Tollbooth... ( )

Ben, Tom, and Lindy Potter have never even heard of a Whangdoodle - until they meet the brilliant Professor Savant at the zoo.