MrsK Books: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

by Mark Dunn
ISBN: 9780385722438

Publisher's Synopsis:

Ella Minnow Pea is a girl living happily on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop was named after Nevin Nollop, author of the immortal pangram,* “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Now Ella finds herself acting to save her friends, family, and fellow citizens from the encroaching totalitarianism of the island’s Council, which has banned the use of certain letters of the alphabet as they fall from a memorial statue of Nevin Nollop. As the letters progressively drop from the statue they also disappear from the novel. The result is both a hilarious and moving story of one girl’s fight for freedom of expression, as well as a linguistic tour de force sure to delight word lovers everywhere.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

MrsK's Review:

As a book lover, I adore books about books... books about classic literary characters... books with amazing word play. Could this be some type of a literary left-over from all those days typing the above pangram while our teacher played N. Rimsky Korsakov's Flight of the Bumble Bee?

With a series of letters, two young ladies (cousins) begin a journey of desperation for all literary purposes. Ella is still on the island of Nollopton. She will be the voice of reason, updates, and humorous re-tellings about her village, the people, the High Island Council, and of course what happens as the letters begin dropping from the top of the cenotaph in the town center. Tassie and her mother has been away on a "stateside" sojourn. Their young adult voices will bring insight into the insanity in which the HIC will begin wielding power over the town.

Are you wondering what is going on... well it is rather comical at first. I mean, consider what you would be doing when an alphabet letter becomes "un-glued" and falls to its death at the heart of the town's city center. You see, once upon a time a very prestigious gentleman, the esteemed Neville Nollop, became a literary "giant" when he penned the famous pangram: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Although there was very little recognition within the states, the village erected a statue and placed tiles for the pangram upon the statue. On July 17, the "Z" fell. The council retreated behind close doors to deliberate what the village should do.

With complete control over the villagers, the council declares that no one could ever use the "Z" again. Yep, no more words in which the "Z" is written could ever be viewed, spoken, written, sung, or repeated. Imagine what that means for teachers, or the public library, songs, store items, and personal names. There would of course be one warning with three succeeding penalties if one was not carefully guarding their tongues or refusing to remove any items in which the offensive "Z" might appear. As people began adjusting to this new mandate, the bees began creating quite the havoc around town and in particular at the farms.

"With the prohibition, the reading of all books containing the unfortunate letter

will have to be outlawed..."

Seriously, what would we do? I stand proudly, shoulder to shoulder with Tassie: "I am bezide myself!" Consider the ramifications of such a mandate. The confiscation of any books (including text books), the destruction of personal records or letters, let alone the widespread fear that you could slip and speak the prohibited letter... which could send you on the way to banishment from Nollop.

Within a few weeks the "Q" made its departure. By now everyone is stricken with fear of punishments. Turning your neighbors, family members, and teachers in due to an inability to guard one's mouth is becoming a reality. Some are leaving the island and not by choice. Have you considered what becomes of their personal items or their land? Why would any town agree to these mandates?

"Jumpin' Jehoshaphat!"

"The *uick brown fox *umps over the la*y dog."

The next letter to *epart causes the *ays of the week to be change*. Consi*er the extensive energy one woul* nee* to put into action in or*er to communicate. I *o believe that *uct taping one's mount coul* prove beneficial. What will they *o without the "E?"

Nollopianians must prepare for the moment in which language ceases to exist!

Please *on't wait too long... The *elightful word play is just too scrumptious to miss...
MrsK

Amazing read... joyously devoured... quick fun-filled word play!
Added to my shelf and shared with the Booked to Dine Book Club.

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"This exceptional, zany book will quickly make you laugh."

Dallas Morning Herald

Meet the Author:

Mark Dunn is the author of several books and more than thirty full-length plays, a dozen of which have been published in acting edition.

Mark has received over 200 productions of his work for the stage throughout the world, with translations of his plays into French, Italian, Dutch and Hungarian. His play North Fork (later retitled Cabin Fever: A Texas Tragicomedy when it was picked up for publication by Samuel French) premiered at the New Jersey Repertory Company (NJRC) in 1999 and has since gone on to receive numerous productions throughout the U.S.

Mark is co-author with NJRC composer-in-residence Merek Royce Press of Octet: A Concert Play, which received its world premiere at NJRC in 2000. Two of his plays, Helen’s Most Favorite Day and Dix Tableaux, have gone on to publication and national licensing by Samuel French. His novels include the award-winning Ella Minnow Pea, Welcome to Higby, Ibid, the children’s novel The Calamitous Adventures of Rodney and Wayne, Under the Harrow and Feral Park.

Mark teaches creative writing and leads playwriting seminars around the country, in addition to serving as Vice President of the non-profit PULA (People United for Libraries in Africa), which he founded with his wife, Mary, in 2002.

“There is indeed power in words.

Most of the lasting change that has been forged in the history of this world came not from a wielding of the swift and bloody sword of battle but from the shaping scalpel of ideas, and what are ideas without the words to deliver them?”
― Mark Dunn, Under the Harrow

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MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)