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Summary
Summary
A boy must outsmart a tormenting turkey and solve the mystery surrounding some missing jewelry in this feel-good middle grade novel from the Newbery Award-winning author of the Shiloh series.
Zack has a problem. A turkey problem. A TOM turkey to be exact. Every weekend Zack goes to his grandparents' farm with his father. As soon as he and his dad pull up in the truck, that ol' Tom turkey's right there, waiting , ready to peck, peck, peck at Zack's legs. Now, Zack isn't usually a scaredy-cat but this is different. The bird is flat out mean, and has clearly got it out for Zack. His best friend Matthew thinks he's exaggerating, so one weekend Zack brings him along and sure enough the turkey is laying in wait...this time for them both! The boys realize they need something to turn the tables, so they decide to build--in Rube Goldberg style--a giant LOUD contraption to scare the turkey away for good.
What the boys don't count on is the seemingly know-it-all neighbor Josie's news that there's a mysterious robber prowling around the neighborhood. Bracelets, necklaces, and coins have gone missing, and the odd thing is that the robber leaves V-shaped footprints...
Author Notes
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has written more than 135 books, including the Newbery Award-winning Shiloh and its sequels, the Alice series, Roxie and the Hooligans , and Roxie and the Hooligans at Buzzard's Roost . She lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland. To hear from Phyllis and find out more about Alice, visit AliceMcKinley.com.
Vivienne To has illustrated several books, including The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins and the Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective series by Octavia Spencer. As a child, she had two pet mice escape. She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, with her partner and her ginger cat. Visit her at VivienneTo.com.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-A boy tries to create a machine that will prevent exactly what the title says in this quick read. Zack and his dad spend weekends helping his grandparents on their farm. While Zack enjoys these visits, one thing mars his otherwise pleasant experience: the farm's resident turkey, Tailpipe, who likes to run at Zack and peck his legs. Zack decides he needs to create a portable machine to scare the beast into leaving him alone. He's assisted by a neighbor, Josie, who also fancies herself a sleuth and is concerned with a rash of recent petty thefts on the farms, and his best friend Matthew. Together they plot, experiment, and, using random items found in grandpa's machine shed, create a Rube Goldberg-esque contraption meant to startle Tailpipe away. Zack makes it clear that he simply wants to frighten the bird; he and Michael do talk about the difference between frightening it and killing it. They also become unwittingly embroiled in the farm theft mystery, but all is explained and happily resolved by the last page. Naylor's story is highly plot-driven, with only quick strokes of character development. VERDICT A light and humorous story ideal for readers looking for a fast, easy read.-Mary Kuehner, Arapahoe Library District, CO © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Zack likes visiting his grandparents' farm with his father, pitching in with chores and enjoying Grandma's delectable meals. What he doesn't like is the giant turkey that chases him around the farm, feverishly pecking at his legs. Exasperated, Zack attempts to map out walking routes across the farm so as to avoid the turkey, which he's nicknamed Tailpipe "because he was always right behind you and made as much noise as a tailpipe without a muffler." When that tactic fails, he decides to build a "turkey-blaster trouble-shooter" to scare the creature "right out of his feathers." With the help of friends Matthew and Josie, Zack constructs a noise-making contraption using old items stored in the barn. Though that laborious process slows the story's stride, a mystery involving missing jewelry and a suspected burglar help keep things moving. At its heart, this is a homespun novel underscoring the importance of family and friends, themes that will be familiar to Naylor's many fans, and that are reinforced by To's atmospheric b&w illustrations of farm hijinks. Ages 7-11. Illustrator's agency: Shannon Associates. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Zack and the Turkey Attack! Excerpted from Matthew and His Funky Fabulous Machine (W. T. ) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.