Mightier than the Sword Book Review and GIVEAWAY

Mightier than the Sword Blog Tour

Book Review and GIVEAWAY

Mightier than the Sword

Written by Drew Callander and Alana Harrison

Illustrated by Ryan Andrews

Published July, 2018, by Penguin Workshop 

Mom's Review

Mightier than the Sword is funny. And fun! This interactive novel is a rollicking good time that surreptitiously teaches grammar and enhances vocabulary. With humor reminiscent of Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth and a quest that vaguely recalls those "choose your own adventure" stories, Mightier than the Sword engrosses the reader. (Callander and Harrison point out that it is not unlike immersing oneself in a video game.) I recently came across an old interview with Juster to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tollbooth; his commentary about how there are no difficult words, "only words you don't know yet," springs to mind when contemplating Mightier, particularly because the the authors call it "sneakily educational." Mightier is not just an adventure story, nor is it a book that aims to pour ELA concepts into kids. It's a solidly-crafted story that makes the most of language and doesn't underestimate the reader.

As you read, you discover that you are an amnesiac lost in Astorya, the alternate dimension where stories are preserved. By the laws of nature, humans should not be able to exist in Astorya, but you do — and you possess the superpower of being able to write anything into existence. The only thing you can't write is your way home, and so you join a curious cast of characters called the Couriers to rescue Prince S, who is the only one who can get you home, but who is trapped by an evil queen. The mashup of genres, plot devices, settings, and characters creates a cohesive fictional world; Callander and Harrison have so smoothly blended disparate elements that the talking French stoat, Manteau, is the natural companion of Alicole, the cowgirl pegasus centaur.

The only parts I'm not crazy about are the fact that the ship is made out of poop and I get covered in it. That is just too gross for me. And the footnotes get to be a bit much. They are entertaining at first, but their volume disrupts the narrative at times.

Between the book world, compelling adventure, and word-play, there's no question that I liked Mightier than the Sword.

Son's Review

Can you read it to me? Can you read me this? Can you read it to me?

T really wants me to read it to him, but I know most of the humor would be over his head, except the poop jokes.  Needless to say, based on the pictures and my synopsis for him, he is eager to be old enough to read it.

Extra: Link to book on Penguin's site: Mightier than the Sword

GIVEAWAY a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter for a chance to win a Mightier Than the Sword prize pack!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:
• A hardcover copy of Mightier Than the Sword
• A hardcover copy of Mightier Than the Sword: The Edge of the Word
• A paperback copy of Mightier Than the Sword
• A personalized video message from Manteau—the lovable French stoat

Three (3) winners receive:

• A paperback copy of Mightier Than the Sword
• A hardcover copy of Mightier Than the Sword: The Edge of the Word

Five (5) winners receive:
• A paperback copy of Mightier Than the Sword

The giveaway begins November 16, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends December 16, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

Disclosure: Per FTC guidelines, I disclose partnership with The Children’s Book Review, Drew Callander, and Alana Harrison.