Adventures of a Dwergish Girl

August 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-Written in Pinkwater's unique offbeat style, this novel is part legend, part modern(ish) personal narrative. A Dwergish girl (of Dutch descent) who calls herself Molly O'Mally recounts days at home and her community life before telling of her adventures outside of that isolated, peaceful place in the Catskills where Dwerg life has remained the same for generations. Molly leaves her Dwerg village to go to the city of Kingston, NY, where she sells a couple Dwerg gold coins, gets a job in a local pizza shop belonging to a man from Sierra Leone, and sets up a tent of string and garbage bags in the woods behind the shop. On one late night walk in the old town stockade, Molly meets a ghost who becomes a friend and helps Molly understand an apparent plot to use androids to reenact the burning of Kingston from 1777. Molly and her (living) friend, Leni, take a bus trip to New York City to have hotdogs and papaya juice, which Molly later revisits to see the Yorkville witch who can help her solve the mystery. Witty, unorthodox, and highly entertaining twists and turns abound as Molly uses the wisdom of the Dwergs, the help of the local genius DJ, magic parsnips, and her Uncle Norbert's guidance to save Kingston. Small ink drawings open each chapter with a bit of entertainment and some information about the story. VERDICT Those who enjoy a good mystery with an unusual plot, strong characters, and smart language will find connections between this unbelievable story and the incredible adventures of real life.-Lindsay Persohn, Univ. of South Florida, Tampa

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2020
Grades 4-7 Molly is a fairly typical teenager, besides being part of the semi-magical Dwerg people who reside in the Catskills. Though Molly has affection for her cozy life in a small, hidden-from-human-eyes village, she concludes that there must be more to existence than goat milking and gold mining. With her parents' blessing, she heads out into the wide world of Kingston, NY, to seek new adventures?and what adventures await! There are ghosts, gangsters, and android arsonists. When the androids are revealed to be part of a plot to steal Dwergish gold and demolish Kingston, Molly must foil the foes and defend her homes of past and present. The story is Pinkwater in classic form, full of kooky characters and an unpredictable plot that flings readers in unexpected directions. Despite occasional breaks for history lessons and papaya juice amongst the humorous chaos and exquisite descriptions, the story maintains an old-fashioned directness while still incorporating modern elements. An abrupt ending is disconcerting, but established fans know where it leads. A Pinkwater whirlwind in all its glory.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

October 19, 2020
Teen Molly O’Malley is a Dwerg who lives in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Like all Dwerg families, Molly’s has extraordinary wealth from mining gold. As a female Dwerg, Molly is expected to tend goats and vegetables and marry a “slob male Dwerg,” but she is also permitted to attend school in nearby Kingston. After a year and a half of high school, Molly knows two things: that Dwergs, though exceedingly boring, possess magic, and that she needs to live on her own. After getting a job at a pizza place, Molly meets the usual, delightful assortment of oddball characters who show up in stories by Pinkwater (the Hoboken Chicken series)—here, the cast includes an 18th-century teenage ghost and the Catskill Witch. With their help, Molly must stop androids disguised as British Redcoats from burning New York City, as well as gangsters from stealing the Dwergs’ gold. Molly is curious, practical, and resourceful, and despite her desire for independence, she remains connected to her Dwerg family and heritage. The comically absurd ending is an enjoyable wrap-up to this fast-paced, unexpected adventure that combines history, folklore, and nonsensical fun. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary.