Books like 'Jack and the Giant Barbecue'
Readers who enjoyed Jack and the Giant Barbecue by Eric A. Kimmel also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
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Strega Nona: An Old Tale by Tomie dePaola
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsWhen Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works...Categorized as:
children culinary historical-fiction humor myths retellings 20th-century action-adventure -
Going up in the Underworld by Álex Gilbert
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs a young, up and coming apex predator of the night, Ariane needs the minions, a territory, dubious allies with unknown agendas... From Alexandria to the frozen north, opportunities and danger abound. Fortunately, Ariane has many tools at her disposal and if everything fails, there is always black powder... -
Gramercy Classics Lewis Carroll: The Complete Illustrated Works by Lewis Carroll
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsThis beautiful, 868-page leather-bound volume contains a delightful collection of stories from one of history's most beloved children's authors. Lewis Carroll's stories are still as fresh and appealing as when they were first published more than a century ago...Categorized as:
children humor industrial-era action-adventure anthologies classics comedy fairy-tale -
Making Money: The Play by Stephen Briggs, Terry Pratchett
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPlay based on Terry Pratchett's book, Making Money.Lord Vetinari wants to overhaul the banks of Ankh-Morpork so he appoints former con-man Albert Spangler, aka Moist von Lipwig, to the position of Mater of the Royal Mint, attached to a senior post at the Bank of Ankh-Morpork... -
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The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud, Simon Jones
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsIt is 950 B.C.E., and King Solomon rules Jerusalem with a steely hand; a hand on which gleams a magic ring of immense and unforgiving power. Solomon has just begun work on his marvelous temple, charging Khaba, a formidable magician in his royal court, to oversee its construction. The workforce is an ill-behaved bunch of demons, a particularly unruly djinni named Bartimaeus among them... -
How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsReluctant hero Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III must rescue his best friend, Fishlegs, from the deadly disease Vorpentitis. The only cure is rare and almost impossible to find...a potato. But where will Hiccup find such a thing? He'll have to dodge the terrible Sharkworms, battle Doomfangs, and outwit crazy Hooligans if he's going to be a Hero. Again...Categorized as:
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How to Ride a Dragon's Storm by Cressida Cowell
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsTHE STORY CONTINUES in the seventh volume of Hiccup's How to Train Your Dragon memoirs ...Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was an awesome sword-fighter, a dragon-whisperer and the greatest Viking Hero who ever lived. But it wasn't always like that. Hiccup's memoirs look back to when Hiccup was just an ordinary boy, and finding it very hard to be a Hero...Categorized as:
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A Barrel of Laughs, a Vale of Tears by Jules Feiffer
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA prince who makes everyone laugh is sent on a quest to turn him into a person worthy of being a king, but he gets everything wrong except for the meaning of life...Categorized as:
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Masque by W.R. Gingell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBeauty met the Beast and there was . . . Bloody murder? It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated. In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse...Categorized as:
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The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHer castle under siege by an evil knight who keeps beheading all her would-be rescuers, Lady Lynet sets out for help and finds assistance from an odd dwarf named Roger and a scruffy kitchen hand named Beaumains...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor myths retellings 21st-century action-adventure arthurian -
The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsUnhappy Penelope Lumley is trapped in unhappy Plinkst! Even the beets for which Plinkst is inexplicably famous fail to grow in this utterly miserable Russian village...Categorized as:
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How to Twist a Dragon's Tale by Cressida Cowell
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsDon't miss an action-packed, hilarious, heart-warming moment of the New York Times bestselling series that inspired the hit movies! The heat is on for Hiccup! Someone has stolen the Fires-Stone from Volcano Island, which means the Volcano has become active and the tremors are hatching the Eggs of Exterminator Dragons! Can Hiccup return the Fire-Stone to the Volcano, stop it from erupting, and...Categorized as:
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A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons by Cressida Cowell
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsIt's Hiccup's birthday, but that's not going to keep him from getting into trouble. To save his dragon, Toothless, from being banished, Hiccup must sneak into the Meathead Public Library and steal the Viking's most sacred book. But the Vikings see books as a dangerous influence, and keep them locked up and under heavy guard...Categorized as:
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The Immortal Continent by Virlyce
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLucia's the strongest person in the world, and she's perfectly content with living out the remainder of her life gorging herself on acorn stew and hot chocolate. Unfortunately for her, her sadistic sword spirit, Durandal, has different plans. The is the sequel to The Godking's Legacy. Content Warning: Sexual themes. Profanity. Gore... -
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Get Lost, Odysseus! by Kate McMullan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYou might think you know all about The Odyssey, but until you read Get Lost, Odysseus!, you don't know the truth. With Kate McMullan's trademark blend of humor and details from the original tale, Get Lost, Odysseus! tells the Greek classic in a brand-new way in this eBook. The Trojan War is over, but now Odysseus has to find his way home to Ithaca . . -
The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsMeet thirteen-year-old Sarah, who has been living on her own and searching for the knight who was responsible for her mother’s death. Her quest for revenge leads to an even greater adventure when she witnesses Queen Guinevere being kidnapped. Soon Sarah finds herself accompanying Sir Gawain and Squire Terence on a remarkable journey to rescue the queen... -
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsLibrarian's Note: Alternate cover edition can be found here.Twelve stories about animals, insects, and other subjects include How the Camel Got His Hump. The Butterfly That Stamped, and How the Alphabet Was Made.Categorized as:
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Kasper in the Glitter by Philip Ridley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter his mother's brooch is stolen, Kasper leaves his home in the land of Nowhere and journeys to the land of Glitter and Gloom to get it back, confronting great dangers in a city ruled by a fierce orphan boy... -
Sunset Specters by Gary Jonas
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA SORCERER SEEKING IMMORTALITY The powerful wizard, Henry Winslow, arrives in 1877 and sets out for the Barbary Coast in San Francisco to steal a bit of life energy from his parents before he can head to the 1920s to complete his immortality ritual...Categorized as:
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Bubble in the Bathtub by Jo Nesbø
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Fart Powder was such a successful invention that Doctor Proctor, Nilly, and Lisa couldn’t stop there. Next up: a time-travelling bathtub. You just hop in, lather up the Time Soap, and wish for where you’d like to go. Doctor Proctor has plans for this new invention. You see, he lost his true love years ago, when Juliette Margarine married an evil count... -
Who Let the Gods Out? by Maz Evans
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA shooting star crashes to earth and changes Elliot's life forever. The star is Virgo - a young Zodiac goddess on a mission. When the pair accidentally unleash the wicked death daemon Thanatos, they turn to the old Olympian gods for help...Categorized as:
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Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe feisty Kat Stephenson is back in the second installment of the Regency era magical trilogy Kirkus Reviews calls “enjoyable mayhem...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor industrial-era action-adventure alternate-history book comedy -
Horseman by Kyle Robert Shultz
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsIn the year 1790, monster hunter Ichabod Crane searched for a mysterious creature called the Headless Horseman. His quest ended in an embarrassing failure that marked his family with disgrace for generations. Now, in 1891, his descendant (and part-time centaur) Todd Crane is determined to clear his family’s name. There's just one problem--Todd deals in illegal magic potions...Categorized as:
humor industrial-era myths retellings western action-adventure alternate-history audiobook -
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Communists by Gideon Defoe, Richard Murkin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLondon, 1840: Wagner’s latest opera plays to packed houses while disgruntled workers gather in crowded pubs to eat ice cream and plan the downfall of the bourgeoisie. And the Pirate Captain––his disguise proving something of a letdown––finds himself incarcerated at Scotland Yard, in a case of mistaken identity...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor action-adventure adult alternate-history book comedy -
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Who Cut the Cheese? by Jo Nesbø
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“Large helpings of whimsy, humorous black-and-white illustrations, and the occasional fart joke provide plenty of silliness” (Booklist) in the third Doctor Proctor adventure from New York Times bestselling author Jo Nesb ø. Nilly, Lisa, and Doctor Proctor are too busy inventing things to watch TV, and everyone says they’re missing out on the hot singing competition... -
The Dao of Magic #2 by Andries Louws
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRead the amazing webseries with over 3 million views, now in ebook form, fully edited and with a brand new introductory chapter. Description: In the second book of the Dao of Magic series, the thousand-year-old cultivator Drew Liam, who likes to call himself Teach, is happily sailing along... -
Grimstone by Brad Magnarella
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGrimstone first appeared as Croft and Wesson in the 2017 multi-author box set Eight in the Chamber.Go West, Prof Croft!When my magical order assigns me to Grimstone, Colorado on a case, I’m in no hurry to pack my staff and spell books.The outlaw county is a far cry from my academic calling in New York City. And I’m being paired with junior wizard James Wesson... -
The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsLife for the young orphan Terence has been peaceful, living with Trevisant, the old Hermit in a quiet, isolated wood. That is, until the day a strange green sprite leads him to Gawain, King Arthur's nephew, who is on his way to Camelot hoping to be knighted. Trevisant can see the future and knows that Terence must leave to serve as Gawain's squire...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor myths retellings 20th-century action-adventure arthurian -
Freya and the Magic Jewel by Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom the authors of the Goddess Girls series comes the first book in a brand-new series steeped in Norse mythology, magic, adventure, and friendship.“Gold and Gullveig I cannot see. But here is a vision that comes to me; Adventure for you is about to start. Near Asgard you must find the heart... -
Alexander at the World's End by Tom Holt
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen his father dies, and he is reduced at a stroke from prosperity to penury, Euxenus decides to leave Athens and seek his fortune elsewhere. As a philosopher and intellectual of some note, he has no difficulty getting a job as tutor to a young prince in the wealthy but utterly provincial court of King Philip of Macedon. The young prince is called Alexander, and the rest is history... -
The Dao of Magic #4 by Andries Louws
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA devastated school. A collapsing planet. All eyes on Drew. After teleporting his students all over the world in a rather dramatic attempt to stave off the inevitable apocalypse, Teach is busy. Instead of sipping and relaxing, he now has to slaughter the most powerful of beasts while running around and saving civilization as a whole. Re-Haan, his dragon mistress, isn’t helping either...Categorized as:
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Path of Secrets by Kenley Davidson
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood There are no wolves in the woods, they said.You’ll be completely safe, they said.They lied.Batrice Reyard has everything she’s ever wanted—a fabulous job, an understanding mentor, and the freedom to be herself. Or so she thought…Suddenly, she’s being sent off to visit her ailing grandmother for the sake of keeping up appearances... -
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens / Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, J.M. Barrie first created Peter Pan as a baby, living a wild and secret life with birds and fairies in the middle of London. Later Barrie let this remarkable child grow a little older and he became the boy-hero of Neverland, making his first appearance, with Wendy, Captain Hook, and the Lost Boys, in Peter and Wendy... -
The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn this beloved classic story, a young boy befriends a poetry-loving dragon living in the Downs above his home. When the town-folk send for St. George to slay the dragon, the boy needs to come up with a clever plan to save his friend and convince the townsfolk to accept him...Categorized as:
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Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsKatherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor industrial-era action-adventure book comedy fairy-tale -
Anima Rising by Christopher Moore
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore comes a hilariously deranged tale of a mad scientist, a famous painter, and an undead woman’s electrifying journey of self-discovery.Vienna, 1911. Gustav Klimt, the most famous painter in the Austrian Empire, the darling of Viennese society, spots a woman’s nude body in the Danube canal... -
Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder by Jo Nesbø
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBestselling Norwegian mystery author Jo Nesbø enters the world of children’s books with Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder, the first book in this very funny middle-grade series. Filled with magic, wit, and bathroom humor, Doctor Proctor will keep boys and girls laughing until the end... -
The Legend of Charlie Fish by Josh Rountree
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs an unlikely found-family flees toward Galveston, a psychic young girl bonds with Charlie Fish, an enigmatic gill-man. Meanwhile, they are pursued by bounty hunters determined to profit from the spectacle of Charlie. But the Great Storm—the worst natural disaster in U.S. history—is on its way... -
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab by Gideon Defoe, Richard Murkin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThey’re back!!! The Pirate Captain and his irascible crew of scoundrels return in their soggiest saga yet.Fresh from their mishaps with Charles Darwin and the evil Bishop of Oxford, the Pirates set sail in a bouncy new vessel——purchased on credit...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor action-adventure book children-books comedy fiction -
Mercury Begins by Robert Kroese
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTravel to ancient Troy with the irrepressible angel Mercury as he masterminds the most unnecessarily complicated sneak attack in history! Never read any of the Mercury books? Start here! Already read one or more of the books? Also OK! There's no wrong way to read this story, unless you're using a spatula and a bowl full of goose feathers...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor myths retellings action-adventure adult alternate-history book -
Pig Scrolls by Paul Shipton
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGryllus is the hero of The Pig Scrolls. Gryllus is a pig. Well, not strictly speaking a pig. He's a man who got turned into a pig. More specifically, he was one of Odysseus's crew (you remember Odysseus - big bloke, hero, all round clever clogs) and the whole crew got turned into pigs by Circe, a witch, but Gryllus never got turned back... -
Athenian Steel by P.K. Lentz
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe is doom and madness. She is Thalassia.In 425 BCE, the Athenian general Demosthenes comes into possession of a weapon from the stars. He fears to wield it against his city's bitter enemy Sparta, but he knows that he must, lest it be wielded by others... -
The Strictest School in the World: Being the Tale of a Clever Girl, a Rubber Boy and a Collection of Flying Machines, Mostly Broken by Howard Whitehouse
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the kick-off novel in the Mad Misadventures series, 14-year-old pioneering aviatrix Emmaline Cayley is afraid of one thing: plummeting to her doom. Fortunately, 12-year-old Robert Burns, an indestructible village boy, is not. Absurdly unafraid of bodily harm, ?Rubberbones? is the ideal pilot for Emmaline's experiments with flight...Categorized as:
children historical-fiction humor action-adventure animals book children-books comedy -
Bajak Laut & Purnama Terakhir: Sebuah Komedi Sejarah by Adhitya Mulya
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKita harus ganti nama bajak laut ini. Kerapu Merah itu terdengar seperti nama rumah makan, bukan perompak yang ditakuti.Siapa sih kentut yang ngasih nama itu dulu, ya?Elo, Bang.Oh, sebenarnya Kerapu Merah gak jelek-jelek amat.Cuman kurang wibawa aja dikit. Dikiiit. Dikiiiiit.Ya udah gak apa-apa, gak usah ganti nama, sahut Jaka... -
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The Smoke-Scented Girl by Melissa McShane
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn a world very much like our own Victorian England, the country of Dalanine is at war. The implacable, unstoppable Despot has been pushing northward for over a year, conquering everything in his path with military and magical force, leaving nothing but destruction in his wake...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era action-adventure adult book comedy female-author -
The Night Queen by Denise Daye
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey call me the Night Queen, with a heart as dark as the night itself. And as such, I will rule my future kingdom. No light shall ever touch my broken heart again. On her twentieth birthday, the beautiful but arrogant Princess Mina von Rhine crosses the point of no return...Categorized as:
retellings historical-fiction humor myths industrial-era fantasy action-adventure new-adult -
Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown
Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA gripping adventure, a seaborne romance, and a twist on the tale of Scheherazade—with the best food ever served aboard a pirate’s shipThe year is 1819, and the renowned chef Owen Wedgwood has been kidnapped by the ruthless pirate Mad Hannah Mabbot. He will be spared, she tells him, as long as he puts exquisite food in front of her every Sunday without fail...Categorized as:
culinary historical-fiction humor industrial-era retellings action-adventure adult audiobook -
Dodger by Terry Pratchett
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage in a vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her be caught again? Of course not, because he's...Dodger.Seventeen-year-old Dodger may be a street urchin, but he gleans a living from London's sewers, and he knows a jewel when he sees one... -
The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWith his trademark charm and wit, Mark Twain (1835-1910) tells the Garden of Eden story in the first person, allegedly deciphering the newly discovered diaries of the legendary father and mother of the human race...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor myths retellings 20th-century action-adventure anthologies audiobook -
Dreadful Acts by Philip Ardagh, David Roberts
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAh, life is never easy for Eddie Dickens. In this brave and hearty installment of the Eddie Dickens Trilogy, he narrowly avoids being blown up, trampled by horses, hit by a hot-air balloon, and arrested - only to find himself falling heels over head for a girl with a face like a camel's. He also falls into the hands of a murderous gang of escaped convicts. They have "a little job" for him to do...Categorized as:
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