Review of Mike & Alex
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Josephe-Anne
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Review of Mike & Alex
[Following is a volunteer review of "Mike & Alex" by Peter van Wermeskerken.]
Mike and Alex are land mammals who find themselves on an ocean adventure around the globe in Mike & Alex, Parts 3 & 4: World Cruise by Whale by Peter van Wermeskerken. Mike is a large gray rabbit and Alex is a wild boar. As the book begins, they meet a whale named Wally. Poor Wally has been struck by a harpoon, so Mike and Alex must remove it from his back. Word soon spreads, and the 2 landlubbers have other sea creatures begging for their help. After helping Wally and a surly sea turtle, they agree to scare off a group of Japanese whalers. The duo are then tasked with removing tons of garbage from the ocean. Can they save their habitat and teach those careless humans a lesson?
The cover art depicts Wally the whale stranded on the sand with the horrible harpoon sticking out, just in front of his dorsal fin. Mike and Alex are attempting to dislodge the sharp object. The bold, multicolored font is clearly visible against the predominantly blue background. This chapter book (which is recommended for children aged 6-12) is written from the perspective of a narrator, and its themes include nature, friendship, cooperation, problem-solving, and medical treatment. Because one of the main elements of the story involves dealing with a serious wound, there are some gory and disturbing details. I found one instance where borderline profanity was used, but there is no religious content.
Mike is the most prominent character. He has a lot of energy and always comes up with clever plans to help other animals out of difficult situations. Alex is not as nimble as his lagomorph companion, but he is loyal and tends to put the needs of others before his own. Wally is kind, considerate, and grateful to the animals who help him. He is also willing to cooperate with other species. Bruno is the wise old leader of the whales. He has an unusual speech impediment, and he can be cocky at times. The stingrays are a father and son team of ophthalmologists who can perform complex eye surgeries. There are many other characters, but these are the ones that stood out to me the most.
This story does not sugar-coat the harsh reality of nature and the fact that some animals eat other animals to survive. I appreciated the way the author drew attention to the different skills that each species possesses. All the sea creatures, predator and prey, had to put their differences aside, working together to solve their problems. So, the plot was infused with positive messages about cooperation and ending pollution. In addition, the author does not shy away from pointing out that people all over the world are responsible for pollution, habitat destruction, and animal cruelty. I also like the fact that the animals paid each other with food instead of money.
However, Mr. Van Wermeskerken kept describing blubber/fat as “bacon grease” throughout the text. He also referred to some of the female animals as “women” and some of the male animals as “men.” He further described whales as “fish” when they are actually mammals. The incorrect use of these terms is unacceptable in children’s literature. It is also quite morbid that Mike and Alex encounter the skeletons of animals that Wally had eaten before, and they do not seem perturbed by this at all, despite the fact that they were about to travel inside Wally’s mouth. On that note, there were some bloody details of whale poaching which I thought were unsuitable for a kid’s book. Additionally, there is a strange illustration, in chapter 5, where Wally looks like a shark instead of a whale. Furthermore, I found numerous errors, including a sentence that incorrectly mentions the “Golden Bay Bridge” instead of the “Golden Gate Bridge.”
I have decided to give Mike & Alex, Parts 3 & 4: World Cruise by Whale by Peter van Wermeskerken a rating of 3 out of 5 stars due to the many issues I listed. This was an entertaining and very creative story, but it needs to be edited more carefully. The ending also seemed rushed when compared to the detailed plans that preceded the climax. A glossary of all the unusual biological and nautical terms that were used in the text would have been helpful.
******
Mike & Alex
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Mike and Alex are land mammals who find themselves on an ocean adventure around the globe in Mike & Alex, Parts 3 & 4: World Cruise by Whale by Peter van Wermeskerken. Mike is a large gray rabbit and Alex is a wild boar. As the book begins, they meet a whale named Wally. Poor Wally has been struck by a harpoon, so Mike and Alex must remove it from his back. Word soon spreads, and the 2 landlubbers have other sea creatures begging for their help. After helping Wally and a surly sea turtle, they agree to scare off a group of Japanese whalers. The duo are then tasked with removing tons of garbage from the ocean. Can they save their habitat and teach those careless humans a lesson?
The cover art depicts Wally the whale stranded on the sand with the horrible harpoon sticking out, just in front of his dorsal fin. Mike and Alex are attempting to dislodge the sharp object. The bold, multicolored font is clearly visible against the predominantly blue background. This chapter book (which is recommended for children aged 6-12) is written from the perspective of a narrator, and its themes include nature, friendship, cooperation, problem-solving, and medical treatment. Because one of the main elements of the story involves dealing with a serious wound, there are some gory and disturbing details. I found one instance where borderline profanity was used, but there is no religious content.
Mike is the most prominent character. He has a lot of energy and always comes up with clever plans to help other animals out of difficult situations. Alex is not as nimble as his lagomorph companion, but he is loyal and tends to put the needs of others before his own. Wally is kind, considerate, and grateful to the animals who help him. He is also willing to cooperate with other species. Bruno is the wise old leader of the whales. He has an unusual speech impediment, and he can be cocky at times. The stingrays are a father and son team of ophthalmologists who can perform complex eye surgeries. There are many other characters, but these are the ones that stood out to me the most.
This story does not sugar-coat the harsh reality of nature and the fact that some animals eat other animals to survive. I appreciated the way the author drew attention to the different skills that each species possesses. All the sea creatures, predator and prey, had to put their differences aside, working together to solve their problems. So, the plot was infused with positive messages about cooperation and ending pollution. In addition, the author does not shy away from pointing out that people all over the world are responsible for pollution, habitat destruction, and animal cruelty. I also like the fact that the animals paid each other with food instead of money.
However, Mr. Van Wermeskerken kept describing blubber/fat as “bacon grease” throughout the text. He also referred to some of the female animals as “women” and some of the male animals as “men.” He further described whales as “fish” when they are actually mammals. The incorrect use of these terms is unacceptable in children’s literature. It is also quite morbid that Mike and Alex encounter the skeletons of animals that Wally had eaten before, and they do not seem perturbed by this at all, despite the fact that they were about to travel inside Wally’s mouth. On that note, there were some bloody details of whale poaching which I thought were unsuitable for a kid’s book. Additionally, there is a strange illustration, in chapter 5, where Wally looks like a shark instead of a whale. Furthermore, I found numerous errors, including a sentence that incorrectly mentions the “Golden Bay Bridge” instead of the “Golden Gate Bridge.”
I have decided to give Mike & Alex, Parts 3 & 4: World Cruise by Whale by Peter van Wermeskerken a rating of 3 out of 5 stars due to the many issues I listed. This was an entertaining and very creative story, but it needs to be edited more carefully. The ending also seemed rushed when compared to the detailed plans that preceded the climax. A glossary of all the unusual biological and nautical terms that were used in the text would have been helpful.
******
Mike & Alex
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"A house without books is like a room without windows." 
― Horace Mann
― Horace Mann
Latest Review: Batty Wings by Marlene Rattigan
