The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Blue Bear by Walter Moers

This book by Walter Moers is both strange but very enjoyable, but also hard to pin down what type of book it actually is. The front cover and pictures inside the book makes it look like a children's fantasy book, but it is not usually found in the that section of a bookshop - and if you actually try reading this to a young child I am sure you would very quickly find the language and ideas a little heavy. This is a great, guilty pleasure for adults to read a book with pictures that is full of great images, ideas and a good story and be reading it for us.

The story is set in the continent of Zamonia, starting with a Blue Bear as a tiny baby floating next to a giant whirlpool in half a walnut shell. Minipirates rescue him, teaching him seamanship skills and then dumping him on an island of hobgoblins when he is too big for their boat. From there he goes on to meet a whale-like creature with one-eye; island that is a carnivorous plant; pterodactyl hero; giants; wolf-like characters; a seven-brained professor and knowledge that is a infectious bacteria; and the list goes on.

An imaginative book that is throughly enjoyable but don't be mislead by the book's cover and use images inside the book there is plenty hear to keep grown up interest. If you liked this book Rumo is worth a read as well.


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