Phineas Frecklehopper

Phineas Frecklehopper was not always picked first at sports. He couldn't always remember to take a bath or brush his teeth or do his homework in every single subject. Still, he considered himself a normal boy in most respects. But he did have one peculiar hobby, or at least others thought it peculiar. Phineas loved to cook. From pepperoni pizza to pecan pie, if it could be cooked, Phineas would cook it. And this is how he got into trouble. Walking home with his Aunt Rosalee's fudge pie recipe, he gives a smart reply to the neighborhood bullies, and he runs. With all his might he runs until he tumbles into the hedges and out to a zany world of giants and tiny people. A magical journey to the castle ensues, where he must use his cooking skills and some quick mathematical thinking to save the day ... and himself Written by an SCBWI member and award winner in juvenile fiction, Phineas Frecklehopper relies on humor, a clear plot sequence, a playful attention to language, and strong characters. The mathematical concept in the story (proportion) is further explored in an epilogue with try-it-yourself recipes that must be converted from measurements taken in the magical land beyond the hedges. The main character, a boy toward the upper end of the 8-12 target age group, is someone that independent readers of that age can relate to and care about.