Reviews of 'We Are Not Eaten by Yaks'
Charlie-Age 10, Los Angeles, CA
"This is a super funny book, full of great characters and interesting places and unexpected twists. There are a lot of stupid, no-good books out there for kids, but this sure isn't one of 'em. I loved it!"
Danielle, 12 years old, Los Angeles CA
We are not eaten by Yaks is an amazing book filled with adventure and surprises at every turn. I wanted to the book to go on forever and I am so excited for the next book.
Sam-Age 9, Amherst, MA
I liked "We Are Not Eaten by Yaks" because it is so adventurous and funny. People who like humor and adventure should read this book. The ending might not be what you expect, but you have to read it to find out. I can't wait for the sequel!
Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books
"...The race is on, and the escapades fly by at lightning speed, from the family’s survival after being jettisoned from a plane over the Himalayas, to all manner of treachery and deceit and yak encounters suggested by the title and the tongue-in-cheek chapter headings (“We Learn about Lamas and Leopards and Life Itself”; “We’re Shown Some Shamans”). There’s a strong kinship to M. T. Anderson’s Jasper Dash books here, but the Navel twins stake their own literary territory with their comically whiny resistance to adventure and their uncanny ability to weather life-threatening situations with information derived from their favorite television shows, e.g. Celebrity Whisk Warriors, Love at 30,000 Feet, and Amores Enchiladas...Readers who are unlikely to be chased by bad guys through hidden caves in the Himalayas, either through personal preference or lack of opportunity, may find this to be the next best thing."
Kirkus Reviews
London’s debut, the first in a series (if the leading final pages are any indication), is a fine combination of dry wit and slapstick...the quirky characters and Snicket-esque narrator should ensure a fan following.
Publishers Weekly
In adult author London's first children's book, aptly classified as an accidental adventure, twins Celia and Oliver Navel (don't call them couch potatoes--in their words they're "audiovisual enthusiasts") are reluctantly sucked into a pursuit of the Lost Tablets of Alexandria to save their explorer parents. The bantering twins would rather be mindlessly watching their favorite TV shows, like Love at 30,000 Feet and The World's Greatest Animal Chases Three, but instead are dragged off on another tedious trek by their father. Soon they are being booted from an airplane midflight, going toe-to-toe with a yeti, and running from a disgruntled faux-lama. It takes a few chapters for the story to ramp up, but then the pages are packed with action, so much so that some readers may have trouble following everything. Still, the twins' struggles are absurdly comical--at one point, a clan of witches tries to poison their "Yak Butter Stew"--making for boisterous reading. Readers will love the clever, ridiculous means by which the twins triumph over their pursuers as their TV expertise helps them outwit many bumbling adults. Ages 10–up.
