What’s the book about?
A strange, hilarious group of adventurers try to find their way home in this imaginative and anarchic debut graphic novel from author, illustrator and comedian Olaf Falafel.
Our world got flipped, turned upside down, when the funfair came to town…
One funfair, a group of kids and one grumpy amateur magician… plus one magical mega tornado equals The Far-Out Five! Stewart, Sophie, Zainab and Jeffrey – and the Great Waldini – are magically transformed into strange creatures and whisked far away from home – and the wand that could change them back is LOST!
This madcap team of adventurers includes Spewnicorn, a punk unicorn who vomits rainbows; Wally, a pompous and cowardly koala; Tubbs, a walking bathtub; Bloof, a blue-footed booby; and Glossy Jeff, a really chilled-out seal.
Sailing across the ocean in Tubbs the bathtub, the Far-Out Five have to face bizarre creatures, weird landscapes and mysterious tasks on their quest as they try to find Wally’s missing wand and get back home. Can they escape the wobbly statues of Snot Jelly Island?
Recommended for:
Ages 6+
Three reasons to read it:
- One of the biggest reasons this book stands out is its cast of characters. Each member of the Far-Out Five has a clear personality that makes them easy to remember. Spewnicorn, the punk unicorn who vomits rainbows, is a personal favourite. Wally the koala is pompous and cowardly. Tubbs is a walking bathtub that literally carries the group across the ocean. Bloof the blue-footed booby and Glossy Jeff the super-chilled seal add more variety. Together, they create the kind of cast kids love because each character feels silly, distinct and easy to pick a favourite.
- Because Falafel is a comedian as well as an author and illustrator, the humour in The Far-Out Five: Snot Jelly Island is baked into the story. The very concept of a magical mega tornado, a grumpy amateur magician and kids transformed into bizarre creatures is deliberately ridiculous in the best way. The humour enjoys breaking rules, making the book especially appealing to kids who enjoy silly, unexpected comedy where you never quite know what the next visual gag or absurd situation will be.
- As a graphic novel, The Far-Out Five: Snot Jelly Island tells its story through a combination of illustrations and text, which helps the adventure move quickly. Instead of long descriptions, the weird creatures, strange landscapes and magical transformations are shown visually, making them instantly clear and more fun. This format is especially inviting for kids who might find large blocks of text intimidating.
Buy a copy of The Far-Out Five: Snot Jelly Island here.
About the author:
Olaf Falafel is an author, illustrator and a stand-up comedian. He’s a former winner of The Funniest Joke of the Edinburgh Fringe and has created and performed several stupidly named comedy shows including Olaf Falafel and the Cheese Of Truth. As well as trying to make people laugh on stage, Olaf writes and illustrates children’s books including Blobfish and the Trixie Pickle Art Avenger series.
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