5 Novels: Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars, Slaves of Spiegel, the Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, the Last Guru, Young Adult Novel
Worth buying if: You enjoy Alan Mendelsohn's Martian premise and quirky coming-of-age scenes.
Skip it if: You prefer realistic YA without surreal elements like the Avocado of Death plot.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780844669762. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
If this page helped you decide, purchasing through the Amazon button above supports UPB Books at no extra cost to you and helps us continue improving the site. Thanks for visiting today.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some outbound links are paid links, at no additional cost to you.
Summary
This omnibus collects Alan Mendelsohn, The Boy from Mars; Slaves of Spiegel; The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death; The Last Guru; and Young Adult Novel, showcasing Pinkwater's zany characters, surreal premises, and comic YA voice across standalone adventures.
Why this book now
For readers rediscovering Daniel Pinkwater's late-20th-century humor, this 1999 Peter Smith omnibus reunites five cult favorites in one playful package.
30-second preview
Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.
Card 1 of 2
Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You enjoy Alan Mendelsohn's Martian premise and quirky coming-of-age scenes.
- You follow Pinkwater's absurdist plots like the Snarkout Boys' misadventures.
- You prefer realistic YA without surreal elements like the Avocado of Death plot.
- You dislike episodic, joke-driven narratives rather than tightly plotted novels.
- You are specifically hunting for the newest framing rather than a backlist perspective.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780844669762
Worth buying if: You enjoy Alan Mendelsohn's Martian premise and quirky coming-of-age scenes.
Skip it if: You prefer realistic YA without surreal elements like the Avocado of Death plot.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Balanced Moderate time
Short to medium: five compact novels best read in individual sittings or a weekend binge—light, fast-paced chapters and episodic chapters make for easy stops and starts.
What stands out here
This Peter Smith Pub Inc. omnibus emphasizes the collected form—five distinct Pinkwater titles from 1999 presented together for fans and newcomers seeking his trademark humor.
Best way to approach it
Approach each novella as its own comic episode: expect playful narrators, sly second-person asides, and surreal set pieces—read for jokes, character voice, and oddball imagination rather than strict realism.
Was this page helpful?
Quick thumbs only. No login.
Loading feedback…
Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780844669762
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.