The Ugly Teapot

The Ugly Teapot
Author(s)
Publisher Name
CreateSpace
Age Range
12+
Release Date
March 25, 2016
ISBN13
978-1530743711

Fourteen-year-old Hannah Bradbury loved her father so much that she worried about him constantly. After all, he was a photographer who traveled to the most dangerous places in the world. To allay her fears, each time he came home he brought her silly gifts, each one with supposed magical powers: the Seal of Solomon, the Ring of Gyges, even Aladdin’s Lamp. It was that lamp that Hannah found most unbelievable, for it looked like an ugly teapot. Nevertheless, her father assured her it was real, and made her promise to save her three wishes for something very special. Then . . . six months later . . . the unthinkable happened. Her father was killed while on assignment to Baghdad. And so on the day of his funeral Hannah did something she never thought she would ever do. She took out that teapot and gave it a rub . . .

Fourteen-year-old Hannah Bradbury loved her father so much that she worried about him constantly. After all, he was a photographer who traveled to the most dangerous places in the world. To allay her fears, each time he came home he brought her silly gifts, each one with supposed magical powers: the Seal of Solomon, the Ring of Gyges, even Aladdin’s Lamp. It was that lamp that Hannah found most unbelievable, for it looked like an ugly teapot. Nevertheless, her father assured her it was real, and made her promise to save her three wishes for something very special. Then . . . six months later . . . the unthinkable happened. Her father was killed while on assignment to Baghdad. And so on the day of his funeral Hannah did something she never thought she would ever do. She took out that teapot and gave it a rub . . .

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2 reviews
Exotic tale of loss and hope
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4.3
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The Ugly Teapot by Fred Holmes

The Story:
Unable to accept her father’s death, Hannah decides to test the supposedly magical lamp in her closet by wishing for him back. The consequences of this wish take her on an exotic journey, full of wonder and peril.

The Characters:
Hannah is an intelligent, quirky, and devastated young girl who is a pleasure to read. Her desire to have her father back is heartfelt and well-portrayed. As one would expect of a protagonist her age, she makes mistakes and learns. Her growth through the story is spurred by the need to overcome her worst fears, and accept harsh realities. Mr. Holmes gives the reader a skillful depiction of the hope and amazement seen in a character this age—I particularly liked the connection she has with her dog, Griff.
Seeing a side to the magician antagonist which prompted empathy could have strengthened his presence. However, the addition of the sultan and his family was nice, Gus was a favorite, and all-in-all every character in The Ugly Teapot adds to tale.

The World:
Legends and mythical creatures are incorporated into an otherwise normal Earth. We travel through many countries and deep into places such as The Cave of the Forty Thieves. We met genies, magicians, and sultans. Younger readers will be held riveted as Hannah leaves the confines of her small town and enters into a world of marvel and miracles.

The Readability:
Holmes’s style is playful and light, perfect for the story he writes. The language is exotic and speaks of magic and exploration. Humor is integrated to lighten some of the heavier themes, and while the pace of the plot dropped in a couple of places, the writing and characters are engaging enough to keep the reader in the story. The ending was not completely satisfactory—more explanation would have left me completely content. However, Hannah made the important realisations we expect her to, and the story is left on a note of mystery—which keeps the imagination whirling.
This copy is professionally edited.

Final Verdict:
An exotic tale of loss and hope great for readers aged eight years and over.

Favorite Quote:
“Bull feathers,” scoffed Gus. “He changes his word more often than I change my undies.”
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The Ugly Teapot
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First off let me start off by saying "OMG". This book is a must read and must purchase. I literally could not stop reading it. Mr. Holmes is a very talented writer. Reading about Mr. Holmes' background working on television shows, it helped him in this case with his first fiction novel. I have read many children and young adult books and this one will really appeal to both the younger and older audience.

Hannah is a fearless young girl. This is what I liked about her best. Than there is Hannah's father and traveling companions including Grif, Hannah's dog. One of the things I liked the most was the reference to the different stories like Aladdin and Tarzan. Of course, I can't forget the exciting, thrilling, magical adventure that Hannah and everyone else went on. There was never a dull moment to be had in this book. The ending left me wanting to read the next book.
Good Points
5-Stars - Never A Dull Moment - Cheryl Koch, Vine Voice on Amazon
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