Not sure I grasped the point of this one. The plot was, to my mind, a rough sketch of a plot and not the thing itself. I think the illustrations needed to do more heavy lifting to get the story to work. There was just too much that wasn't there.

I am absolutely okay with a book about a kid using the dark arts to rid the world of lowlifes, related to him or otherwise--just so long as it's interesting. This didn't do it for me.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). ( )

Weird and fairly creepy. Skorped is super awesome though. ( )

A great little story about a young boy's imaginative attempts to get back at authority. ( )

Recommended with Caution

The main characters name is Dillweed. He likes to go on adventures and have fun. Unfortunately, his parents go on adventures and have fun while leaving their son with abusive servants. Dillweed’s best friend is a blue creature named Skorped. The servants, Umblud and Perfidia, have plenty of chores for Dillweed to do while his parents are away. When Dillweed gets fed up with how he is treated, he somehow unleashes magic that makes the servants die by their own hand. When the boy’s parents return home, they decide to get rid of Skorped. Dillweed decides that he does not like his parents and gets rid of them. Then finally, he gets to live his own life and go on adventures. This is a gothic picture book with a mature theme that will probably appeal to boys. The four deaths in the book are somewhat surprising given the reading level. The theme is intended for a much older audience, along with the pictures. The story is not complete without the illustrations as they allude to events not explicitly stated. I’m not sure that I agree that this is an “adult picture book” as listed in another review. I would say that it is not intended for younger audiences. Some readers may object to the name “Dillweed”, but that is for parents to decide. I think this book is well suited for a public library. ( )

Dark, droll humor in the spirit of Edward Gorey and Lemony Snicket. I like Dillweed's little blue beastie, Skorped. ( )