Meet Edgar and Allan Poe -- twelve-year-old identical twins, the great-great-great-great-grandnephews of Edgar Allan Poe. They look and act so much alike that they're almost one mischievous, prank-playing boy in two bodies. When their beloved black cat, Roderick Usher, is kidnapped and transported to the Midwest, Edgar and Allan convince their guardians that it's time for a road trip. Along the way, mayhem and mystery ensue, as well as deeper questions: What is the boys' telepathic connection? Is Edgar Allan Poe himself reaching out to them from the Great Beyond? And why has a mad scientist been spying on the Poe family for years?
With a mix of literary humor, mystery, a little quantum physics, and fun extras like fortune cookie messages, letters in code, license plate clues -- and playful illustrations thoughout -- this series opener is a perfect choice for smart, funny tweens who love the Time Warp Trio, Roald Dahl, and Lemony Snicket.
Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Fun, Quirky, and an Awesome Tale
By Erica
I love me a good middle grade and The Tell-Tale Start by Gordon McAlpine is as good as they come. It was quirky, fun, and one heck of a tale. I had so much fun reading The Tell-Tale Start!The adventures of Edgar and Allan were too awesome. I loved the wit they brought with every page. They made every day occurrences into an adventure, which made The Tell-Tale Start that much more enjoyable.The characters were pretty awesome as well. I loved how big of a role Edgar and Allan's cat played in the book - it was like he was an actual person. Aunt Judith and Uncle Jack were complete hoots - I would love to have them as an aunt and uncle!The illustrations in the book were awesome - they served as such a nice guide and companion to the story line, enhancing it with every appearance. They were so fun!Reminiscent of Lemony Snicket, this fun new series will sweep you off your feet. It's fun and it's charming. I read straight through this one in one sitting, just loving every page.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
A Great Read for Kids of All Ages!
By Bill Baker
Will the psychically connected genius twins, Edgar and Allan, fall prey to Professor Perry's nefarious plan? Will Professor Perry rule two worlds - the world of the living and of the dead?Rich in humor - the title itself puns Poe's incisive psychological tale - and full of adventure, let's hope this is just the first of many of the escapades of these most unusual twins.A great read for kids of all ages!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Quirky start to a new middle grade series
By Brittany Moore
Edgar and Allan Poe are identical twins and great (great-great-great...) grandnephews of Edgar Allan Poe. They are in fact so identical that people have a hard time telling them apart. Even the twins have some trouble determining if they are different people or one in the same. Their cat Roderick goes missing and the twins learn that he's in Kansas at the Dorthy Gale farm. They devise a plan to go rescue their cat, but something about the situation seems a bit suspicious. The boys don't see anything funny, but their is someone watching over them and if they can get his messages, things might just turn out all right.What a fun start to a series. I think these are going to be a big hit. This was a nice quick read with a nice little mystery snuggled in between the covers.The only thing I didn't care for in this book was the Halloween part. It seemed elaborate and didn't really seem to serve a purpose. It could have been removed and given a few more pages for the mystery. The mystery was a bit easy to solve, but it was still interesting because with a mystery you never know if you've actually solved it until the very end. Even at the end there are usually new things that you find out that you couldn't have deduced.I think this will appeal to younger audiences, perhaps reluctant readers. It is a short read and I think kids will enjoy the mischief that the brothers get up to. The science stuff is neat too, but may or may not be appealing to kids depending on what they are into. I look forward to the next installment with the twins.First Line:"Edgar and Allan Poe sat beside each other in the back row of their homeroom class, asleep."Favorite Line:"The twins looked around the room for whatever wasn't hidden. The problem was the everything they saw wasn't hidden."
