A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears

In the beginning Roger is a prince, but not a normal prince. Roger has a strange effect on people. If he gets too close to a person, they could die laughing. When J. Wellington Wizard tells Roger to go on a quest, Roger asks, "Isn't a quest where you have to go somewhere or find something?" J. Wellington says that he sees him entering the Forever Forest, and tells him to take a sack of magic powder, and whenever he sees someone, to dust a little on himself, so that Roger can turn into a thing, maybe even a leaf. Then, whoever he is near won't laugh. Roger sets out on his quest, gets stuck in the Forever Forest, and meets a lot of new people, such as little Lucille, Andrew, and Tom. Some are evil and some are nice. Roger hates it in the Forever Forest, but he knows it will get better and he will be the happiest man on earth.This was a very funny book to read because the author pretended that he doesn't have control over his book, such as when, in chapter 5, Night of the Frogs, he says that he was just trying to fool Tom because chapter 5 is really called Tom. Tom is a character who is supposed to leave on page 9 but he refused. The author always talks about how Tom can walk in and out of the book, and come back at the perfect time. I thought this book was hilarious, engaging, and thoroughly entertaining.

I can't tell you how many times I've read this book. When I first started reading it, I was disapointed because it seemed like a total toddler's book. But the more I read, the more absorbed I became. So many things happen so quickly that you want to keep reading just to find out what's coming next. Jules Feiffer doesn't write like other writers; he plays around with his work, and you can tell he was having a good time writing this book. And although the book is very fun and light reading, I think there are also some hidden meanings and life lessons to be learned from it. I plan to read this book many times more. I also think this book would appeal to the "Phantom Tollbooth" audience, and vice versa.

When I first read this delightful book, I immediately reread it to experience the joy and wit again. The book is full of wit and whimsy, absurdity and truth. I've read the book several times, and every time it brings a smile and a chuckle. I've described it to co-workers as my happy book because reading it is truly a "feel-good" experience. It is a tongue-in-cheek fairy tale that can be enjoyed by readers of any age.

I first became interested in this book by my friend Allison. She was reading it and continuously told anyone who would listen of Roger and his adventures. Her little summaries intriged myself and several of our friends so much that we had to read it for ourselves. I am thrilled that I did; it was hilarious and I couldn't put it down. Although I am only 13, I would recommend this book to people of all ages.

this was a fabulously, rediculously funny book. i did not put it down in the two days that i read it. since the first time, i have read it about seven or eight times. i love this book, and i recommend it to everyone who loves a good laugh when their down. or even when your up! this book is a lot of fun.