Title: The Tickling Tale of Smoo
Author: Louiza Kallona
Publisher: Independently published
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
First Publication: 2022
Language: English
Book Summary: The Tickling Tale of Smoo by Louiza Kallona
In Fiddle Wood in the Scottish Borders, in a house which is usually full of giggling and chortling, something creepy is going on. Lucy and Ben McClafferty and their family haven’t laughed for months, nor has anyone else in the world for that matter. Their eccentric grandmother takes them on a secret journey to find the elusive Gabel Lylhu, one of the ticklers of the world, somewhere deep in Smoo Cave. If they don’t find him, the world may never laugh again.
Join Lucy and Ben on their weird and wonderful adventure, as they meet fantastical characters, face unexpected challenges, solve riddles, journey through a portal across the earth, survive a poisonous trick, help old friends mired in grief, and discover that there is more to some people and places than meets the eye!
Book Review: The Tickling Tale of Smoo by Louiza Kallona
Laughter is a universal language that unites people and creates moments of pleasure and delight. It has the ability to uplift our mood, reduce our worries, and make our day more pleasant. But imagine for a moment that laughter is suddenly disappeared from the entire world. The absence of laughter would create an empty space, a vacuum that would be challenging to replace with anything else. As if a thick blanket of clouds had descended upon the sun, blocking out all of its rays, our lives would become cold and dreary. That would leave us in a world that is depressing, desolate, and unwelcoming. The thought is quite unsettling, and yet that’s precisely what happens in The Tickling Tale of Smoo, a captivating children’s story by Louiza Kallona.
In the idyllic setting of Fiddle Wood, a sense of unease has befallen upon the McClafferty household. The atmosphere, that used to be filled with joyful chuckles and laughter, is now quite and dull, not just in their own home but all over the world. Sybil, Lucy and Ben’s grandma, informs the two children about who might be accountable for this mystery. Their grandmother leads them on a secret mission to locate the mysterious Gabel Lylhu, one of the world’s ticklers, deep within Smoo Cave. In this imaginative tale, we follow the journey of Lucy and Ben, a brother and sister duo who embark on a mission to save the world from a mysterious lack of laughter that has plagued Scotland and the world for months.
One of the standout features of this book is its imaginative premise. The concept of a world without laughter is both funny and intriguing, and the idea of two children taking on the task of bringing back joy to the world is both entertaining and inspiring. The story is filled with whimsical details and characters, from the quirky grand mother to old man of Smoo, Gabel Lylhu the tickler. As Lucy and Ben navigate their way through this world, they learn valuable lessons about perseverance, friendship, and the importance of always striving to do what is right.
What sets this book apart is the way it encourages young readers to think about the greater good. Through Lucy and Ben’s journey, readers are reminded of the importance of empathy and compassion, and how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in the world. The Tickling Tale of Smoo is a heartwarming and uplifting tale that will leave readers with a renewed appreciation for the power of laughter and the resilience of the human spirit. Overall, it is a delightful book for readers of all ages, and a testament to the enduring power of storytelling.
In an effort to provide a succinct overview of this book and its narrative, I attempted my hand at writing some poetry.
Deep in the heart of Fiddle Wood,
No more giggles, like it should,
A house once full of cheer and joy,
Now silence reigns, and nothing’s coy.
Lucy and Ben, the curious pair,
Seek answers to the world’s despair,
Both, with their grandmother’s aid,
Embark on a journey, a quest to be made.
Through Smoo Cave, they travel deep,
Where fantastical characters wait and creep,
A journey to save the world’s glee,
To find the elusive Gabel Lylhu, a tickler key.
Through portals and poison, grief and strife,
They persevered, with hope as their guide.
For the world’s laughter, they would not rest,
Until Gabel Lylhu was found and addressed.
Their adventure revealed more than they knew,
The secrets of people and places that grew.
So join Lucy and Ben on their journey grand,
To bring back the laughter across the land.
