Brief

Alby is a housecat who happens to live with a brilliant professor who takes them both to a magical world where animals rule but different species are all jumbled up together. An evil lord named Rozer threatens the peace, so Alby must find the professor as well as help Queen Lola defend her kingdom. The factions go to war, and thanks to Alby's bravery and being chosen by the sacred gem, Rozer is defeated and the kingdom is united in peace.

What We Liked

There is a an abundance of adventure, with unusual and fascinating creatures to get to know in this new land. Alby, a regular house cat, is an unlikely hero, but with the help of his new friends he ends up rising to the occasion and helps the side of good. There is beautiful scenery everywhere and the frights and violence are kept to a minimum.

Film: The exotic scenery and the exciting new realms are great for cinema, and the hero's journey structure fits into the constraints of a feature film. The excitement is non-stop, and there is always something new and interesting around the next corner that would keep a viewer interested. The protagonists are adorable and one would root for them, just as the bad guys are nefarious and to be feared - but not too much - they aren't as evil and scary as orcs or other creatures that came from hell and would frighten younger viewers.

TV: This works for TV because there is so much going on, such a long journey, that it would naturally break up into digestible episodes that would leave the viewer wanting more. It is not so complex as to confuse younger viewers along the way and is just sophisticated enough to keep today's younger viewers interested. There are clear heroes and villains as well as a clear goal for the protagonists.

Key points:
Exotic scenery
Magic
Weird new animals
A great battle
An underdog(cat)

Synopsis

Alby the cat hears a noise, walks down the hall, and sees a big multi-colored triangular door inside the office of Professor Wizoom, who is writing code. He tells Alby he saw the door in a dream and plans on going through it. Alby is concerned for his owner but can’t communicate this. The next day, Alby can’t find Wizoom and sees the door is all lit up and sparkly. He hears a soothing voice telling him he has to help his friends. He decides to leap through the door. He slides through a tunnel and out the other side is a lush, beautiful landscape where the grass glows and birds fly through the sky in a J shape. He turns toward the door he came through and finds it’s now made of stone. A huge predator flies through the skies and near the door stands a shark-headed man, holding a spear, and mounted on a wolf-like creature with wings. It talks to the hologram of another creature on its wristwatch. Alby decides he needs to get out of there, but the thing starts shooting bursts of energy at him from its spear as Alby runs. It yells out that its name is Shorkin and asks who he is. Alby doesn’t take the bait and runs up a tree as Shorkin and his flying wolf try to smell him. They move off, not getting his scent. He sees three moons, orange, purple and green and decides it’s time to go to sleep when he hears, “Hello!” A furry frog peers at him, says he’s Fremmy, and realizes Alby can’t speak so he gives him a berry to eat that allows him to talk. He says that they are in Jumbalot and all creatures here are called Jumboos.

Alby says he’s looking for a human who came through that door but Fremmy says that’s one of the Gates of Jumbalot and it hasn’t been opened since ancient times. They sleep, and the next morning Fremmy rides Alby to Bambodandy Forest. They eat fruits off of trees and bathe in a cool stream. They meet Troomix, a big fox/dinosaur. She thinks that Wizoom may be in danger, since the nefarious Rozer has Shorkin guarding the gate. She has a wagon with fruit in the back and unfurls a big sail and they head to the kingdom of Jowla. They sail toward a castle on an island on a big lake and see a dolphin-like creature splash around. Guarding the gate are dinosaur creatures in armor wielding axes. There’s a giant pyramid where Alby is told Queen Lola lives. He sees a bunch of different creatures that are hybrids of animals he’s seen on TV. They are brought before General Tigo, who thinks Alby may be a spy for Rozer. He dismisses them, and as they try to leave, the whole place is attacked by one of Rozer’s flying ships mounted on the back of a giant warthawk. Rozer announces that he is not the enemy - Queen Lola is - and they should join him before her shields give out. Then it leaves. Tigo drags them in front of the queen, suspecting them of lowering the shields. The queen questions them, and her deer-like mediums detect that Alby is telling the truth. The queen tells them the gem that started their world is missing and it can’t fall into Rozer’s hands. She wants them to find Pongo, who can wield the gem, and sends them off with provisions to Mt. Vesoto. Snala the dolphin creature gives them a ride to Yoltoo. Alby has a nightmare about the gem. In Yoltoo they run into Cranzle, a crab like creature and friend of Fremmy. He says he’s seen the professor and he may have been taken captive by Rozer. Alby cries. They get a ride down a stream with an otter-turtle.

Tigo figures out one of his knights, Taron, stole the gem and they pursue him. Taron meets with Rozer’s creatures and hands over the gem and they are about to kill him when Tigo and his knights arrive. Taron tells them of Rozer’s location and his plans before he dies. Tigo finds Rozer’s creatures and engages them in a dramatic air battle. Now on the trail up to Mt. Vesoto, Alby is scared of warthawks like the one Rozer had, but Fremmy explains that they’re usually peaceful creatures and were almost wiped out by a monster called a droger. Alby puts on a cape Toonix gave them that makes him able to float and they encounter a few creatures on their way up the mountain. Queen Lola receives news that the gem is nearly in the hands of Rozer, and Tigo is going after it. She calls the king of Molingo, a lion creature, and asks for his help because Rozer will march on them with his gathering hordes as soon as he has the gem. Molingo won’t risk the safety of his people to help. Alby and Fremmy find a cave and then Pongo, a big bear-owl, finds them and takes them to his home. He explains the history of the gem and how he helped create the droger and regrets it so he put himself into exile. Rozer gets the gem and rallies his hordes that will march to war on Queen Lola tomorrow. In his dungeon, Professor Wizoon is in a cage and Rozer demands he helps him unlock the power of the gem. The professor says on one condition - that he can work in sunlight and fresh air. Rozer agrees. Pongo flies Alby and Fremmy off the mountain and says he doesn’t plan on returning - it’s time for him to return to his former home. They visit Veesha, a cat-snake, who is a descendant of King Vesoto and is glad to see Alby because she dreamt of him. She gives Alby a small purple stone and tells him it can be anything he wants if he uses his imagination. Back in Jowla, the queen has everyone preparing for war. Pongo is warmly welcomed back. Lola shows Alby, Pongo and Fremmy her new jumbot, a huge robotic flying machine with claws and cannons. They receive word that Rozer is marching tomorrow and hope for reinforcements. Alby volunteers to march with the army. They all move out to meet Rozer in the field.

The battle begins and Rozer and Lola exchange words. Rozer holds the gem up triumphantly. Her jumbot lands in front of Rozer and he fires on it, but Pongo and the deer mediums repel the volley. The jumbot is damaged and Rozer’s ship takes some damage - and the Professor is in the back of it trying to keep out of harm’s way. Troops on the ground and in the air engage each other in spectacular attacks of every form of creature and weapon. King Montock and his molions have changed their minds and they join the battle, inflicting damage on Rozer’s ship. Also, Rozer’s troops fall into a ditch that Jowlans dug. Alby decides to try and save the Professor and get the gem back - and uses the purple stone. He wills it into a key to unlock a cage and one of the deer mediums takes him, wearing his cape, and Fremmy to Rozer’s ship. Alby sneaks aboard, unseen, then goes to attack Rozer and get the gem. The gem has now started to glow in purple, yellow and green and Rozer is ecstatic that it’s responding to him. He knocks Alby to the ground, then the gem focuses its energy on Alby and turns him into a giant saber tooth as the Professor watches. Alby challenges Rozer and they fight. Alby knocks him off the ship and onto the ground as others gather around them while they fight. Alby gets Rozer to relent and he calls off his troops until his second in command, Monris, a mantis creature, says he will never surrender. Rozer attacks him and knocks him unconscious, then surrenders. The two kingdoms are united and everyone rejoices. The Professor and Alby are reunited and Alby says he prefers his old form to that of the saber tooth. Back in Jowla, there is a huge celebration and Veesha appears, wowing the crowd, and presents a famous sword to Lola. The Professor makes sure to bring back the berries that allow Alby to talk, and although they are welcomed back at any time, they go back through the portal to their home.

About The Author

Ryan Wakefield has worked primarily as a graphic artist for the last 20 years, but he always dreamt about creating a fantasy world young readers can escape to. Since grade school, he was fascinated with animal hybrids. He loved the idea of blending two or three animals together to create a magnificent new species. This fascination and his love for fantasy inspired him to fulfill his lifelong dream to breathe life into a new world middle grade readers can explore - Jumbalot.