Mark Dunn's subtitle for this book is: A progressively lipogrammatic epistolary fable. Thankfully he goes on to define these terms in the introduction where it sets the stage.
This book is a collection of letters between two adult sisters, their 18 year old daughters and a few husbands, admirers and townspeople. The book is set on the fictional island called Nollop, a rural life, partially guided by Nevin Nollop the creator of the sentence the quick red fox jumps over the lazy brown dog.
One day a title falls off the statue that commemorates this sentence inscribed with the letter Z. The island council determines that Nollop is speaking through the grave and the letter Z is to be eliminated from all writing and speech. The edict is literal and punishment for slips is severe. Tiles continue to fall, and letters continue to be banned (finally only LMNOP are allowed). The only solution to getting all the letters back is to create a new sentence that covers all the letters using fewer of them than Nollop's creation.
This book is for word lovers, and through the characters shows a dedication to language, both written and spoken. A delightful little book is well worth a read and can even be read in an afternoon!
"Dunn plays his setup to the hilt, and the result is perfect for teens fond of wicked wit, wordplay, and stories that use the absurd to get at the serious." -- School Library Journal Review
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