If you loved David Elliott's first book (and even if you didn't) you'll be bananas over Evangeline Mudd. "Bananas" seems an appropriate expression here as Evangeline's parents are primatologists, and she considers herself the luckiest girl in the world. After all what other parents would actually encourage their offspring to swing from a chandelier or tell their child to skip a bath at night because he or she had taken one last week?
Dr. Merriweather and Dr, Magdalena Mudd are particularly interested in the golden-haired apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle, and wish to raise their child as the golden-hairs are raised. However, since Evangeline was obviously human that presented a few problems. For instance, while golden-hairs would never put a diaper on a baby that could be well, unfortunate, if the baby were human.
Of course, there were exceptions, too. The Mudds very much wanted Evangeline to take piano lessons, but they'd never seen a golden-hair pianist. This would be an exception to their rule. The Mudds are nothing if not flexible.
Thrilled at being sent to the tropical rain forest of Ikkinasti on a scientific expedition the Mudds are so eager that they never suspect anything might be amiss. They leave Evangeline with "her father's second cousin, twice removed and his wife." Melvin and India Terpsichore are extremely wealthy and absolutely horrible. Over a period of time Evangeline becomes miserable with this pair; she wonders what has happened to her parents. So, she writes a letter to the world expert on golden-hairs, Dr. Aphrodite Pikkaflee. He responds immediately, and it's not too long before he discovers that his avaricious brother is behind a plot to destroy the rain forest.
Evangeline and Dr. Pikkaflee journey to Ikkinasti to find the Mudds and save the rain forest. Once there they meet some pretty unusual characters including countless butterflies who aid and abet them in various ways.
David Elliott has one of the richest imaginations to be found today blended with a puckish sense of humor - an irresistible combination. He's a joy and so is Evangeline Mudd.