More goofy fare for Captain Underpants devotees about the masked Cupcaked Crusader—actually diminutive fifth-grader Horace, who gets temporary, unpredictable superpowers from special cupcakes, whipped up by his bigger, smarter, bossy little sister. Here David borrows a page from Batman’s bio: menaced by voracious, hair-eating hairclips that drop from balloon versions of the town’s official bird, the residents of Blootinville unjustly pin the blame on their erstwhile hero. Even his friends, who are in the know, turn away, sure that he’s planning to “cupcake” his way to being voted Prince of the upcoming Blootinville Celernip Festival, named for a locally grown hybrid vegetable. Can Horace convince his buddies that they’re wrong, and nip the real villain’s scheme in time to save the townsfolk’s tresses? Need you ask? Even after just three episodes, the premise is wearing thin, but there are enough gags and zany twists in the tale to keep fans turning the pages. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 10-12)
