MY MOTHER THE MAYOR, MAYBE

by Pat Kibbe ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1981

Ten-year-old B. J. Pinkerton and Family, of The Hocus-Pocus Dilemma (1979), have a focus for their frenzied activities this time 'round: Mom is running for mayor of Cranberry Falls--and a Democrat hasn't been elected for 30 years. It doesn't take long to see, moreover, that if her oily campaign manager can prevent it, Dorothy Pinkerton won't be the exception: not only does he provide her with deadly speeches and grim-looking campaign literature, he tries to prevent her from raising the great issue that B.J.'s Dad, a lawyer, has discovered: a high-tension power line (""Marching Monsters"") is scheduled to go right straight through town! B.J.'s efforts as her mother's self-appointed ""P.R. angel"" turn out to be family embarrassments; the subversive campaign manager turns out to be in cahoots with the Democratic candidate who withdrew (who wants the power line to go through); and Mom's opponent, Republican mayor Quinn, turns out to be hiding a bald head under a toupee--which blows off at a climactic campaign do because B.J. inadvertently turns a fan up full-force. A burlesque, in short, save for the election result: Mom loses, not for any of the foregoing reasons, but on account of a poor showing in the one district the power line wasn't slated to go through. Otherwise: timely but also tacky, even by sit-com standards.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1981

ISBN: 0595182674

Page Count: -

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1981

Categories: FICTION