ATTACK OF THE GROWLING EYEBALLS

When Granny Nanny's goulash brings on a shrinking spell, Daniel Funk discovers an identical twin brother who has always been the size of his fourth left toe. First in a series, this extravaganza is directly aimed at middle-grade boys and is stuffed with jokes involving sweaty shirts, smelly feet, farts, toilets and the trouble with girls. With three sisters, a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and an assortment of female pets, Daniel finds himself outnumbered in his household. With his newly discovered brother Pablo, an idea factory, he cooks up many such miniature masculine entertainments as rubber-band jumping, straw sliding and skiing down a mountain of laundry detergent. Together they plan and execute the disruption of his older sisters’ party with the help of a giant hissing cockroach. Each chapter begins with a random “funky fact” and the whole is liberally illustrated with Gilpin’s cartoons (final art not seen). Slapstick comedy and sitcom dialogue may appeal to reluctant readers. Book #2, Escape of the Mini-mummy, is due in September. (Fiction. 8-12)