A fifth grader does Dr. Frankenstein one better in this uncomplicated debut. Adam Cricklestein has had an insect zoo in his room since the age of three, but has seen a fair number of his pets done in by nemesis Jeb McCallister, baldly introduced as “the class bully.” Adam’s outrage finally spills over when Jeb tortures and kills a beautiful luna moth. Blowing a year’s allowance on mail-order preserved specimens, he assembles parts of a Malaysian vampire moth, an African emperor scorpion, a hissing cockroach, a giant wetapunga cricket from New Zealand and other outsized arthropods into “Frankie,” an eight-inch, one-pound fighting machine. A jolt from a jar of lightning bugs brings Frankie to life—whereupon Adam discovers that his glittering warrior is a vegetarian, with a decided preference for marshmallows. Nonetheless, when Jeb smashes Adam’s scurrying science project, Frankie gives him a vicious pinch on the butt: or, as Adam writes, “Frankie got the bully in the end. If you know what I mean.” Jeb’s wild tale of being attacked by a humongous bug touches off a town-wide hunt, but when the dust settles, he’s forced to retire in disgrace, true colors exposed, while Frankie becomes a celebrity, and Adam a local hero. Fans of Carol Sonenklar’s Bug Girl (1998), Ralph Fletcher’s Spider Boy (1997) and other stories featuring young people and the creepy-crawlies they love will follow the exploits of this budding but ambitious entomologist with glee. (Fiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2000
ISBN: 0-8234-1496-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2000
In his quest for easy moolah, Owen learns that the road to financial solvency can be rocky and fraught with work. Greene (Owen Foote, Soccer Star, 1998, etc.) touches upon the often-thorny issue of chores and allowances: Owen’s mom wants him to help out because he’s part of the family and not just for the money—while Owen wants the money without having to do tedious household chores. This universal dilemma leaves Owen without funds and eagerly searching for ways to make a quick buck. His madcap schemes range from original—a “free” toilet demonstration that costs 50 cents—to disastrous, as during the trial run of his children’s fishing video, Owen ends up hooking his ear instead of a trout. Enlisting the aid of his stalwart, if long-suffering, friend Joseph, the two form a dog-walking club that becomes vastly restricted in clientele after Owen has a close encounter with an incontinent, octogenarian canine. Ultimately, Owen learns a valuable lesson about work and money when an unselfish action is generously rewarded. These sudden riches motivate Owen to consider wiser investments for his money than plastic vomit. Greene’s crisp writing style and wry humor is on-target for young readers. Brief chapters revolving around a significant event or action and fast pacing are an effective draw for tentative readers. Weston’s (Space Guys!, p. 392, etc.) black-and-white illustrations, ranging in size from quarter- to full-page, deftly portray Owen’s humorous escapades. A wise, witty addition to Greene’s successful series. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2000
ISBN: 0-618-02369-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
PLB 0-688-13166-2 King Midas And The Golden Touch ($16.00; PLB $15.63; Apr.; 32 pp.; 0-688-13165-4; PLB 0-688-13166-2): The familiar tale of King Midas gets the golden touch in the hands of Craft and Craft (Cupid and Psyche, 1996). The author takes her inspiration from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s retelling, capturing the essence of the tale with the use of pithy dialogue and colorful description. Enchanting in their own right, the illustrations summon the Middle Ages as a setting, and incorporate colors so lavish that when they are lost to the uniform gold spurred by King Midas’s touch, the point of the story is further burnished. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-13165-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
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