  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 04/01/2016 Whether eating copious amounts of marshmallows, breaking eggs with their toes, or gobbling down raw garlic (and smelling the aftereffects), earnest Teddy Mars and his best friends are indiscriminately intent on setting a new world record. Trying to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records helps Teddy carve out a niche for himself in his overflowing family, where his five older sisters and younger brother, whom he has fittingly nicknamed “The Destructor,” all compete for attention and resources. When his fourth-grade class gets in on the record-breaking action, things get complicated, and the Guinness Book quest begins to lose its luster; thank goodness Teddy has the school’s Inventors’ Fair to focus on. The usual suspects—obnoxious siblings, fallings out with friends, a cantankerous, elderly neighbor—are all in the mix here, but Teddy’s fresh perspective, aided by spot-on middle-grade humor, keeps the story relatable and enjoyable. While (spoiler alert) he may not win the Inventors’ Fair, Teddy and friends will win over readers in no time flat—so prepare to buy the sequels. AA - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
 |