  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 06/01/2016 Gr 4–6—One lucky family have a chance to win everything they can carry from King Wonder's Wish Shoppe. Cal Talaska knows in his heart that his parents and siblings have what it takes to win the contest, but he has to convince them to participate first. They finally agree, albeit reluctantly, and qualify as finalists in the competition. Their stiffest competition comes from the Wylots, the family in town who have everything; Mr. Wylot is Cal's father's boss. When it becomes evident that the Wylots are willing to stop at nothing to demonstrate that they're the best, Cal and his extremely clever family must come together to prove them wrong. In this first installment of a new series, Doyle introduces readers to a charming (but quirky) family in the Talaskas, and readers cannot help but root for them to win. VERDICT Despite a familiar plot, readers will enjoy the hilarious adventures of the Talaskas and will surely look forward to the next installment.—Wayne R. Cherry Jr., First Baptist Academy Library, Houston - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 07/01/2016 The Wish Shoppe—part WalMart, part Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory—is set to open soon, and one family will win a shopping spree. Cal Talaska knows his family is destined to win, but his mom thinks the contest is silly, and his dad does not want to compete against his boss, Mr. Wylot. Cal tricks them into entering but must now convince them to continue against the stiff competition—the Rivales wear matching outfits and move like clockwork, the Wylots practically own the town. The characters are larger than life. Cal’s sister, Imo, is a budding space scientist, while baby brother Bug doesn’t talk except to bark with the dog, and Mrs. Talaska collects trivia and punctuates her speech with cheese references (“What the provolone is going on?”). The breakneck pace, outlandish characters, and implausible plot create a funny, light story. The illustrations portray Cal’s family as indistinctly multiracial, providing needed diversity undertones to the genre of not-quite-realistic fiction. Hand this to fans of Nickelodeon shows looking for a change of medium. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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