  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2016 Marvin knows middle school can be tough, but he wasn’t prepared for being grouped with the outcasts and insulted by giant, talking moths. It’s not as bad as it seems, though, because the other two outcasts are actually terrific friend material, and the moths even come in handy when a giant, Shakespeare-quoting, murderous spider threatens the town. It’s a loopy plot that switches with wild abandon between middle-school woes (first dances, bullies) and bloodsucking arachnids. The spider obsessed with the Bard is actually quite a memorable villain, so it’s almost a shame that he meets his end, but it’s just as well given his homicidal tendencies and he gets plenty of page time before then. Full-page black and white illustrations break up the text and add a bit of humor. Holm fans may be expecting more illustrations, but the text feels right in line with his other books-there is an underdog main character, offbeat humor, and a clear narrative arc that resolves cleanly. Final art not seen. AS - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 07/01/2016 Gr 4–6—If an episode of The Simpsons were written by a pair of 13-year-old boys, it might feel a little like this surreal stew of science run amok, middle school high jinks and angst, corporate mayhem, and the worst Harvest Dance ever. For Marvin Watson, the start of middle school is one more horror in his increasingly difficult life. A new baby brother; the realization that his wealthy, popular, and evil bully of a cousin will be a fellow classmate; and a wardrobe malfunction on the very first day are just a few of Marvin's troubles. To make matters worse, the only two people who will talk to him are "super smelly" Lee and intelligent but socially inept Fatima. Oh, and Marvin's unauthorized experimentation on one of the myriad products from Pork Loaf International, the town's main employer, may be responsible for not only the three human-size moths wreaking havoc in his new attic bedroom but quite possibly for the mysterious and deadly, Shakespeare-quoting "elephant vampire" as well. Town hysteria results in an incident of book burning, most of the characters fall just short of caricature, and the humor feels a little forced at times, but this laugh-out-loud goof fest will likely capture the imaginations of many reluctant readers. VERDICT Selling this one to fans of fart jokes and science humor will be as easy as, um, pork loaf.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 07/01/2016 Bad: Marvin is forced to share his attic bedroom with a squabbling trio of outsize moths, even as his town is terrorized by a so-called “elephant vampire.” Worse: middle school is not off to a promising start. Along with splitting his gym shorts on the first day and being subjected to relentless bullying, Marvin is forced to partner up in science with smelly Lee Skluzacek and snarky Fatima Curie, dubbed “Evil Robot Girl” for her glare, leg brace, bird cage orthodontics, and array of blinking electronic devices. The authors occasionally blunder through sensitive issues—a program at the school that segregates students with “Odoriferous Needs,” and semiofficial censors deface and burn library books. Still, with tongue-in-cheek sobriety, and punctuated by frequent full-page illustrations (not seen), this offbeat tale winds its way to a climactic Harvest Dance, where humiliation gives way to heroism when the “vampire” attacks. Fortunately, Lee’s stench turns out to be a sort of awesomely gross superpower. Unfortunately, Marvin realizes he himself might be to blame. Cue the sequel! - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
 |