Drooling and Dangerous, the Riot Brothers Return

Description

Orville and Wilbur Riot have never been strangers to adventure, and according to Riot Brother Rule #15, You can't do the same mission twice. So now they're back with more games, more missions, and loads more fun. One day they are spies on the trail of dangerous criminals, the next they are movie stars in the making. But whether they're flinging insects while playing Bye-Bye Buggie or switching everything imaginable around for their [D]witch [S]ay, one thing is for sure: You'll never catch these brothers with nothing to do. After all, as the Riot Brothers say, A bad day is like bad breath. It just gets worse unless you do something about it.

Mary Amato is known for her comic middle-grade novels. She is the author of the popular seller "The Word Eater," which appeared on many state lists, and the recent "Snarf Attack," "Underfoodle," and the "Secret of Life," which Library School Journal called "hilarious." She is also a storyteller, poet, puppeteer, mask-maker, and quilt-maker. Ms. Amato makes her home just outside of Washington, D.C. This is her third novel. Ethan Long is an author, illustrator, and cartoonist. His collaboration with Ann Whitford Paul, "Manana Iguana," was on the Virginia Readers' Choice Award Masterlist. His illustrations have been said to "burst with energy" and have been praised as "deliciously menacing" by "School Library Journal." He lives in Florida.

Grade 2-5-Fifth-grader Wilbur Riot and his younger brother, Orville, are fighting boredom once more in this uproarious follow-up to Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life (Holiday House, 2004). Amato presents three new humorous exploits, each told in brief, fast-paced chapters, as the boys embark on a spy mission, unwittingly star in a movie, and take their mother's place as school principal during a wacky Saturday Switch Day (Dwitch Say). Mom is good-natured throughout all of their antics, even getting in a joke or two of her own (sneaking plastic bugs into their sandwiches) while maintaining a level of control. An appended section compiles the brothers' many sayings (A bad day is like bad breath. It just gets worse unless you do something about it) and instructions for games such as Bye-Bye Buggie and Dirty Dockball. The black-and-white cartoons, large print, and straightforward language will attract both newly confident and reluctant readers, who will want to get in on the fun. This title stands on its own, but be prepared for youngsters to demand more about this crazy twosome.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY Gr. 3-5. Amato's fun-filled title in the Riot Brothers series follows fifth-grade Wilbur and his third-grade brother, Orville, as they create more crazy games with often amusing results. The first section, in which the boys become spies, and the last part, in which they play an opposites game and get to be school principals for a day, are the most clever and entertaining. The boys' mix of silliness and creativity will resonate strongly with children, and the large print and short chapters make for easy independent reading. Long's black-and-white illustrations add significantly to the book's humor. A fun read that will leave kids eagerly awaiting sequels. Roger Leslie Grade 2-5 Fifth-grader Wilbur Riot and his younger brother, Orville, are fighting boredom once more in this uproarious follow-up to Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life (Holiday House, 2004). Amato presents three new humorous exploits, each told in brief, fast-paced chapters, as the boys embark on a spy mission, unwittingly star in a movie, and take their mother's place as school principal during a wacky Saturday Switch Day (Dwitch Say). Mom is good-natured throughout all of their antics, even getting in a joke or two of her own (sneaking plastic bugs into their sandwiches) while maintaining a level of control. An appended section compiles the brothers' many sayings (A bad day is like bad breath. It just gets worse unless you do something about it) and instructions for games such as Bye-Bye Buggie and Dirty Dockball. The black-and-white cartoons, large print, and straightforward language will attract both newly confident and reluctant readers, who will want to get in on the fun. This title stands on its own, but be prepared for youngsters to demand more about this crazy twosome. Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY"