Review by Booklist Review
Ages 6-8. In a sequel to The Cut-Ups, good buddies Spud Jenkins and Joe Turner are well armed for the first day back to school. Their arsenal includes ``two rubber rattlesnakes, five rolls of caps, three boxes of premade spitballs, a half-dozen stink bombs, and Joe's pet tarantula, Intrepid.'' But, there's an element they hadn't counted on: an old, not-so-good buddy, Lamar J. Spurgle, the new principal who doesn't like kids and can't stand cut-ups. He brooks no nonsense, and Spud and Joe's first day seems destined to be filled with one sobering event after another as Spurgle reads the riot act, confiscates the arsenal, and generally cramps their style. Across town St. Bridget's School gets out early, and Mary Frances Hooley shows up in her souped-up car and offers to take the boys for a spin. Horrors. As the car is on school property Spurgle confiscates it as well, an action that sends Mary Frances scurrying to summon assistance. In classic garb black veil aflutter and rosy cheeks aglow the venerable Sister Aloysius (``Big Al'' to Mary Frances) arrives, recognizes the errant principal as ``the Spurgle kid,'' gives him a verbal rap on the knuckles, and sends him packing with the words ``Nobody messes with Big Al.'' Sister is last seen tooling off while Spud and Joe amble on home. With a simple line quality Marshall's illustrations expressively convey action, emotion, and personality, and there's no doubt that Spurgle's repulsive dog, Bessie, is just that. The deft twist of plot will leave children and grown-ups chuckling on several levels, perhaps conjuring up memories of their own ``Big Al.'' PW. Behavior Fiction / Schools Fiction / Humorous stories [OCLC] 87-8326
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Funny guys Spud and Joe head back to school with a bang in this second rollicking book starring the Cut-Ups. Ages 3-8. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
With their supplies all together--two rubber rattlesnakes, five rolls of caps, three boxes of premade spitballs, half-a-dozen stink bombs and a real tarantula--dedicated cutups Joe and Spud are ready for school. Unfortunately, school is also ready for them. New principal Lamar J. Spurgle, thanks to a previous run-in (The Cut-ups), is on to them instantly, anticipating their every move, catching them in the act again and again. Not even the fiendish Mary Frances Hooley escapes Spurgle's sharp eye; though she goes to St. Bridget's across town, Spurgle snags her on public-school property and confiscates her souped-up soapbox racer. Never fear, Mary Frances has a secret weapon--Sister Aloysius (a.k.a. ""Big Al""). As usual, Marshall's colorful, comic illustrations complement a b fie f text with additional detail and continuity. A funny, satisfying companion to the classic Miss Nelson stories, featuring slightly more sophisticated wish-fulfillment. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
