Code name Bananas

In this WWII-era farce, Walliams spins an 11-year-old orphan's concern for the safety of the animals of the London Zoo during the worst days of the Blitz into a hilariously improbable spy thriller. Alarmed by news that loving and beloved gorilla Gertrude has been ordered put down as a dangerous wild creature, Eric enlists his zookeeper great-uncle Sid (a war vet who lost both legs and has secretly gathered a menagerie of similarly disabled zoo residents in his apartment) to help spring her. The caper leads to several droll episodes and ultimately culminates with the group (gorilla and all) captured by Nazi secret agents and bundled aboard an explosives-filled U-boat dispatched to blow up the Houses of Parliament! That, of course, won't do. Gertrude provides plenty of assistance (not to mention frequent massive belches and grossly juicy raspberries), so mostly it's all in fun, though the author does tuck in the occasional exploding bomb and hail of bullets, as well as appended notes on the Battle of Britain and tragic wartime events.

Some plans are bananas from beginning to end. Eleven-year-old Eric Grout is a victim of the times, having lost both his parents to World War II--his father at Dunkirk and his mother when the factory where she worked sewing parachutes was bombed. He's left with two relatives: his nearly deaf paternal Granny, with whom he goes to live, and Uncle Sid, his maternal great-uncle, who is a zookeeper at London Zoo. Eric takes joy in assisting Uncle Sid, and his favorite animal is by far Gertrude, the old gorilla who has a knack for mimicking Eric's gestures, often to the delight of the wartime crowds. When, during the Blitz, tragedy strikes again, Eric and Uncle Sid are left trying to save Gertrude from being euthanized by overzealous zoo director Sir Frederick Frown and his horrendous henchmen. Television personality Walliams isn't afraid to throw everything and the kitchen sink at readers, so be prepared for terrifying Teutonic twins, grand escapes, tea with royals, and a lot of smelly body humor. Fans of Walliams' previous outings will find themselves on similar ground here, and new readers, especially those who love toilet humor, will happily go along with the madcap zaniness. Sticklers will point out one or two inconsistencies along the way, such as a disregard for wartime rationing, but logic and kooky camp rarely coexist. All characters read White. Readers will go ape. (historical notes) (Adventure. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.