ROBERT AND THE WEIRD & WACKY FACTS

Robert and Paul want to become instant millionaires and are willing to do almost anything to achieve their goal. In this entertaining and amusing continuation of their series (Oh, No, It’s Robert, 1999), Seuling and Brewer put together a winning story sure to be welcomed by second and third graders who will read and reread it. Robert and Paul keep busy by memorizing the various volumes of the Weird and Wacky Facts books but are disappointed to learn that they are too young to qualify for the TV show. Their teacher, Mrs. Bernthal, comes to the rescue and proposes a contest between the girls and boys. The prize is not exactly a million bucks—it’s a class party for all, and the winning team sets the menu. Seuling’s situations are familiar and comforting: the class assignment in bridge design, the smart girl who knows everything, boys versus girls in an academic contest, and goofy but believable situations that reduce the main characters to giggling hysterics. Black-and-white illustrations add to the fun. Brewer’s drawings show big-haired characters sure to make readers laugh. A tube of toothpaste with Robert’s head as the hilarious paste illustrates the words “Robert felt a little bit like he was the toothpaste in a tube that was being squeezed.” Generous font, lots of white space, frequent amusing illustrations, and a familiar, yet intriguing storyline add up to a winning tale for new readers. (Fiction. 7-10)