Whenever Uncle Dangerfoot, the world adventurer, comes to visit, nine-year-old Roxie Warbler sits at his feet hanging on every word of his hair-raising stories. She has virtually memorized the text of that famous book, Lord Thistlebottom's Book of Pitfalls and How to Survive Them, written by her uncle’s traveling companion, from which she has learned what to do if she is ever lost in the desert or if her parachute doesn’t open: Do not panic. Yet nothing in that book has prepared her to fend off Helvetia Hagus and her mean band of hooligans, four classmates who tease and torment her on the playground every single day. On the morning they stalk her, planning to glue a pair of boy’s underpants to her head, and pelt her with raw eggs, Roxie climbs the Dumpster to escape, and falls into the garbage. The four bullies fall in, too. Before they can escape, the Dumpster is lifted onto the back of a flatbed truck, driven to a garbage barge, and dumped in the ocean. How Roxie and her enemies swim to an island and fend off two armed bank robbers makes for an exciting and melodramatic chapter book filled with helpful survival tips. As Lord Thistlebottom would say, A jolly good adventure, that.
Compile a family list of survival tips, both serious and silly, for dealing with bullies, camping out, school, vacation, or even trips to the supermarket.
Reviewed by JF.
Themes: ADVENTURE & ADVENTURERS. BULLIES. SCHOOLS & SCHOOL STORIES.
- Full-page pencil illustrations perfectly complement this clever story that will leave readers cheering for Roxie as she proves to be as successful an adventurer as her famous uncle.
- Kristine M. Casper, School Library Journal
- Boiger's black-and-white illustrations catch the energy of Naylor's over-the-top yet sympathetically portrayed characters.
- Shelle Rosenfeld, Booklist
- Young readers will take note: use your noggin, do not panic, and do something!
- Children
- Three cheers-and some gingersnaps and lemonade-for Roxie, the girl who does not panic. Jolly fun.
- Kirkus Reviews