The Terrible Two

October 27, 2014
Two rival pranksters headline this boisterous series opener set in Yawnee Valley, “the cow capital of the United States, this side of the Mississippi, excluding a couple of towns that cheat.” Barnett (the Brixton Brothers series) and John (All My Friends Are Dead) are in perfect comic harmony, filling their story with exaggerated archetypes (the overbearing principal, the do-gooder), pranks gone awry, and wisecracking banter. On his first day at Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy, master trickster Miles is impressed that someone has moved Principal Barkin’s car to block the school entrance—and distressed that he wasn’t the perpetrator. Determined to establish his prankster dominance, Miles masterminds a huge birthday party—presents required—for a fictitious peer, who (somehow) shows up to wow the crowd and abscond with the gifts. Eventually, Miles finally forms a partnership with his unlikely nemesis to create a “secret society founded on mutual admiration and the joy of pranking.” Cornell’s (The Chicken Squad) b&w cartoons layer on the laughs, especially when portraying the megalomaniacal Principal Barkin, and Barnett and John’s deadpan writing lets Yawnee Valley’s absurdity shine. Ages 8–12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

November 1, 2014
Miles used to live near the sea. Miles had friends. Miles was his school's greatest prankster...how will he survive a move to Yawnee Valley? Yawnee Valley is famous for one thing: cows. All new students at Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy receive a booklet of 1,346 interesting cow facts from fussbudget fifth-generation principal Barry Barkin. On the first day of school, when Principal Barkin's car is found mysteriously parked on the school's steps, Barkin suspects Miles and assigns Niles Sparks to be Miles' buddy. Miles can't think of anything more awful than spending every moment of every day with smiling, officious, king-of-the-obvious Niles. On top of that, Barkin's son, Josh, has decided Miles is a good bullying target. To make life interesting, Miles plans a perfect prank in his pranking notebook, but it's foiled. That's followed by an invitation to join forces in pranking from an unexpected source...no way! Let the prank war commence! Barnett and John launch their cow-resplendent illustrated series with the humorous origin story of the pranking duo who lend the series its name. Characters may be stock; however, the pranks are anything but, and it's peppered with cow facts. Cornell's goofy cartoon illustrations (especially the blase cows) add giggles aplenty. Fluffy, fast, fun reading for fans of Clueless McGee and the Wimpy Kid. (Fiction. 7-11)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-When you move to a new school, you get to decide who you want to be: front-row kid, kid with cool shoes, or smart kid. Miles Murphy has moved to a new town and a new school, but he doesn't want to reinvent himself. He wants to be who he has always been; a prankster. The problem is, that role has already been taken by a troublemaker who is even better than Miles, Niles Sparks, masquerading as a do-gooder. Niles respects Miles' skills and suggests they join forces as The Terrible Two. Initially disinterested, Miles ultimately realizes he is no match for Niles, and they work together to pull off the ultimate prank and develop a close friendship. Coauthors and friends Barnett and John have created a fast paced, laugh-out-loud novel sure to appeal to those who appreciate a good prank and have a sense of justice. The caricaturelike protagonists, particularly the childlike adult characters, add to the absurdity of the book, and the evolving relationship between the Miles and Niles is pure fun. Cornell's varied graphics perfectly capture the humorous tone and add their own comic appeal. This is a good candidate for reluctant readers and a natural next read for fans of Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series.-Juliet Morefield, Multnomah County Library, OR

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2015
Grades 4-6 Miles Murphy isn't happy about moving to small Yawnee Valley (Welcome sign: Come look at our cows ) or leaving his friends, but he is determined to be Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy's number one prankster, the title he proudly held at his old school. He is facing serious competition, however, when an anonymousand, Miles admits, inspiredtrickster delays the first day of school by somehow blocking the school's entryway with the principal's car. Worse, aptly named Principal Barkin blames Miles and pairs him with goody-two-shoes Niles Sparks; then he is targeted by bully Josh. Undaunted, Miles focuses on achieving premiere prankster status, but he is continually thwarted. Thus begins a rivalry of pranking one-upmanship, but perhaps an alliance is betterand ultimately rewarding in multiple ways. With plenty of humor, quirky characters, interspersed drolly related cow factoids, and fantastical, over-the-top pranking, this entertaining, enjoyable read will especially appeal to Wimpy Kid aficionados. Throughout, lively black-and-white cartoon illustrations depict characters, scenarios, and sundry ephemera with witty details. Readers will be anticipating the prankster pals' further escapades.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

March 1, 2015
"Welcome to Yawnee Valley, an idyllic place with rolling green hills that slope down to creeks, and cows as far as the eye can see." Forced to leave behind both his beloved seaside home and his proud reputation as the class prankster, Miles Murphy dreads starting over in this new town where the air smells bovine. At school Miles becomes an immediate target for both the defensive Principal Barkin and his school-bully son. He also finds himself paired up with a do-gooder named Niles. Worst of all, Miles discovers that an impressive and anonymous prankster already attends the Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy. Miles must either out-prank this characteror join forces. Full of well-timed comedy, the chapters jump from scene to scene like crisp film cuts. Interspersed throughout are cow facts from the Yawnee Valley Dairy Council (1,346 Interesting Things You May or May Not Know About Cows) and punchy line drawings that magnify the book's dry humor and clever details. Well-paced for pleasure reading, this lively start to a new series provides great insight into social dynamics -- as well as prank planning and execution! julie roach

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)